As daylight savings kicks in and the snow begins to melt it's starting to become evident that spring is in the air. And what comes with spring? Baseball. Unfortunately being an XBOX 360 owner leaves me few options when it comes to choosing a baseball game. In fact it leaves me with just one option: MLB 2K8.
Living in a city (Pittsburgh) which has woefully attempted to field a winning team for last 15 seasons has made my love for the game of baseball dwindle; not to mention everything else that has gone on with the sport in the last decade and a half. Still, every spring I get an itch, and it's not pollen related. The itch is for some digital baseball on my console.
Last year was the first year I spent with the 2K series, and while I enjoyed it enough to make it through a whole 162 game season, plus playoffs, I knew it could have been better. This is what I was hoping for when I recently started getting geared up for the newest rendition. This is not what I got at all, however.
Upon firing up the game for the first time I quickly realized that something was, well boring. I cannot think of a better way of saying that. The front end is lousy and dull, and everything presentation wise is more or less exactly the same as last year. Aesthetically speaking, I began to feel like I had just paid sixty dollars for a roster update, even though I still had to wait until Opening Day to download an up to date roster.
Commentary was exactly the same, especially after all those games I played last year. Honestly, how many times do I need to hear about, "PFP, Pitchers Fielding Practice", Joe Morgan?
Where is the groundbreaking presentation that placed 2K games above the bar for so many years? Replays and cut screens looked the same, well almost; there was that renowned stuttering issue to enjoy. In addition, animations and every other little nuance was pretty much exactly where I left it at the end of last summer. What a disappointment. How can I possibly be inspired to keep playing a game that got old seven or eight months ago?
Then I began to start disliking features that I liked in the previous year's game. The lineup card you can bring up during the pitcher batter interface was still there, but the writing was so small it was hard to read even when zoomed in. I am gaming on a 42-inch plasma, I should be able to read this stuff; I am still a relatively young guy here!
The one feature I really do like happens to be the 2K beats. This is where you can import any music you like, even streaming from your computer, to the game and have it play for all kinds of circumstances. This should be in every game!
That alone was the bright spot I found though. The game itself played mostly better as the new controls were inventive, and fun. Pitching takes too long to keep me interested though. It's a neat idea it just needs to be tightened up. Waiting for the catcher to give the sign and set up takes a little too long, and then just the act of pitching is pretty drawn out itself.
There is a better variety of hits which is nice, along with the new fielding mechanic being sound.
At the end of the day, however, all the new game mechanics can not make up for what this game lacks. The atmosphere is dull; graphics look bland; player models have taken a step back, physics are pretty weak again; and the overall experience was just lame. Even the lighting and weather just downright atrocious. And this isn’t even getting into all the bugs and problems I have encountered personally, or ones members in the forums have been complaining about. I'm talking about issues that have ranged from games freezing to gameplay errors and mishaps. It's exactly the type of problems I don't want out of a game that has no competition.
Maybe you can play this if you really love baseball and put in the time to tweak the sliders post-patch, I cannot though. Knowing that other games, like GTA, are coming out next month I don't see any reason to try and force myself to like this game.
It is just a boring game. A game I had already mastered last year; a game that I expected so much more out of; and mostly, a game that will sit on my shelf no matter what happens with baseball in this town.
Can I have my money back 2K?
Feature Article
Can I Have my Money Back?
Submitted on: 03/20/2008 by
Patrick Williams
Member Comments
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# 102
HealyMonster @ 03/20/08 11:29 PM
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people say "i dont care" about the framerate. they say "i dont care about the bad commentary" " i could care less if the uniforms are acurrate or if the stadiums are up to date" WAKE THE HECK UP! they released a game where the announcers say completely opposite of whats going on in the game at times. they took the graphics down a notch and got framerate issues. how is that even possible when there werent framerate issues with better graphics?
It is cool if you just want a game that plays a good game of baseball. 2k8 is a game that plays a good game of baseball.
just becaue you go to the diner and get a hamburger patty with no bun, no ketchup, just a plain hambuger patty, and enjoy it, and its exactly what you wanted. you paid the price of a full double bacon cheeseburger but you dont care, it tastes just right and you love it. now if the diner claims to have the best double bacon cheeseburger in town or just simply lists double bacon cheeseburger on the menu, when someone else goes and orders one they are going to be like wtf? where is the bun? where is the cheese? wtf is this. your going to be sitting there like wtf, your hungry, eat it . you wont be hungry after you eat it. its a burger so what if it doesnt have ketchup. and that person is going to think you are ridiculous and no matter what you think, that person will be right because regardless if the patty will satisfy their hunger or not its not what they ordered nor is it what the menu said it was.
seriously, i have nothing against 2k or people who "defend" it but come on guys at least be real with yourself. take a deep breath, look at the big picture. regardless of who hates it or loves it, when we are all real, we agree this isnt a "good game" or a "complete game". this is a sad last attempt to make money by a company that is about to go under.
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I never played 2k6 before at all. So, to me, my opinion, 2k8 gameplay is much better than 2k7's. The pitching mechanic isn't the only new mechanic, either. The batting system is brand new and so is the throwing mechanism.
I equate it to loving HH baseball. I played that one on the PC. Even on the PC, there were bugs, graphics that were wretched, but between the chalk lines, played a great game of baseball.
If the commentating and presentation are updated next year (as have been said by 2K), that's icing on the cake for me.
Again, I'm fortunate I'm in the minority where I don't have the framerate issues and I certainly can understand folks being upset having the framerate issue.
