MLB 09 = No more Basketball - Da_Czar's Blog

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Da_Czar's Blog

MLB 09 = No more Basketball Stuck

Posted on March 2, 2009 at 03:18 PM.

(25)

Whats a Czar to do when his favorite Genre of sports gaming has left him flat ? Yea Live 09 has made some improvements but they just don't have the animations / gameplay combination to stand up to the intense scrutiny that Czar needs to invest serious game-time after early December.

2k9 just had too many flaws that detract from the game of basketball. The sliding must cease and the genius who enabled the forced auto switch on defense anytime your outside of arms length should be offered no quarter.... Yes... he should be SHOT !

I have captured at least 10 hours of 2k9/ Live 09/ NBA footage to turn into multiple shows but I just can't do it !!!

So, early January I talk Mrs Czar into the purchase of a ps3 with a strong argument for the blue ray dvd. I have heard from the PS3 naysayers that most of the sports games suffered from performance problems and I had no desire to replace my entire 360 sports gaming library on the ps3. So there it sat with no games to play and no motivation to add anything to it.

Then one bright late January morning something appeared on my doorstep. It was an odd looking package. I opened it to find a brand new copy of MLB 08. I cautiously approached my machine....and input the disk.

I am no stranger to the baseball world but the 2k basketball franchise had been so good the last few years Czar just didn't have the time to devote any serious gaming into baseball when the Basketball games were sooooo good. The combination of NBA 2k8 and CHOOPS 2k8 was just to much to allow a former love (baseball) to get too much of my time.

The last Baseball game I played was 2k7 and it didn't really knock my socks off. The framerate issues I heard about 2k8's baseball game kept me from even thinking twice about it, and for a 360 owner, there are no other serious contenders.

It would be a lie to say that I had not heard all the raving reviews from others about how great the MLB franchise was, but come on brah..... 500 dollars for a PS3 ???? Just to play a baseball game.... ( if they had a bomb hoops game that would be different : )). It was �inconceivable� (Princess Bride)

Here we had the perfect storm. Discontent with the NBA games, no College hoops 2k9, a practically new PS3 begging me to play it... and now inside my PS3 was a game that would change Czar's whole perspective.

The show MLB 08 simply blew my mind... At first I thought it was the novelty of new game on a new system, but around 2 a.m. that first night, with raw thumbs, I realized I had been party to greatness.

Since that time I have been on a steady diet of baseball. For the first time in years I purchased the preseason baseball magazines and mlb.com became number one in my Google chrome homepage.

To my brethren who have not yet braved the waters of a ps3 I say to you. Come on in the waters fine!
To those who love baseball but have not yet visited the mecca of baseball gaming I say that once in a lifetime you must visit the MLB series or your journey to the steps of baseball heaven will not be complete.

My addiction has only gotten worse with the addition of MLB 09 to my Ps3 gaming arsenal. The MLB vets have welcomed us newcomers with open arms. Knight165 has even kindly asked czar to stop spamming his pm box with strategy questions ( I'm sure he was only kidding.. ummm maybe...) Russel is one hell of a community manger and the Operation sports support for this title is simply incredible.

How is it that a genre that ranks 3rd on my list behind Basketball and football has practically become an obsession ? I look forward to spending the next several months answering that very question.

EA and 2K basketball devs be warned. I have seen the mountain top and will not rest until Basketball is treated with the same respect and attention to SIM detail as MLB 09.

For the dedicated people responsible for MLB 09 I say... I look forward to the day when all God's children 360 and PS3 owners can sit down together and sing in that old baseball spiritual.. Its one...two ... three strikes your out at the old ball game !!!

Be sure to check out my arena for a Red Sox vs Boston showdown where I show the first few and last few innings. I will be uploading in pieces all day until its all up.

Also have a few screenshots I posted in the mlb 09 forums

Comments

# 16 DubTrey1 @ Mar 3

I hear ya GSW - Tonight is an "all nighter" for me as well. Last all nighter I pulled was on GTAIV.

# 17 Da_Czar @ Mar 3

Put me in the play myself to sleep club. This will be the like the 3rd time I will literally play myself to sleep. I have never played a mode like RTTS. It is sooooo addicting. I get real nervous on the bases too cause my guy is slow and if I get thrown out one more time I might loose my starting position.

And whats with these impossible scenarios 2 out runner on 1st and 2nd and they want me ... the kid with D contact and F power to knock in a dam run.... I love it.

# 18 CMH @ Mar 3

Baseball's back on top.

# 19 DirtyJerz32 @ Mar 3

I was in the same boat czar. Both bball titles were spinning in the 360 on the regular. Until I started seeing some pics and vids of The Show. I sold both bball titles and I'm very happy I went to walmart last night at 12 am. RTTS is probably the single greatest features ever created. Props go to Russell and the ENTIRE team at Sony. Well done.

Know, let's get NBA 2010 half way to were TS is you'll make A LOT of people happy. We all now you can do it.

# 20 Turbo Lax 33 @ Mar 4

Allalullah brother! I am a few shorts weeks away from plunking down $500 to invest in the PS3 and join the ranks of SHOW players. After replacing my 2nd broken xbox with a 3rd one just two shorts months ago, I have realized that I need to join the Sony contingent and see how a real baseball game is played!

# 21 justrm @ Mar 4

I'm sorry but the only thing the show has that is really aggravating to watch is the arms of the players. Holy cow! Have you seen them! They look like midget arms. It looks like Mlb 2k9 should give the bodies of the players it has to The Show. The players also look like they are using steroids, have you seen the big heads on their bodies. Example look at Damon. Have you seen the nuggin on that boy. I play the Show and that is something you guys should look at.