For the past ten years, I have been heavily addicted to OOTP. I have bought every new iteration of the game and if you added up the amount of time I've spent playing the series over the years, it would be measured in months.

Based on my opinions on gaming, there are few things that can beat the thrill of building a plan for a franchise and then implementing it successfully, although failure can be just as much fun. This aspect of the game is very similar to two games I consider to be near perfect experiences in Civilization and SimCity.

Admittedly, some years the developers of OOTP don't make very many noticeable changes, but this is not one of those years. Right off the bat, the game is finally officially licensed by the MLB. Although I did like the community driven content of the past, it's nice not having to download and install a bunch of add-ons to get the game in working order.

I also enjoy the overhaul of the coaching system. Maybe this is a personal preference, but I like to play the game with less reliable scouting accuracy and less information. In the real world, we don't get very reliable quantitative ratings. Instead, reality is more vague and results driven, especially when it comes to coaching. I found it a bit odd that a recently retired 38-year-old player could immediately turn out to be an elite coach without ever coaching a single game and you as a GM have that information at your disposal. That wasn't realistic at all.

The new clubhouse dynamics are a big improvement and add some much needed depth to the personalities of the players. The storylines feature that has been there for a few years has been all right at giving the players some human qualities, but the clubhouse dynamics of OOTP16 starts to effictively breath life into the players and is bringing it onto the field rather than being randomly generated events.

One last thing that I really enjoy about this year's version of OOTP. I have wanted human contracts for some time, just for the sake of story. I often find myself in the game wanting a new challenge. As a GM you will very rarely get fired if your team is not completely tanking, so I was often in a position where I wanted to take a job with another team but it really didn't mesh well with reality. GMs really don't change jobs unless their contract is not renewed or they are fired. Combined with the added owner's goals, the pressure to perform is much more present. Unlike in the past, your job will no longer be safe if you stick around .500 for several years and make very little progress towards the playoffs.

If you have bought and enjoyed OOTP in the past or if you're a fan of baseball and strategy games, this is a must buy. I hope this review was helpful to someone.

I am from Europe.
I am not a Baseball fan!
I am asking whats all the fuzz about Out of the Park?

A week later I have played 30 hours.
I hire and fire.
I reach the playoffs.
I am researching players, teams and real transaction logs on the internet.
I match preferences of my pitching coach with my groundballers at the mound.
I watch baseball videos on Youtube.
I have got a glimpse of the american spirit.

What a steal was this game at the discount, looking forward to OotP 17 release day.

I will start this review by informing you that I have been playing versions of OOTP for over 10 years now. My first one was OOTP4 (circa 2002) and I've bought every single one of them since so you can guess right now I'm going to say good things. Here's why you should keep reading this review though: I'm going to describe the type of player whom probably would and probably would not like it.

People who probably would like it:
- People who love baseball
- People who love managing things
- People who like simulations
- People who like data and/or statistics
- People who watch their favorite team and think they could do better
- People who like fantasy baseball/sports

People who probably would not like it:
- People who would want to have a direct role in a game (IE, want to be able to swing the bat or pick a pitch)
- People who only care about graphics (though these are greatly improving each year)
- People who do not like baseball
- People who do not understand at least the basics of baseball
- Most Call of Duty players

This game was my first 'management' sim, so I suppose I have a very fresh perspective on the genre, and this series, as a whole. I was hesitant to buy the game, as it didn't sound particularly exciting to sit in front of a bunch of text and move virtual contracts around; but after having put 100 hours into the game now, I'm very glad I took the leap.

OOTP16 is, quite simply, everything I wish for in a GM mode of sports video games (like NHL, Madden, etc). Where those games give you basic, limited contact with the true world of being a GM or Manager of a team, OOTP thrusts you headlong into the daunting world of numbers, scouting, guesswork, sabermetrics, and annoyingly fickle fanbases. Instead of running onto the field and grabbing Miguel Cabrera to drive home those runs, you sit in front of a virtual simulation of a game, hoping Cabrera comes through. You have no control over him. You have no control over anyone, actually.

But it's that lack of control that is, ultimately, freeing. You aren't the player, you are the designer, the architect of a champion... or a failure. Your success is made in the offseason, or in the draft, or in that fantastic deal, not in your ability to create a player with 99 contact and 99 power. You can't cheese an opposing team with knuckleballs below the zone or pitch outs that somehow curve back in for strikes (I'm looking at you, Triple Play 2000). If you want a strong ERA, you better draft some studs and be willing to pay the free agents. Or, maybe you realize that you don't need the best bullpen, just an adequate one, so you decide to go for some second tier guys and hope they don't implode. These are the joys of OOTP. You are rewarded, not for your ability to time a 95mph fastball, but for your intelligence in signing the guy who can. I give it 9.5 out 10 for the genre, and a 9/10 overall.

That's the short review. For the rest, I'm going to go into detail to help anyone that is still on the fence. Note that, since there is very little in the way of 'gameplay' for OOTP, I'm going to be breaking down the ratings a bit differently than the average game.

