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

# 821 MizzouRah @ 03/04/08 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikev8786


	so is there like a homerun in almost every at bat or is it more realistic

More realistic thus far. I've only seen 1 HR so far in two games and I gave that one up to Richie Sexton when I was learning the pitching.

# 822 UNC_Pete @ 03/04/08 04:00 PM

Yeah, the key is to not throw "meatballs"..

# 823 ability @ 03/04/08 04:01 PM

I've only played 1.5 games so far, but I like it. I have it for the 360 and the animations are smooth.. I'm not sure how I feel about the new pitching/throwing interface... but so far, so good.

# 824 HealyMonster @ 03/04/08 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikev8786


	so is there like a homerun in almost every at bat or is it more realistic

i have yet to hit a HR in 4 games and computer hit 1 off me in 4 games. brings me to my next impression, i put in enter sandman for releif pitcher intro and it wont play the song while they are running in from the bullpen. the only way is when the comp changed pitcher in between inning as the new inning started it played it. it wouldnt play my "walk" song or my strikeout song properly neither and ive been trying to hit a HR so i can see how it does with my HR song. ill post how that goes but so far the custom music is worthless.

im trying to test 3 or 4 songs before i spend hours burning them etc but so far none of the songs work as we intended them to.

# 825 ehh @ 03/04/08 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arichzona


	Besides this framerate issue that is.......Why else is it blown out of the water by the show?

Probably the same hitting and pitching interface that have been in the game for years.

# 826 bluengold34_OS @ 03/04/08 04:04 PM

One other quick impression, the crowd for me during the Red Sox/ Cubs game seemed really into it, but there was a lot of action going on also. At Wrigley, they started chanting " Throw it back"after a Big Papi HR, and I heard the police sirens outside the stadium nice and crisp as if I was at the ball park.

The only downer was when Big Papi, he hit a towering shot that landed in Milwaukee, but he was looking down the right field line, and the shot was hit in the Left Center Gap

# 827 Trevytrev11 @ 03/04/08 04:04 PM

Can someone answer this regarding fielding:

I understand the circle (ball icon dissapears) when you turn away from the ball. With that being said, are you able to make over-the shoulder catches? When running back and at an angle, does the fielder look over his shoulder to locate the ball? Or how does this work in the game? Are you able to run back and at an angle and still locate the ball?

Does it only dissapear when running straight back?

# 828 JoshCA916 @ 03/04/08 04:06 PM

ok that worked thank you everybody

# 829 Qb @ 03/04/08 04:06 PM

Haven't seen this question, but may have easily missed it:

Does the CPU still throw a heater down the pipe 99% of the time on a 3-0 count?

# 830 ComaFaction @ 03/04/08 04:06 PM

Trev -- Yes. I caught an over the shouler with Reed Johnson (with the circle dissapearing)

also, it's nice that not all meatballs get hit, and not all bad pitches get hit...and some perfect pitches do get hit. just like real life.

# 831 fishepa @ 03/04/08 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowlerguy92


	Your an idiot.

Wow the irony of that statement.

# 832 tswells @ 03/04/08 04:07 PM

I was very hesitant to buy this game considering all of the negative stuff I'd heard about it, but I went and got it anyways since I don't own a PS3 and it's my only choice.

I must say I'm pleasantly surprised. I loved 2k7, played it until the end-of-season glitch ruined my franchise and gave up. As long as that glitch is gone I'll be getting in a lot of hours with this puppy.

Best pitching ever in a video game. In a lot of baseball games I feel like half the inning is just a waste, going through motions so I can bat. Not anymore.

# 833 bluengold34_OS @ 03/04/08 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevytrev11


	Can someone answer this regarding fielding: I understand the circle (ball icon dissapears) when you turn away from the ball. With that being said, are you able to make over-the shoulder catches? When running back and at an angle, does the fielder look over his shoulder to locate the ball? Or how does this work in the game? Are you able to run back and at an angle and still locate the ball? Does it only dissapear when running straight back?

