GamerNode: Reviews - Major League Baseball 2K10

Major League Baseball 2K10

• Major League Baseball 2K10
• Xbox 360
• Visual Concepts
• 2K Sports
• March 02nd, 2010

Developing a great videogame simulation of one of the world's most complex professional sports is not as easy as one might think, as evidenced by the numerous baseball titles that have seen ho-hum critical reception throughout the years. For the franchise's tenth anniversary, Visual Concepts and 2K Sports have set out to rectify whatever failings MLB 2K games have suffered from in the past with an overhauled product, and one that succeeds in bringing the series back to relevance.

Maybe the most important aspect of any baseball videogame is making the player feel that they are actually involved in America's national pastime, and thanks primarily to its pitching and batting interfaces and new "My Player" mode, MLB 2K10 does this just as well or better than any game out there. While baseball games have traditionally been very much about cursor alignment, meters, and other input mechanisms that constantly remind players that what they are doing is artificial, MLB 2K10 simplifies its core gameplay in such a way that players still have a high degree of control and influence over what is happening on screen without separating them from the experience.

Pitching and batting are both controlled with gestures on the right analog stick. Pitches are performed via two-step motions, such as back/forward, forward/quarter-circle, right/semicircle, etc. These determine both speed and accuracy while keeping players' eyes in the strike zone at all times, where a simple expanding circle indicates proper timing, with "weak" and "overthrow" penalties for early or late input and wild pitches resulting from completely botched motions. This is one of the few baseball games that makes pitching actually enjoyable as you work the batter with an arsenal of differing weapons.

Batting has further eliminated on-screen overlays, and is instead based primarily on timing and analog motion. Tapping the right stick forward executes a normal swing, while pulling back prior to the forward swing takes a heftier power cut. This extra motion works just as one might expect, providing great rewards, but making it far more difficult to meet the game's strict timing requirements. In fact, although it appears to be simple, what's under the hood of the batting system makes for a much more realistic battle between offense and defense, effectively tempering the slug-fest of the juiced-ball era of virtual baseball. An excellent addition this year, and something baseball players will definitely appreciate, is the defensive swing. This lets players fight off close pitches and work the count just as they would in a real batter's box, in hopes of getting a better pitch to hit on the next delivery, or perhaps drawing a walk. Patience pays off in MLB 2K10; players can actually draw those walks by paying attention to each pitch and exercising some discipline. The game's highly customizable camera, which lets each player view the action from the perspective best for him (about 300 variations from the plate alone!), further demonstrates 2K's efforts to get this pitcher-batter battle just right. Somehow, though, the development team managed one unbelievable failure in this department by completely omitting check swings. There's absolutely no excuse for that, especially considering the precision with which the game is able to detect pitching motions..

Overall baserunning control is excellent, allowing the player to toggle runners easily and direct them to the appropriate base no matter where they are on the basepath. Hit a sure double and you can immediately direct the batter to second or send a runner home by highlighting the appropriate on-screen blip and moving the right stick in the direction of the base. Another feature, along with the defensive swing, that should have been included in baseball videogames ages ago, is the display of 1, 2, 3, or H on each runner icon to indicate their intended destinations. Stealing is a bit trickier, mostly because the game does a poor job of explaining its controls, but also because pitchers seem to have a touch of clairvoyance going on and will pick runners off like it's their job (because, well, it is). Without impeccable timing or Olympic runners, players are often caught in rundowns, which are not the game's forte; it's way too easy to reach base safely in such situations. A runner should rarely get out of a pickle like they so regularly do in MLB 2K10, especially at the major league level.

There is far more to any baseball videogame than just its core mechanics. The bottom line for most players is the quality of the complete package. Features and presentation, statistical and managerial depth, and, as the genre evolves, individual player career modes are all imperative. On top of home run derby, franchise, postseason, drill, and roster management modes, MLB 2K10 adds the "My Player" mode this year to satisfy the needs of baseball role-players, and it is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the game.