Major League Baseball 2K8 steps up to the plate for a season of home runs, easy outs and stolen bases. It doesn’t match the awesome MLB 2K5, but the fact that it’s close counts for something. Baseball fans and newcomers alike will find this baseball game worth swinging for the fences.
A few significant gameplay changes were made, making the game more thrilling to play than last year’s effort. The most notable addition is the Total Pitch Control. Instead of simply tapping buttons to execute a certain pitch, you perform the motions of the pitch with an analog stick. A fastball, for instance, is a slow down-to-up motion, with accuracy depending on when you release the stick. Curveball motions are a little trickier, starting in the lower-right holding pattern and switching to a rotational fireball-like maneuver in the upper left. It takes some practice, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll find it to be a natural and fun pitching system.
Batting hasn’t undergone that much change. You have basic Swing Stick mechanics, with your stepping and swinging motions pre-determined by motions on the analog stick. It would’ve been nice to have more broadened range as to where you can hit the ball, but batting still works for the most part. Old-schoolers who prefer the push-button mechanics can switch if they prefer, and they work just as well here as they do in previous MLB 2K games.
As for fielding and base running, the controls are a little more refined. Base running consists of switching runners with the analog stick and then determining which base they stop at with the press of a button. It takes a little patience, as you’ll learn with accidental outs and unintended stolen bases, but it works. Fielding is almost on the money, involving analog mechanics to determine your ball’s path and speed.
Overall, the game operates very well, and the artificial intelligence makes smart decisions, depending on the skill of the team, of course. The Red Sox are still dominant, while the Orioles (sorry, Baltimore) are not. However, a few glitches limit a team’s performance. At one point in the game, our Rockies were able to score three home runs because the Oriole outfielder felt it was necessary to walk the ball in, rather than throwing it to the base.
Visually, MLB 2K8 isn’t the greatest looking ballgame on the planet, but at least it’s faithful to the sport. Players look like the real deal, right down to Todd Helton’s ridiculous facial growth and Hawpe’s base strut after nailing another home run. The fields look authentic as well, from the glow on a warm afternoon at Coors Field to the intimidating Green Monster. However, some details are lost during the game, like when players magically run through each other in the outfield, rather than colliding. The cloth effects are laughable as well – these uniforms may be too realistic for their own good.
With sound, the commentary team of Joe Morgan and Jon Miller return to the game, still doing a moderately good job. Occasionally, they’ll have a blown call that’s out of proportion, but that seldom happens. The ambience throughout each game is realistic, right down to the hot dog vendors pleading for customers. The in-game tunes could’ve used more variety, though, and not just some routine picks from alternate bands. At least the organ music is still worth listening to.
The Franchise and Online modes, mainstays for this series, are back. They’re not dramatically changed, but they don’t need to be. Baseball fanatics will still enjoy setting up for a playoff run, while still calling up (and sending down) players to the minor leagues. The addition of minor-league teams (over ninety) and twenty smaller stadiums are a nice touch, for those interested in learning more about them. As for online, the games run smooth, along with a few other options and a live sports ticker, in case you’re having trouble keeping up with them in the real world. The coolest new addition here, however, is the 2K Cards system. As you work your way through games and challenges, you’ll unlock player cards, which you can build into a nice little virtual collection. Being able to trade with others online is a good way to dump those unwanted Mets cards for credits.
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