Learning Curve: 8/10 - OOTP is not easy, and it does not hold your hand. This can be daunting for a newbie, like I was when I started; but by the end of my first year as the (stupid and overpaying) GM of the Tigers, I was getting the hang of things. There are still various parts of the game I don't quite understand in full, but things become fairly explanatory as you go, and there is always the online forums for help in the things you don't understand. My biggest complaint is a lack of detail in some of the more obscure areas. Take trades, for instance. When trading with another team there is a nice graphic that displays the 'strengths' of each team, with colors ranging from red (for sorely lacking) to blue (super star level) for each position. however, nowhere in the game, so far as I've seen, are the colors explained, and they have to be picked up as you go. There's also the dual scouting system. Each team has their own in house scout, but there is also an overarching scouting organization that ranks players, often with differing stats compared to your own scouts. This nuance isn't obvious when you start the game, and many players will be surprised to find that the 5 star player they thought they had, is actually only considered a 2 star player by the rest of the league. These issues are eventually overcome, however, and that's why I don't dock any major points for them. They could simply be explained better.

Useability: 9/10 - The text boxes, the stat screens, the dialogue trees. It's all laid out wonderfully in OOTP, often with an overload of information in every area, giving you plenty to work with whenever you are scouting or looking to make a deal. When you are getting ready to sign a guy long term, you can easily see their stats over the last year, two years, or even whole career. When you are scouting a young guy, you can see the same. You can see trends and stats from almost every screen, in fact, and almost always relevant to the task you are trying to accomplish. That's not to say there are no issues, though. On occasion you'll find yourself having to switch a screen to find an exact piece of info that isn't displayed; and the toggle for what stats are displayed on a given screen (usually controlled with a drop down box) are quite annoying, as they have a habit of reverting when you don't want them to. But these are minor quibbles that can be easily overlooked.

AI: 10/10 - Now, admittedly, this is going to depend on your own options chosen when you make the league. You could, if you desire, make this game silly easy and turn opposing GMs into blithering morons. But you wouldn't do that, right? No, you're a true gamer, and as such you'll play with normal settings, or even harder settings than intended; and when you do, you'll be greeted by a friendly, but ruthless, major league. You'll find GM's that will gladly trade you their superstar... who is in the last year of his contract and about to demand the moon for an extension. You'll find players who, after one good year, will politely stick you up at gunpoint and request your checkbook. You'll find GMs who laugh when you offer your (in house scouted) 5 star prospect, because to them he's only a 3 star; and you'll find prospects from all over the world asking for millions of dollars because the OOTP scouts ranked them high... even though your own scout is pretty sure they will ride the pine for all eternity. If you are wise, you can swiftly walk around these challenges, but you can NEVER let your guard down. One bad contract, one poor trade, and suddenly you're in a rebuild and the fans are breathing down your neck (not to mention your pennypinching owner). Even when you are on top of the world, staring down a Pennant a stud filled roster, you can't let up, because suddenly those 5 star players want a new contract, and they aren't playing cheap. Suddenly that 3 star player who had a great year would like a little more, and so would your 4 star prospect who played well in his rookie season. 10 contracts later and you are pushing the cap, which means you have no money to sign new prospects, or free agents, or international stars... and you're only one 5 star player regressing with age away from doom. This is where OOTP shines. You can be the hero, and just as quickly get yourself fired because you were unwise. It's not a 'hard' game, but it never forgives you for a mistake.

Replayability: 10/10 - This, for me, was where OOTP shone brightest. I started my first game as GM of the Tigers, and quickly ran myself out of town with bad contracts, losing seasons, and poor money management. When I started a new game, I clicked on the 'advanced options' and suddenly a whole new world was opened up to me. I could change everything, from the names of teams to the number of them playing, to how many leagues there were and how many divisions were in it, how many minor league systems were run and how many players entered the international market each year. i could even expand the intricacy of the player scouting system. I could make every scout 'dead on' in their assessment, or change it so that every rating was pure speculation, and no one really knew if a player was going to play well. I could eliminate the trade deadline, make it so free agents had to have 10 years of experience, or even make the minimum age of a player in the MLB. I could control minimum entry contracts, control the average demands of stars, superstars, and average joes, and even decide how many rounds would be had in the entry draft. It was insane, so much more than anyone really needs for a game, and yet the OOTP crew made sure I could play MY way.

In summary, OOTP is an amazing simulation of what it's like to be a GM in the MLB. It WILL make you appreciate the challenges your favorite teams GM goes through. Buy it!

My review is how many hours I have in this game.............

In all seroiusnes though, this game is pretty perfect. The game engine is smooth and not unrealistic, and you have so many options. Want to play this year in the majors? Go ahead. Want to play the strike season to see if the Expos could finish the deal? Go ahead. Want to make a baseball WORLD where almost every major baseball country has a league, and all the league higher ups meet at the end of the year for a soccer style champions league (like I did)? Go ahead. You can do anything, you're only limited to your imagination. 10/10 best game ive ever played.

