MLB 2K8

March 4, 2008 - While
the NFL and its exclusivity dealings have undoubtedly garnered more of
the public spotlight than the MLB's, let us not forget that the deal
that 2K struck eliminated one of the greatest (and my personal
favorite) baseball series of all time in MVP Baseball -- particularly
the '05 edition. Needless to say the bitter taste that was left in my
mouth after EA's line of baseball games was squashed hasn't subsided in
the last few years. That's mainly due to 2K's inability to recreate the
fluid and fun style of gameplay that we saw more than three years ago.
Now MLB 2K8 is stepping into the batter's box with a handful of
gameplay tweaks and additions that will hopefully bring the series back
to the prosperity that others have enjoyed in the past.

There are three main additions to the gameplay in MLB 2K8. First,
there's Total Pitch Control. Gone are the days of holding a face button
and timing the release with an on-screen meter. Now you'll have to
trace certain movements with the right analog stick in an attempt to
emulate the actual motion of a pitcher's arm and hand. A curveball
starts in the lower-left and swings all the way around the upper left
by the time the movement is finished. The mechanic is surprisingly
intuitive once you get the hang of it. There are moments where you'll
feel like it's slightly inaccurate, mainly when trying to throw a
two-seam fastball, but for the most part it performs fairly well.
Fatigue doesn't quite have the same impact on your pitching ability as
it once did, as you can now pitch effectively well into the 30% stamina
range.

Next up on the chopping block is the Precision Throw Control. Again,
face buttons are eliminated in favor of using the right analog stick to
designate a base. The direction of your stick movement determines the
accuracy, whereas the amount of time you hold the right stick signals
the power and whether you'll toss it high or short-hop the base. Yet
again, the new throwing mechanic is effective and just as realistic (if
not more so) than what we've seen before. If there's one issue I have
with the new throwing mechanic it's that it takes a split-second too
long to load your throw. It makes turning double plays just a bit
tougher than it should be.

Lastly there's Swing Stick 2.0, easily the worst of the three main
additions. While the mechanics will be familiar for those who played
last year's game, 2K Sports decided to remove the power control from
the hit stick. Though it is possible to revert back to the old
two-button style of hitting (one button for contact, one for power), I
would have much preferred to be able to control my swing type with the
more immersive option of the right analog stick. It's all too often
that swinging through the ball creates a shot to the outfield. Rarely
does a perfectly timed hit shoot up the third base line. Instead you
have to practically plan to mis-time your step or your swing to get a
grounder in any direction.


Follow it in.

Baserunnning,
while not one of the three big additions to 2K8, has been redone so
it's a bit easier than it was previously. Essentially the bases are
diagrammed on the screen and a small avatar of your baserunner can be
easily selected with the left analog and commanded around the bases.
The only time when I had a problem with the mechanic was when I'd slap
a single up the line, reach first base, then tap A to try and skip to
the next at-bat only to have my baserunner start running home (tapping
A sends them home, X to third, etc…). Granted this was due more to my
impatience than a flaw in the baserunning system, it's still worth
noting.

Fielding the ball was something of a sore sport for MLB 2K7. Luckily
the developers at 2K Los Angeles (formerly Kush Games) tuned the
animation to allow for more finite movements. They also added the nice
touch of having the marker that designates the landing area for the
ball only appear if you're facing the pop fly. If you're running
towards the wall then the marker disappears. So while there are still
moments of inaccuracy and fidgety movement, it certainly has been
improved overall.

So while 2K Sports has certainly added plenty of new gameplay
mechanics to MLB 2K8, it's the way that they're all rolled together
into one package that hurts the game overall. Fluidity is incredibly
important to the game of baseball and it's the one area where 2K8
really suffers. As your third baseman scoops up the ball and wings it
over to first for an out the camera makes the requisite pan across the
field. Sadly instead of being fluid as it would in a regular broadcast
it jerks its way across the infield. This happens even more so in the
PS3 version of the game where the framerate is once again a step below
Xbox 360's. It might not sound like a big point of contention but once
you see The Show running at a consistently high framerate you'll be
more than a little envious.

There are other subtleties that detract from the gameplay as well. Like
when the ball hops into the stands for a ground rule double and you
then see it rolling on the warning track because of a lack of collision
detection on the opposite side of the wall. Or when players glitch and
stutter their way towards the dugout, or, even further still, when
players run through each other. The latter doesn't happen all that
often, but there are still instances when players don't react to one
another or don't react to a ball rolling right under their feet.


Ortiz is a monster.

