This year features the usual additions (roster updates, etc.) and a few more additions that make the game more memorable than last year. The graphics have been given a facelift, with attention paid to the games frame rate, a major issue in last years game. It can still get slow at some points, but it's certainly better than last years "skip-fest." Emotion is now shown on the players faces bringing gamers closer to the big leagues than ever before. With the age of the hardware however, graphical flaws are more prevalent than ever with clipping and low resolution being the biggest detractors.

Gameplay is still standard fare. There's barely any technique in hitting and pitching. It seems that any strides made by other baseball video games have been ignored in favor of a nice arcade style baseball title. Those who purchase this yearly will find the frame rate adjustment enough to enhance this enough.

While the play-by-play is still the best in the business, it has barely changed since it revolutionized the industry way back in 1998. The same quotes have been used year after year with very few changes, making this feature more redundant every year. A few new songs have been added to the stadiums track list, but everything else has been left intact from the previous year.

Extra modes of play have been added for the 2001edition and include a classic home run derby. While a nice addition, it's marred by the insanely high scoring the computer can pull off. With all due respects, Mickey Mantle was truly one of the greats, but could he honestly blast 60+ homers in one inning? For two players, this mode has some meaning, but don't bother playing solo.

The create-a-player mode has been taken directly from last years game with only minor additions. A brand new feature in EA Sports games allows players to unlock secret items by performing tasks in the game. Some of the awards include a big head code, faster pitches, and the usual array of cheats found in most of today's sports games. While the addition is done well, some players may want to turn this feature off and just play the game, but they're not given a choice.

While the overall game hasn't changed that much from last year, it's still a must play for baseball fans. The additional features don't do a whole lot for the gameplay, but will make gamers play "just one more game." The next big step probably won't come until the series is brought out on a next-gen system. Until then, this game will satisfy.