EDIT: I just beamed the opposing players superstar catcher because I hate the guy, Fractured his skull, he had to retire. 10/10 would attemp again

Out of the Park(OOTP for short) 16 is a text based sports simulation, and quite honestly, the best baseball simulaton hands down. With OOTP you are able to play a multitude of different games. Do you want to create a fictional league, with customized uniforms and rules? You can do that here. Do you want to start from the beginning of baseball with player accurate rosters and attributes? You can do that here. Do you want to tackle individual historical seasons to see if you can rewrite history? Yup, you guessed it, you can do that here.

Of course you will be able to create modern day baseball teams, and with OOTP, you also find out they have obtained an MLB license, so you will have accurate logos and colors for the teams. OOTP also has a dedicated modding community(the features above, like historical seasons is greatly enhanced by the community).

The game play as mentioned before is texted based. You can be the manager, you can be the GM, you can even play as the commissioner. If you are up for the task, you can play as all three. You can also have the AI take control, where they can create your lineups and rotation(also handle signings, promotions/demotions as examples) if you don't want to micromanage every aspect of the game.

OOTP also has online mode, where you can create a league, or you can join a league and test your skills against other players as you compete for championships. The game will track stats and you will be able to access the stats as if you were playing a solo game.

I have to also mention that the developers of this game are very active, and if issues arise, you can expect them to fix it in a timely manner(look for information on the OOTP official forums). The community is excellent as I mentioned before with modding, but if you're a new player, or a new fan to baseball, we can help you out, as the game may be slightly overwhelming for the first time since the depth of what OOTP has to offer is second to none. This release(I've been playing since March 20th) is honestly the best OOTP yet, and that's saying something as I amassed over 1200 hours of play in OOTP 15.

So what are you waiting for? Make this game a part of your library! You will not be disappointed if you're a simulation and baseball fan!

10/10

We took over the Giants in '85, the season after they finished with over 90 losses. Using our superior statistical and sabermetric analysis, we traded for Kirby Puckett and were over .500 at the all-star break. We bolstered our pitching staff for the stretch run because we were only 4.5 games out at the deadline. It was a hard fought division race between us and the Dodgers, and we managed to force a one game playoff for the NL West crown and the right to play in the NLCS.

Steve Sax led off the game for LA. He came into the game having 3 triples and one home run on the season. He led off the game with a triple and scored on a sac fly. Ok, no problem. As we had done all season, we fought back and tied the Brooklyn-born club. Sure, we stranded a lot of runners and missed a lot of opportunities, but it was a relative pitcher's duel 1-1 going into the top of the 7th. The bottom of the Dodger's lineup led off the inning with a single, and followed with a double. Our starter had a low pitch count and had cruised through the game thusfar, but now we're in trouble. Coming to the plate was the light hitting Steve Sax. With the count 1-2, the man who had one home run all season, deposited a ball into the right field stands for an opposite field home run and the San Francisco crowd was stunned. We lost the game and the division.

I hate you Steve Sax.

This is the new and improved version of the best baseball sim game on the market - with lots of new options for deeper gameplay than before. You can play as a manager, the GM, or just watch the seasons progress and see what happens. Want to play with the 2015 rosters and see how your favorite team will do? Check. Play historical seasons to see how you compete? Check. Make your own fictional baseball leagues set anywhere in the world? Check.

If you're interested in baseball and want to have the fun of managing your own club, or playing as GM and making trades, signing free agents, etc - I highly recommend this game.

Best baseball simulation in the world.

I've been playing the OOTP series since version one. It is simply the best. Version 16 is the cream of the crop with all the bells and whistles. If you like baseball you will get hours of fun with no ending. WARNING: This game is extremely addictive, it may cause you marital problems.

Lots of free custom content. And Markus the creator is the best, he always fixes the game so that it can be perfect. He always listen to his customers on his forum.

The only game that I recommend 100%. I score it 10/10

Don't miss out on the fun, grab it today!

The ultimate baseball nerd's dream, be the GM of your favorite club.

Niche games are really the only ones that get close to being perfect. Games that swing for the fences and mass appeal are always going to sacrifice in order to attract a wider audience. It's the games like OOTP, which are zoned in on a small specific audience, that have the opportunity to knock it out of the park. This one is a grand slam.

Everything you could possibly imagine about running an MLB club is included. Signings, trading, developing, drafting and managing are all deep and intuitively built systems that are more than capable of throwing the player a curveball if they aren't careful. The ability to play as the manager alone or the GM alone or both at once is a feature that cannot be praised enough. This allows you to change up your playstyle and experience greatly and really helps take your game time into the 10th inning.

Historical rosters and the option to start at any year are a gift from the baseball Gods. As a Cleveland Indians fan you have no idea how many hours of my life I've spent torturting myself reliving those "so-close" moments from the mid 90s. Now I can do that with the aid of a computer simualtion and really rub the pine tar all over my inner fan's self-esteem.

All in all this game is a 4 tool player that hustles on every play. It might take you to the promised land but it will rip your heart out in arbitration.

10/10