Major League Baseball 2k10 Review
Major League Baseball 2k9 was one of the worst sports games ever made. Shaky controls, an unlimited ability to hit home runs, and unacceptable glitches plagued the game and made it unplayable. Thankfully, MLB 2k10 does not suffer like its predecessor. While the single-player modes do not offer the same sorts of immersion as other sports games, MLB 2k10 has strong fundamentals that make the game a solid experience (especially in local multiplayer).
MLB 2k10 offers an immersive baseball experience when on the field. The gesture-based pitching returns this year but is improved strongly. The system maps pitching to the right analog stick, but does so in a way that feels natural, not gimmicky. The user selects his pitch with the face button and then moves the right stick in a motion indicated. This system means that the complaints of last year’s game (e.g. “I wanted to throw a slider but the game thought I threw a sinker”) are now in the past. Furthermore, the game alters the pitch timing when the pitcher is in the stretch, adding realism to this mechanic.
In addition, the gameplay problems of MLB 2k9 do not reappear in 2k10. Players will catch the ball when put in position instead of waving their arms frantically. It is now much more difficult to hit a home run and every game won’t end with a 16-15 final score. It seems like 2k Sports heard the criticisms of users of the last game and made a concerted effort to remedy them.
The battle between pitcher and batter features prominently in MLB 2k10.
However, the single-player game modes are not a home run. The new centerpiece mode is the “My Player” career mode, which is inspired by the “Be A Pro”-style modes that have appeared in versions of EA’s Madden NFL and NHL series and the successful “Road to the Show” mode of Sony’s MLB: The Show series. The mode starts off in Double A and the goal is to work your player all the way up to the big leagues and the Hall of Fame. While the concept is not new to sports gamers, MLB 2k10 introduces some new caveats to give a familiar mode a different look. For instance, in addition to demanding trades, a feature that is included in essentially every career mode, MLB 2k10 gives a superstar player the ability to influence what free agents sign with his team in the offseason. This aspect mirrors real-life events (such as when Carlos Beltran influenced Carlos Delgado to join him on the Mets in 2005), so I’m glad that 2k Sports incorporated this detail.
However, the mode falls flat in other respects. The primary game interaction is handled through a menu screen because the game simulates every play that does not involve your player. This process leaves the user detached from the experience of a baseball game. While it may have been impractical to have users sit through nine innings of playing the outfield, only having a user play the field when a ball is hit to him kills the suspense of actually reading the ball of the bat and knowing when to react to a ball put in play. In order for a career mode in a sports game to be successful, the user needs to feel engaged with the events on the field and MLB 2k10 fails to provide such engagement.
The career mode doesn't deliver.
In conclusion, MLB 2k10 is an enjoyable game and certainly not the unplayable game of last year. The gameplay mechanics are solid, but the lack of quality single-player modes means that this game is like a leadoff double: it’s a good start, but needs some help to be driven home to score.
Hey… Things look a little screwy with the site layout. For some reason the text block overlaps the border. I don’t know if it’s just me or have you heard this from other ppl? Just wanted to let you know in case you’ve been making changes. Thanks! Tristan Humeniuk