Sometimes, in
trying to be innovative, things can go a bit too far. Such is the case with MLB
2K8, the 360 title from 2K Sports, but what smacks of innovation also proves to
be a bit (to put it in baseball terms) of a stumble rounding first.
Still, when you
consider the attempt, it is clear that the developers at 2K are looking to make
the game of Major League Baseball more immersive and elevate it to the next
level in the next-gen console market.
The latest
iteration of the franchise features a brand new pitching control scheme, which
is great – when it works as intended. The idea, though, is sound. During the
pitching portion of the game, the player is shown a series of pitching options,
like a fastball, slider and so on, with the corresponding movement of the left
analog stick to pull them off. A series of circles appears in the game window,
with an expanding core. When that expanding area flashes, you add the nuance to
pitch to achieve the desired effect. For example, you may have to pull the
analog stick to an 8 o’clock position and then rotate it counterclockwise. Nail
the motion and you throw a great pitch. Miss it, even by a fraction, and you
throw a meatball – which is the game’s way of saying home run for the opposing
batter. The dinger might not happen all the time … maybe they will only get a
triple off you.
Move the analog
stick too fast, and you won’t get to finish the pitch. Instead your pitcher will
get a sore neck from jacking his head around to watch the ball leave the yard.
Move it too slow and you might encounter the same problem.
Baseball ballet? No, it’s a swing and a miss.
Considering
that pitching is at the core of the game, this can be a big problem. So is the
new batting system. The tutorial, and manual, outlines what should be an
effective and simple control scheme. Pull back on the right analog stick as the
pitcher is ready to release the ball. Then release the stick for a normal swing,
or push it up (to 12 o’clock) for a power swing. The problem? Releasing the
analog stick does nothing – the batter takes the pitch, which seems to mostly be
strikes. Oh well, you can always revert the game back to classic modes, which
means pushing buttons.
The analog
sticks get a workout with the 2K8 title this year. Fielding implements the
analog stick as well. After your infielder, or outfielder (who runs like he is
dragging a tire – as in the framerate takes as much of a pounding as the
horsehide) gets to the ball, a meter appears when you push the analog stick in
the direction of the base you wish to throw to. When the meter hits the center
area, release the stick to throw. Holding it too long may result in an
overthrow. Conversely, holding it not long enough may result in a throw a
three-year-old could outdistance with a medicine ball.
Graphically,
2K’s game takes a major back seat to Sony’s MLB title. The particle effects are
pixilated and you might even see a player’s breath hang on the air … in the
summer. The game’s colors are lush, but lack texturing. The uniforms may blow in
the breeze, but the player’s faces leave a lot to be desired. And the stands are
rife with clones. The general ambience is sorely lacking here.
But when it
comes to the sound, while there is a share of hit and miss comments, the
play-by-play tandem of Jon Miller and Joe Morgan are solid (was any new dialogue
added to this game?) and while the commentary does nothing to add to the game,
Jeanne Zelasko and Steve Physioc do a very competent job of providing details
into the matchups.
The overall
presentation also gets a boost from the score tracker that runs along the bottom
of the screen, but that is really not enough in its own right to recommend the
game. What does carry the game is the franchise mode. This is a deep mode that
allows players to micro-manage from the single-A level up to the Majors. The
user interface is extremely sleek and easy to use, which takes the game to a new
level when it comes to making the tough choices. You can even configure the game
options to allow trades in your favor.
Should actually
playing the game prove to be too much, the game will let you drop into a manage
mode where the decisions are rather fundamental. Of course, though, the benefit
to playing the game is in having efforts reward through receiving 2K cards,
which are player cards that will allow you to – once you have jumped through all
the hoops and earned enough cards – to field your own team for online play. The
problem with the online portion, though, is that the framerate gets tagged a
little more and you may find yourself playing behind the game.
Give credit
where it is due, though. The innovations with new pitching interface and batting
are steps in the right direction and 2K8 offers a deep and satisfying franchise
mode. 2K Sports has promised an update to patch in some fixes, but as it stands
– out of the box – MLB 2K8 is merely an average title that has some good ideas
struggling to get past the implementation flaws.
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Gameplay: 6.5
When the new
mechanics work, they are a nice step forward, but more often than not they get
picked off leading a bit too far off the bag (another baseball metaphor). The
framerates also take a beating.
Graphics: 7.0
The presentation is
solid, but the character graphics are a bit poor for a next-gen machine.
Sound: 7.5
Solid play-by-play
(though nothing new) and commentary, with a good soundtrack.
Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Concept: 7.8
The Total Pitch
Control and other control innovations are great but really need to be fine-tuned
to work. The franchise mode is the star of this game with a deep and involving
management scheme.
Multiplayer: 6.8
Ack, the lag!
Overall: 6.8
Kudos to 2K for the
attempt but until some of the items of this game are fixed, this is not a game
to recommend for anyone but the die-hard baseball fan. The ideas are there, but
they have too many issues to be considered a drawing point.
