Major League Baseball 2K10 Preview (Kotaku)

[ExtremeGamer]

Kotaku has posted their preview of Major League Baseball 2K10.

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"It's hard to tell whether last year's MLB 2K9 - one of the worst-reviewed (and deservedly so) games ever for this class of sports simulation - raises or lowers consumer expectations for MLB 2K10. 2K9 suffered from glitches, clipping, bizarre baserunning and fielding AI, and, frankly, unacceptable graphics, especially in the player modeling. Conditioned to expect subtle changes in the fundamentals of year-to-year sports titles, I really didn't know what to expect. A set of drastic changes could bomb just as badly as ones tone-deaf to last year's problems. 2K gave me a four-hour guided preview of the game at their Novato, Calif. studios on Tuesday. Rather than attempt to certify whether this is an overhaul, a tuneup, or something in between, I decided to do what Visual Concepts seems to have done: Clear my mind of last year's game, and start all over on this one."

[Blzer]

I'm liking what I hear about hitting, specifically the fact that he called contact hitting "standard hitting", and that influencing hitting is not designated to hit the home run, but rather simply to attempt to get lift (sacrifice flies, etc.).

Unfortunately, I wouldn't look forward to just flicking the stick up, I'd much rather load. But if it sounds like a stick flick is the standard way of swinging, then the defensive mechanic makes sense in that regard. Now if next year they can instead give every swing type a load (including DSM), then the mechanic will increase tenfold in my book.

[kgisbeast]

Very positive. Nice to hear from someone who really got a chance to play the game. I find it interesting in his closing comments he can't really find much to improve on minus a few glitches here and there. Sounds like typical 2k and like we will get a very solid game with some lack of polish. Which I would be estatic about. I also don't expect this to unseat the show as far as graphics and attention to detail, but if the gameplay is solid in true 2k fashion and 2k delivers.... 2k has a knack with their gameplay to get certain things right.

[jkra0512]

This game is sounding more and more like it's going to get at least an 8 this year. I will still rent it first before buying it.

I will be absolutely ecstatic if they make a good baseball game this year! I wish them luck

[SoxFan01605]

Not particularly deep at all (especially on game play, but that's typical for these types of quick rundowns), but I liked what I read about a couple of areas of concern for me:

1. The more I read about changing the pitch selection to the face buttons, the more I think I like it. This description best summed up my hopes. Selecting the pitch first will take away the ambiguity of what's being thrown. Now, in theory, missed gestures are supposed to affect effectiveness, which is exactly how it should be. It was encouraging to see the mention of accuracy being less pinpoint and seeing more walks thrown.

2. Ignoring for a moment the obvious check-swing omission we've all been debating, the hitting system sounds like it's much more responsive (I actually like that he found it twitchy at first...it suggests its "loose" which is far better than the delayed input reaction from the last few, IMO). Also love how influence seems to be a lot less powered up and more of a gentle push, so to speak. My only other concern would be just how effective the DSM will be. Hopefully it's ratings based and not too effective. Too early to worry about it of course, but it's something to watch for.

3. A small thing by comparison to the first two, but it's encouraging to see the pitch speeds appear to be ramped up. I always felt the ball seemed like it almost floated to the plate. The fact that they upped that and still focused on the drawing of walks through other means is also encouraging.

[Bellsprout]

I'm still buying The Show, but that said I never even gave a thought to renting 2k9 last year to see what I was missing. With what i've read so far this year, I will be renting that game and if I like it enough I'll be going the 2 baseball game route this year.

That's a big step, I think, to get people like me who never gave 2k9 a chance interested in 2k10, and i'm definitely interested.

[bigfnjoe96]

I'm really liking that they've tighten-up the L-Analog Stick for both Pitching & Hitting. It sounds like the writer felt the same way:

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this year's configurations make loads more sense. They also represent a deliberately more deterministic mode of play that account for the many degrees of success or failure within the delivery of a pitch or the swing of a bat.

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From what I saw of it, MLB 2K10's hitting and pitching philosophy justifies the use of the analog sticks.

Also looks like the Graphics did get an upgrade..

Quote:

Judged by the visuals alone this will be a much better game than 2K9. All of the major league stadiums have been rebuilt, as well as character/face modeling, eliminating last year's embarrassments. Cap logos are appropriately proportioned, one of my pet peeves from 2K9.

Also liking the 2-player animations that have been done for this year:

Quote:

One of the best updates will be the addition of two-player animations, in which double-plays or plays at the plate incorporate both runner and fielder (and the ball coming loose, where appropriate), for seamless collisions and outcomes with no distorted clipping or incongruent behaviors.

Bring-on the videos.....

[brendanrfoley]

The preview is a good and honest assessment of what Owen played last week.

The visual improvements must come across better in motion than they do in stills; Owen says the 2K10 does not look as nice as Sony's offering, but says the improvements to the players, stadiums and animation "get it in the discussion."

I am also excited about the changes in game play. Despite the lack of check swings, I like this year's hit stick. It makes sense to me. I am also happy I will no longer throw the wrong pitch. Some gestures (curve/slider) are too similar for me in 2K9.

Owen admits 2K10 will not unseat The Show as a "best in class offering," but it does sound like the game is solid.