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One of the luxuries of our new review format here at Operation Sports is that it gives us reviewers a full week (at least) to put a game through its paces. In the case of MLB 2K11, our new format may be a godsend. Why you ask? Because based on my first impressions with the retail build, this game has a long way to go in the next week to impress me.

MLB 2K11 seems to play a fundamentally solid game of hardball. The problem is the game feels extremely unpolished, almost to the point where it’s been impossible to enjoy some of the game's best qualities -- like the reworked timing windows while batting that lead to an impressive amount of hit variety.

In the five hours I have spent with the game, I’ve noticed some extremely irritating graphical glitches. One has involved pitchers magically turning into PS2-style player models when being pulled from the game. Another has involved watching my screen freeze for milliseconds multiple times as a ball is hit into play. And one more beyond that involved a pitching animation glitch that made the ball morph from the pitcher's hand to another trajectory so distracting that it made the ball impossible to hit. In other words, MLB 2K11 is not the most aesthetically pleasing game.

Gameplay

As I said, if you are able to look past some of these graphical and animation issues, on the field MLB 2K11 plays a solid good game of baseball. Hit variety and ball-off-bat physics are done exceptionally well in this game. There have already been several moments where I have gone back to watch an instant replay of my player hanging in on a two-strike pitch and slapping the ball to the opposite field for a base hit. And not only are these occurrences cool to watch, they feel extremely rewarding.

A feeling of accomplishment is a reoccurring theme for me when I play MLB 2K11. Whether I come back from a bases loaded, no-out jam to retire the side without surrendering a run, or I’m able to successfully work an opposing pitcher's pitch count into the high 80s by inning number five, there have been several moments with the game where I have given myself a pat on the back.

Presentation

Add in top-notch baseball commentary, and the MLB Today feature, and there is a lot to like about this game from a presentational standpoint. MLB Today has blown me away with the real-time situational statistics that have popped up during the game. It really is amazing to me that 2K was able to cram so much statistical information into a baseball game. If you get your favorite hitter into an 0-2 hole against Roy Halladay, MLB 2K11 is going to give you the probabilities of getting a hit.

Graphics

If the graphical glitches I harped on earlier did not explain it clearly enough, then I'll say again that the graphics in this game are a mixed bag of sorts. Some players look phenomenal while others look downright awful. Somewhat confusing is the omission of certain player pictures in the game. Will Rhymes, a guy who played 54 games at the Major League level last season for the Tigers, does not have a picture in the game. Is there really a reason that a player like Rhymes should have a generic computer picture, and a player model that looks nothing like him?

Speaking of player models, they are much better than the stick figures found in MLB 2K10. It’s nice to see players actually have shoulders now -- last year I felt like the player models looked more like high-school athletes than fine-tuned MLB athletes.

The lighting in the game is one of its strong points, as are the stadiums. One negative note, however, is that shadows on players are still not aliased properly. So if you really look at them, it almost like each player is covered in 8-bit blocky goo.

In short, MLB 2K11 is not the prettiest baseball game on the block, but it would be unfair to chastise the 2K development team for not making significant improvements over 2K10.

Wrapping It Up

More than anything, I am just frustrated with the technical issues and overall lack of polish I have experienced with MLB 2K11 so far. This frustration is only compounded when I look at just how many things there are on the field that I enjoy about the game.


Check in on a daily basis this week as I begin taking an even deeper look at the various game modes and offerings in 2K’s newest baseball title. These impression articles will culminate with the final review and score early next week. Also, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@Bumble14_OS) because I will be posting random thoughts as I go about the review process.