Churn out enough sequels and you're bound to fall prey to redundancy at some point. Power League IV was an enjoyable baseball title on its own (and thus not a total waste), but it was also a largely irrelevant addition to the PL line. Hudson rallied for the fifth episode and delivered a product that would've made perfect sense as the immediate followup to PL3. 5 is a great game, boasting visual enhancements over its predecessors along with irresistibly catchy in-game music and gameplay that feels more refined than 4's.

The batters are a good deal larger in this episode, but they sometimes assume awkward-looking stances.

The field graphics haven't been altered a whole lot since PL2, but what's good is good. The action is a little slow compared to PL4's, but if anything, the game is better off for the adjustment.

The old pitching system is back, meaning you have plenty of control over the ball as it makes trips to the plate.

The computer doesn't put up much of a "fight." Gotta love those eighteen-run innings. Home runs actually aren't all that common, but you'll typically bombard your opposition with line-drive base hits. This episode is even easier than PL4...

...so don't be surprised to see your entire lineup on the league leaders list. But lack of challenge didn't ruin the first PL, and it doesn't ruin this awesome title either.

No surprise here. More stadiums!

Players sometimes fall down after swinging strikeouts. Personality had kind of been waning since the first game, but it's back a bit here.

These celebration scenes have worn out their welcome...