At
the end of the day the gameplay is hurt most by its lack of
authenticity. As soon as the game starts up and you're greeted by the
voice of Jeanne Zelasko you'll see that things just don't move the way
they should. This is most evident when you see the zany cloth physics
that miraculously stay confined to the mid-section on all players. A
baseball game's look and feel should be that of a true broadcast and
MLB 2K8 doesn't quite clear the bar in that regard.

Where MLB 2K8 succeeds with flying colors is in its feature set. The
franchise mode is loaded with pretty much everything that you could
want from a baseball game. There are 90 minor league teams and over 20
stadiums from the minors. You can call up players, scout prospects, and
send old hags down to single-A ball. There are other nice touches, too,
like being able to set a percentage for how many games your boys will
play in if you care to simulate a season. The franchise mode has been
around the longest out of any of the features in MLB 2K8 and it's
starting to show its age a bit, especially when you see what other
sports games are doing with the patented "superstar mode" where you
create your virtual likeness and build him up through the ranks. Not to
say that the franchise options should go away, they just seem a bit
old-hat when you see what else is out there.


The card feature, and this is something that most casual fans will
disregard, is actually pretty darn cool. It allows you to construct
your dream team of baseball players by completing challenges with them
in the game. There's online expandability that 2K Sports will hopefully
cash in on later down the line and the introductory set of cards is
certainly enough to get you on your way. It's a bummer that the MLB put
the kybosh on betting your cards over an online game, but being able to
trade them will have to suffice for now.

The online offering hasn't exactly changed much from last year's
game, but there are a few new lobbies to ease into the uber-competitive
arena. Now you'll be able to enter lobbies where you're only allowed to
throw strikes, so those hitters with terrible eyes (me) don't have to
worry about swinging at pitches in the dirt.

As we said before, there are some aesthetic oddities that crop up
during MLB 2K8. The most noticeable being the aforementioned cloth
physics. For whatever reason the wavy cloth that was in last year's
game is back, and while it is certainly improved, it still looks
extraordinarily artificial as the jersey ripples through your player's
mid-section and nowhere else. Then there's the framerate which stutters
at every swing of the camera, especially on PS3. Character models are
also another downer in the visual department. It's rare that you'll see
players look the part, though their animations do tend to be truer to
life, at least for the most part. There are times when you'll see your
pitcher drop to one knee, slide into the first baseline to scoop a bunt
and then toss it to first and you can't help but think how cool it was.
Then there are times when the ball will roll right under your fielder's
foot causing a prompt slap to the forehead.


The Express

Joe
Morgan and Jon Miller return to their spots in the commentating booth,
even though half of their time is spent giving inaccurate calls. It's
too often that you'll rope a ball into the gap, have a rangy second
baseman make a diving snag and whip to first for the out, only to have
Jon Miller exclaim, "Oh a shot through the hole!" They're also fairly
inaccurate when errors happen on the field. They rarely recognize
collisions in the outfield or throws over the baseman's head and that
really detracts from the overall presentation. That having been said,
some of their anecdotes are insightful and when they are accurate they
do a solid job of keeping the feel of a broadcast. The soundtrack
performs admirably with the usual grouping of Indy rock bands that,
while not fitting the sport, still aren't a pain to listen to.

Closing Comments
At the end of
the day it’s the lack of authenticity while on the field that really
hurts MLB 2K8. Next-gen simulation sports games are gauged by how
closely they emulate the look and feel of the real thing and while the
new gameplay mechanics do lend themselves to a more true-to-life
experience, the presentation and look of 2K8 in motion really hurts it
overall. The features are plentiful and will keep most busy for some
time, but for this year’s best and purest baseball offering you’ll have
to look elsewhere.
IGN Ratings for Major League Baseball 2K8 (X360)



RatingDescription

out of 10
7.5	Presentation The look and delivery of the broadcast is fine but it’s the on-field action that hurts the most.
7.0	Graphics Player models are good in spots and terrible in others. The framerate needs to be kicked up if this is supposed to pass for professional baseball. Some impressive animations.
7.5	Sound The crack of the bat sounds great but Jon Miller and Joe Morgan are as inaccurate as ever. Soundtrack doesn’t fit but it works.
7.0	Gameplay The three big gameplay additions help for the most part. Now if only 2K Sports could find a way to pick up the fluidity of the game a bit.
8.0	Lasting Appeal The card feature provides unlimited length for those willing to delve into it. Franchise mode has all the requisite trimmings. Next year needs to have more to offer.
7.4 Decent	OVERALL (out of 10 / not an average)