I believe it only disappears when running straight back. Soriano grabbed a couple of shot for over his shoulder and to his right at an angle, and the circle still appeared. He was also looking over his shoulder, which was pretty cool.

# 834 The GIGGAS @ 03/04/08 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott4171


	Its official IGN gave it a 7.4. Looks like I am not buying this game. http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/856/856712p1.html

Because of IGN, who is horrible at reviewing sports games? They've given Madden 8.0+s for the last three years on Xbox 360!

# 835 SPTO @ 03/04/08 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott4171


	Its official IGN gave it a 7.4. Looks like I am not buying this game. http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/856/856712p1.html

7.4 is bad? OOOOKAY.

# 836 JoshCA916 @ 03/04/08 04:09 PM

does anybody know if you can do a draft online league for the ps3? any help would be appreciated

# 837 Fatalah @ 03/04/08 04:10 PM

Spent the last hour playing. Here are my impressions:

++ Graphics are on par with last year's game. Colorful and full of textures.

++Crowd is detailed just enough to not be annoying . When the camera pans out, the stadium looks great with a packed house.

++In my first quick-play game, the uniforms were blustering around. Then I realized the weather was set to "Windy".

Played next game with weather set to "calm" and uniforms looked great.

++Noticeable framerate slowdown is experienced when ball is hit to the outfield. Was less significant when weather was set to "calm".

++When playing quickplay or a single exhibition game, the weather seemed to match the current weather in my area! (I'm in NYC, it's a rainy day, therefore in my game at Yankee Stadium, it was raining). Could be a random coincidence though!

++Playing on a standard-def TV is not a good idea. Text is way to small to read! I can't even figure out the pitching icons! I think an HDTV is pretty much required to enjoy this game.

++ You can set customized music for just about every situation. i.e. "Game winning home-run", or the batting music for a certain player. I just CANNOT figure out how to do this! Apparently, you select a player's name, and select a "playlist". Why not just a single song? I ripped 20 songs to my HDD, but I don't see them. Just playlist files.

++Player photos are totally outdated and ruin the game's presentation IMO. How can the game have Joba and Phil Hughes face scanned for their player models, but not have a simple photo? The aforementioned players are given a generic computer modeled face.

++Main menu screen has be revamped, imitating the right-analog scheme of current EA-sports titles. A welcome change.

++Pitching controls are really something else. I really can't believe Kush figured this system out, it's really out there in terms of complexity. I gave up 11 runs in 5 innings in my first outing. A practice pitching mode is available right in the game menu, to practice even while you're in a game.

++Commentary is pretty much identical to last year's game. The crowd audio seems new however.

++The manual is like 5 pages long. The thorough in-game tutorial is pretty much all you need.

++XBOX Live has an update for the game as soon as you pop the disc in.

++Game studders for one second at the end of a play, if you turn off replays and cutscenes.

# 838 royals_fan_16 @ 03/04/08 04:11 PM

So I bought The Show and MLB 2k8 today. I put in the show and played a game and then put in 2k8 with the same teams and pitchers to play a game. OMG, 2k8 is unplayable. How did they make the game worse than last year? I have no clue, but they did it. The frame rate is awful and the graphics are worse. If you cannot see those 2 problems, you are naive. I am so saddened by this because I thought 2k7 was just a few changes to being a very good game and somehow it wasn't done.

# 839 bluengold34_OS @ 03/04/08 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott4171


	Its official IGN gave it a 7.4. Looks like I am not buying this game. http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/856/856712p1.html

Scott, not trying to tell you your business at all, but brother you may want to at least rent it....it seems like a really fun game. From what I have played, which is minimal mind you, I would give it a 7.9 to 8.1 and who knows what it might have been if it didn't have the framerate issues.

Now that may change as I delve into the game a tad bit deeper, but I don't regret having i here.

# 840 bigfnjoe96 @ 03/04/08 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott4171


	Its official IGN gave it a 7.4. Looks like I am not buying this game.

Thanks for reminding us for the umpteen time

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