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MLB 2K8 News Post

Major League Baseball 2K8 360 Impressions

  01:24 AM - February 26, 2008 by Steve_OS
Matt Blumenthal had an opportunity to demo Major League Baseball 2K8 this afternoon. His official writeup of the event will be up later this week, but we wanted to get some quick thoughts up here for you guys.
  • This game looks beautiful, the player models have improved but the real leap is in the animations. The animations move silky smooth and there is no need to worry about herky jerky animations of the past anymore.
  • I'm impressed with how intuitive and fresh the analog controls are. The pitching takes a little time to get the hang of but the new mechanics add a whole new dimension to the pitching model.
  • The baseball cards feature is surprisingly cool, expect me to have more on that later on this week.
  • In-game saves are officially in the game this year.
  • Check swings don't seem to be a chore anymore. They are now accomplished by pulling back on the right analog stick - no more right trigger necessary.
  • Stadium-specific animations are in. The Yankee Roll Call was mentioned specifically.
  • There should be plenty of foul balls this year. I saw several in the few at-bats I played.
  • No spring training games this year.
  • I counted eight unlockable classic stadiums. I think more might be available by default as well.
  • No co-op play
  • You will have the option to make trades for CPU-controlled teams in franchise mode, but you won't be able to edit their rotations and lineups.
  • It was suggested to me that the demo is done and has been submitted. If that's the case, it's in Microsoft's hands now.
  • I will hit on a few of the big questions from the forum here.

Game: Major League Baseball 2K8Reader Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS2 / PS3 / PSP / Wii / Xbox 360Votes for game: 74 - View All
Member Comments
# 661 Heelfan71 @ 03/04/08 02:06 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bat9th
With classic hitting is there practice swings?
I could not figure out how to. I am guessing No


Quote:
Originally Posted by Cheeser12
Only seen one person mention it, but is there finally a realistic number of fouls?

That was a major issue for me in 2k7: I would whiff and miss at balls too much, when in real-life most would just be fouled off. Sometimes my bat would go THROUGH the ball, which really pissed me off.
A lot more foul balls than last year
 
# 662 ehh @ 03/04/08 02:06 PM
Read alot of crap about the framerate but I didn't see anything mentioned about DLP - just plasma and LCD. Anyone having the bad lag on DLP?
 
# 663 HealyMonster @ 03/04/08 02:06 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Direblaze
How is the swing stick? I always wanted to bat with the swing stick but did not enjoy it in 2k7. Did they improve it alot ?
i wasnt a fan of swing stick last year. i like it this year. ive been playing with it and i dont have the urge to go back to button swing yet like i did with 2k7.
 
# 664 Deelron @ 03/04/08 02:06 PM
Just played my first game offline, Houston vs. SF at AT&T Park. 720p, VGA input. Choppiness was slight, but for me were mostly resigned to deep, slow outfield flys. Love the new pitching interface, stuck my first batter out (mainly thanks to my catcher calling only FBs and Changeups), then got rocked hard trying to throw other pitches.
 
# 665 Cheeser12 @ 03/04/08 02:07 PM
That's good to hear, should make total pitches much higher and make at-bats much more interesting.
 
# 666 reo @ 03/04/08 02:07 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Renegade44
i wasnt a fan of swing stick last year. i like it this year. ive been playing with it and i dont have the urge to go back to button swing yet like i did with 2k7.
Not unless you want to be punched. Time to go next-gen my friend . . .

This isn't Genesis.

(You reading this Heelfan71?!?!?)
 
# 667 born_bad @ 03/04/08 02:07 PM
Disappointing... just cancelled my order with Amazon. The framerate issue (I just bought a 1080p TV and am not sacrificing resolution), unplayable online, lack of presentation, same commentary as last year, downgrade in graphics from last year, etc. just doesn't justify my $$. Yet another "next-gen" sports game I'm going to pass on.

I'll wait for the demo and if I fall in love it, I'll re-order it. I just doubt the new gameplay elements can make me overlook those other things. I have found it pretty odd that the demo never made it out, there have been very few videos, no reviews, the videos that were released were choppy and everyone kept blaming the videos themselves or the beta version of the game. Now it appears the game is choppy. Seems like they released a beta game and charged $60 for it. Thanks. I'll wait 'til they finish their 3-year plan before giving them my money.
 
# 668 Pared @ 03/04/08 02:07 PM
I'd like to read some more level-headed, detailed impressions. I've read a few but then there are the others that are pro-claiming the sky is falling and the flip-side, with others seemingly calling this better in every way than 2k7.

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to post, no matter what category you fall in.
 
# 669 EWRMETS @ 03/04/08 02:08 PM
Heelfan, how are the pitch counts? Pitchers (you and CPU) getting to 100?
 
# 670 mrsalsays @ 03/04/08 02:08 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by alwayz0npoint
dude can u play other team games instead of the 4 teams allowed to pick >?
SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP
 
# 671 dragon4ever @ 03/04/08 02:09 PM
1. Is the presentation better in the game now than in years past? Is there a pre/post game analysis? Is there a nightly/weekly highlight recap like in NFL 2K5?

2. Are there in-game saves?
 
# 672 thextreme1 @ 03/04/08 02:10 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Renegade44
i almost forgot, i played 3 games so far all at shea. 2 vs phillies 1 vs pirates. every time the other team pops up to the outfield the crowd reacts like as if I hit it, like i hear awww like an upset reaction. now I overlooked it for the most part as it was just hard to figure out who they are rooting for. I also heard in each game to crown yelling c'mon jerffrey etc when the other team was up. not tauning them, cheering for them. weird. i did hear them do the jose,jose,jose thing for reyes but thats as much cheering as ive hear for my team.
It is actually like that when the Yankees are in Baltimore. More Yankees fans than Orioles.
 
# 673 reo @ 03/04/08 02:10 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by EWRMETS
Heelfan, how are the pitch counts? Pitchers (you and CPU) getting to 100?
Very good question! Stamina as well . . .
 
# 674 mrsalsays @ 03/04/08 02:10 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by marino13882
umm ive hit 5 homers in 11 innings?!?! and im using the dodgers...i dont know if thats a good thing or not
are the homers barely going over the wall EVERY SINGLE TIME like last year and then saying they went 403 ft?
 
# 675 bullpen @ 03/04/08 02:11 PM
Just one question : is the chopiness worst then last year ?
 
# 676 Herky @ 03/04/08 02:12 PM
Is playing on a HD TV a total no go then?
 
# 677 bowlerguy92 @ 03/04/08 02:12 PM
The crowd is the same, there are no cutscenes to speak of, and Jeanie has more commentary as well as a 7th inning stretch commentary routine with the other guy. Pitch counts are still unrealistic and you can still pitch a complete game with a starter as I did.
 
# 678 thextreme1 @ 03/04/08 02:12 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ehh
Read alot of crap about the framerate but I didn't see anything mentioned about DLP - just plasma and LCD. Anyone having the bad lag on DLP?
It isnt actually lag, it is framerate issues. It will be bad, no matter what TV you play it on.
 
# 679 FocusYoMindOnDis @ 03/04/08 02:13 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrsalsays
SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP

I tried to be nice, but your response works better!
 
# 680 dodgerblue @ 03/04/08 02:13 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pared
I'd like to read some more level-headed, detailed impressions. I've read a few but then there are the others that are pro-claiming the sky is falling and the flip-side, with others seemingly calling this better in every way than 2k7.

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to post, no matter what category you fall in.
No kidding. And if you are reading these posts and you aren't going to buy the game anymore, I'm sorry, but you don't have to announce it to everyone!
 


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