MLB Power Pros is a different take on the MLB license. While the player has the ability to play as authentic players on actual MLB teams, the players are represented by anime characters, with large heads, feet and hands with no arms and legs. The game has been a mainstay in Japan for the last 15 years. Power Pros does feature options from other real-time games such as Season, Multiplayer and Exhibition modes, it also has a story based mode where the player can create their own character and play up to 20 years, doing activities such as earning the right to move from the minors to the majors, landing big contracts, as well as buying houses and cars, make friends on and off the field, as well as start hobbies and make donations to charities to draw attention to the player. It also features a Dynasty mode where the player can run a MLB team, trading and releasing with a roster of 40 men and change formations on defense and offense as well as change a pitchers ball speed.
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While there are a surprising number of other modes here on offer, none of them totally work as expected. Success Mode is a career mode turned RPG but is too cryptic and strict on requirements to play through without a guide. I thought I was doing well until I got a surprising "Game Over" screen, so I booted up my last save. After trying alternative paths, it appeared I had been soft-locked and would be forced to start over. After searching online, apparently this is a common criticism with the mode. It just really soured me on the game.
Season mode is here but doesn't offer enough customization. You can't change the number or games or innings, so you will be simulating a lot to get through it.
Finally, the art style. I'm not a big fan of the player models, but the game is nice and bright and the stadiums look good. Other baseball games from the era look a bit drab in comparison.
I wanted to like this game and series more than I did. It's not bad, but with some tweaks, it could have been one of the PS2's great sports games. Instead, it's just average.
