MLB 2005

The USP concept (short for ��unique selling proposition��) is a hallmark of effective marketing techniques. The theory behind it: By pinpointing the one thing your product excels at as opposed to the competition��its USP��and exploiting the heck out of it, the focus of your efforts will sell, sell, sell.

So, what��s the USP for MLB 2005 on PS1? ��The only MLB game on PSone this season!�� exclaims the front of the box. In other words, the fact that it has no competition. Pretty pathetic, huh?

It��s easy to see why Sony��s marketing department phoned this tag line in: It really is about all you can boast about regarding the game. That��s not to say the game is bad��it��s everything it��s ever been, for better or for worse. You see, as far as gameplay is concerned, absolutely nothing has changed since last year��s addition (and, quite possibly, the one before that��and the one before that). It still features the same cursor-based system the PS1 version of the series has utilized for years, which is all well and good��but you��d think at least one designer might care enough to add something semicool. Nope. They haven��t even bothered to fix the ��let��s hold the runner on second base�� faux pas.

Quite literally, the only new additions to MLB 2005 are a new opening movie (borrowed from its stronger PS2 brother), a revised interface, updated rosters, a small bit of Vin Scully/Dave Campbell commentary, and the addition of the new Petco Park in San Diego. That��s it, baseball fans.

The game actually provides its own new definition to the USP acronym: unnecessary sports product.

Rating:

Hits

Generally solid game of baseball, they actually bothered to render Petco Park

Whiffs

You can buy a used (maybe even new!) MLB 2001 for 25 bucks less��and you won��t see many differences at all

Pub. Sony CEA

Dev. 989 Studios

ESRB Everyone

MSRP $29.99

Copyright © 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine.