The old phrase is that if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, chances are it’s a duck.

In the software industry, you can take a game, rename and repackage it, but if it is the same game, then it has to be identified as such. Take Season Ticket Baseball 2003, a PC release from Infogrames, for example. When first launched, the game seemed very familiar, as in identical to a game reviewed on the GameZone Web site back in early March.

The reason for that is plain if one takes the time to read the box. The developers of Season Ticket are the good folks at Out Of The Park Developments, which released this same game online as a downloadable program (for a price) called Out of the Park Baseball 4.

Doubtless there is a solid reason behind the name change, but any fan of cerebral baseball needs to be forewarned that if you have OOTP4 (and its accompanying patches), you have Season Ticket Baseball 2003.

That duly noted, let’s look at what this program offers ­ for those who may not have seen or heard of this program. For those who read the review of OOTP4, you will notice that some of the review submitted below for Season Ticket Baseball is identical to the review for OOTP4 because passages of the former review have been lifted and inserted here.

Season Ticket Baseball 2003 has taken the ball out of the hands of game players; it is a cerebral venture, not a reflexive one. This is a baseball sim game that bases outcome on statistical probability. It is a game that will not visually delight players, but will draw true patriots of the game to its myriad management challenges.

Don’t be fooled, there is still baseball played here, but in addition to managing from the dugout during a game, you will have to organize the minor league clubs, sign and trade players, become responsible for the financial fortunes of your ball club, and take care of the offensive tendencies and defensive logistics before you ever allow your team to step foot on the playing surface.

Don't expect to see big-name players here. There won't be a J.D. Drew, Tino Martinez, or Jim Edmonds in a Cardinals uniform. There won’t even be the St. Louis Cardinals in this game, unless you go into the team edit mode and change the team name from the Stars to Cardinals.

The reason behind the lack of strong affiliation, in name only, with the Show is that this game has not signed a contract with the Major League Baseball Players Association. That would have cost big bucks, with doubtless would have been passed along to the consumer.

However, that does not mean that the players in this game don’t have the stats or abilities of their big league counterparts. They may not have the names, but they do sport the stats. The edit function will allow you to break out the Baseball Encyclopedia and start creating players who not only emulate the best players of all time, but have the name recognition as well.

This game is a statistics lover’s dream. You can track every facet of the game through stats, and is you are on top of it, you will be able to use statistical probability to your adventure.

It’s late in the game, two on and one out, trailing by a run. Up to the plate steps Joe Player, who is facing a left-handed pitcher. Well, Joe only hits .230 against lefties with runners in scoring positions, but on your bench is John Player, who hits .384 in the same situation. That means it’s time for a pinch hitter.

This game is light when it comes to the graphics and sound.

There is no sound to speak of. The gameplay registers along the bottom of the interface in typed format. There are repetitive phrases that can be monotonous.

As for the graphics: if you have ever "watched" a baseball game on ESPN's site, you will get an idea what this game looks like. It is a static field with boxes indicating player names and skills in the positions they occupy. As a runner reaches base, another box appears with information that will help you, the manager, make decisions about what you may do either offensively, or defensively. Will you bunt him along, or put on the hit and run? On the defensive side, what do you anticipate

The lineup is featured, along with managerial options. The play, unless you sim it out, pauses after each at-bat to give managers the option to change game philosophy.

You can even argue calls - well, challenge is more like it. If that debate gets heated, you can be tossed from the game.

Player editors, league editors, scheduling ­ it’s all in place to give game players full control.

This is, obviously, not a game that will appeal to everyone, but it will be a hit (pun intended) with baseball purists.

This game is rated for Everyone.

What follows below are the same scores given for Out of the Park 4. This game has changed little, and while still enjoyable, the scores will stand as originally stated.

Gameplay: 7.5
The action is a little static, but outcome is statistical probability, which takes it out of the realm of reflexive adroitness.

Graphics: 6
These are not the sharpest in the work, but work well within the format of the game. Remember, when you are talking about video games, you are talking about "video" or multimedia games. The multimedia aspect is important, and if a game is light in that department, in spite of how well it presents its material, that must be taken into consideration.

Sound: N/A
There is nothing here.

Difficulty: Easy
This is a cerebral challenge. There are no difficulty levels.

Concept: 8.5
This game has so many options that true fans of the sport will spend hours tinkering with the lineups, and enjoy every minute of it.

Multiplayer: 7.5
The game has strong support for online gaming. The game allows players to work leagues through an FTP server. Not a bad way to run the game, but you need an FTP site to host your own games.

Overall: 7.8
Yogi Berra once said that "Baseball is 90 percent mental ­ the other half is physical." This game does without the other half. Granted, this is not a program that will appeal to those who want to see animation or action. But for those that love the game, enjoy the behind-the-scenes management, embrace the mental challenge, like the statistical bombardment, and thrive on situational strategy, this is the game for you.