Different strokes for different folks.
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Well if this author asked for a refund for this game, I shudder to think what he wanted for Madden 06/07 or Nba Live- based on the quality of those games, I think he would have had to be paid to even play those games!
Now, I think 2K faltered big time and I'm waiting for a patch before I buy it. However, I expected better from an article from this site.
# 108
Sportsforever @ 03/21/08 01:19 AM
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In this day and age, however, I really don't think anyone has any wiggle room to complain if they purchase a game and find themselves unhappy with it. We saw plenty of gameplay vids, saw screenshots, read impressions, etc AND the option of renting is always there. In the end, if you aren't happy with your purchase, the onus is on YOU...
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Please, dude. Do you own shares in Sony because you love bringing down 2k.
See how stupid that sounded. That's what you remind me of when you say what I quoted.
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You still think that because you don't like the game that everyone else shouldn't like it.
You still think that if anyone does like it they are just not being "real" with themselves.
You still think wrong.
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Carlos - Man, I think that's a solid product.
***** - What? It's so bad. How can you like that?
Carlos - I enjoyed it. I think it's solid. You don't like it?
***** - No! It's garbage. It's so bad.
Carlos - Well, I like it.
***** - Haha, you like it? Be real with yourself. You think it's good?
Carlos - Yes, I do.
***** - Look at it. It's bad. Anyone can see that.
Carlos - If you don't like it, fine. But, I do, so what's the issue?
***** - The issue is that you're being stubborn. You don't see how bad it is!
Carlos - Umm, not sure I understand. I like it and I think it's a good product. Why do you feel the need to continue to put it down.
***** - You're stubborn. It's bad. Be real with yourself and realize how bad it is.
And on it goes.
Maybe I never learn. Just never understood how I can sit back and say that I enjoy something and that's all that should matter. However, the person I'm always arguing with about this loves to take it at me and say I'm the one that just doesn't get it because I don't agree with his opinion.
Never have I come here and told anyone that they have to like 2k or something is wrong with them. Yet, the people that don't like it have continuously told me that something is wrong with me for not agreeing with them. I'm not being "real" with myself. I'm "justifying" my purchase. Or better yet, I "own shares" in the company.
I seriously feel like Mugatu right now. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills reading these comments.
It's amazing the efforts people that don't like something will take so people can be just as miserable as them when it comes to a product. They can never swallow the acceptance that others actually like what they don't like.
# 112
boomhauertjs @ 03/21/08 09:29 AM
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Carlos - Man, I think that's a solid product.
***** - What? It's so bad. How can you like that?
Carlos - I enjoyed it. I think it's solid. You don't like it?
***** - I didn't enjoy it at all
Carlos - Well, Madden sucked. The Show is the same. Why haven't you said anything about those?
***** - Er. well.. we're not talking about them.
Carlos - It's always like that. Madden gets a billion chances and never changes.
***** - What the hell are you talking about? This is not about Madden.
Carlos - I know this is not about Madden, but it upsets me because people like to bash 2K.
***** - What?
Seriously, you would have thought people were bashing each others mothers around here.
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Best comedy in the past 10 years! If you disagree you're not being real with yourself and just trying to justify the 10 bucks you spent watching Jackie Moon.
And yes, I own shares in the "Center For Children Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too." We just celebrated our 6th year in business and we're going strong with the exception of a little hostile takeover attempt by the "Academy For Young People Who Can't Write Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Things Good Also."
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Edit: I also use the crazy pills reference too. I use it about once a month.
# 117
HealyMonster @ 03/21/08 10:27 AM
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no man, Liking it" has nothing to do with what I am saying bro. I dont think you get it. I LIKE THE GAME. i play it and enjoy it. alot of other peple do too. just because we like it doesnt make it a good game though. like i said uniforms, stadiums, roster,framerate. regardless of how well the game plays, the game as a whole is riddled with issues that should have been taken care of in 06. this is the game we should have had in 06. i dont understand how you read what I say, then come at me lik im on a building giving a sermon on how people should hate 2k. that couldnt be further from the truth. just because some people can overlook a games flaws and enjoy it does not make it a good game. I overlook everything and i enjoy the game. but im not going to sit here and defend the game from critisism, not will I call this a good game. I hope everyone enjoys the game, i dont care but like i have said look at the game as a whole and dont say its a good game because you enjoy it. it has alot of missing peices and issues so just because you like it dont sit here and act like the game is perfect. be real man. enjoy yourself.
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# 119
sportsdude @ 03/21/08 11:46 AM
going back to Williams' article, I don't think it was the most well-written piece amongst the other new stuff on OS.
It seemed to spend a lot of time killing 2k8 while slipping in a sentence about how the gameplay was actually fun.
Also, Patrick mentioned how the new gameplay features were fun and inventive, yet later in the article he says the new pitching bored him and was too slow. Well, which is it Patrick?
I also find it funny when people complain about graphics in a sports game. I mean, different things matter to different people but for sports games, graphics are usually a tertiary or even quaternary concern to me.
It seemed to spend a lot of time killing 2k8 while slipping in a sentence about how the gameplay was actually fun.
Also, Patrick mentioned how the new gameplay features were fun and inventive, yet later in the article he says the new pitching bored him and was too slow. Well, which is it Patrick?
I also find it funny when people complain about graphics in a sports game. I mean, different things matter to different people but for sports games, graphics are usually a tertiary or even quaternary concern to me.
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