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

# 1081 HK-47 @ 03/04/08 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Str8_A


	Just completed 2 games (Oak 2 vs SF 0) and (Oak 3 vs LAA 0). I love the gameplay. The game keeps you on your toes every inning whether batting or pitching. I got the hang of the pitching in 15 mins of the tutorial. Getting a strikeout or the 3rd out w/ runners in scoring position is so satisfying. I never had that feeling in a baseball game in a long while. The disadvantages is the graphics, and framerate. Although, personally it wasnt as bad as most here say it is. Graphics are a bit downgraded from last year, and the grass looks like the ivy out at Wrigley field. Also, has anyone experience the lag in the highlights @ the end of the game? Overall, love the game. Gameplay is all I wanted, and 2k came through in that department. He did have a signature batting stance. Although, I can't remember how he batted in real life, so I can't measure the accuracy.

DUDE!!!!Since you played against the Angels, how was Howie Kendricks batting stance?Was it spot on?Or did they give him a default stance?

# 1082 Pared @ 03/04/08 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ehh


	Just curious, if 2K8's pitching is boring then how do you stay awake through The Show which still has the same meter for years or simply pressing a button and "let ratings do the work"?

Wow.... defensive much?

# 1083 HK-47 @ 03/04/08 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heelfan71


	you don't care which game is better. all you care is which game has more of the Angles players correct stance.

When did I say that?

I said The Show would be perfect if they got signature stances right.I like both games, but 2k defintely has better signature stances/windups/deliveries.If you deny that, your just a Show fan boy.I tell it like it is!

And I only mentioned K-Rod and Ryan Howard's signature styles.Howard is not an Angel idiot.

I just want to know if my favorite player Howie Kendrick has his signature batting stance.He's been in the game since 2k6, and they never gave him his sig stance.It should be in the game, because it's very unique.

# 1084 ehh @ 03/04/08 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pared


	Wow.... defensive much?

It's not defensive, it's a legit question. I'm just curious, when looking at it objectively, how you can find one pitching system boring after a few hours and not one that has largely remained unchanged for a few years? Seems a bit off to me.

# 1085 Pared @ 03/04/08 08:15 PM

So the thread has degraded to thrashing The Show instead of posting impressions on 2k8.

Incredible.

Don't give me the "legit question." It's pretty obvious what's going on here.

# 1086 Heelfan71 @ 03/04/08 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ehh


	How am I bashing it? Have they not had the same pitching interface for years now? There are threads in the The Show forum talking about how annoying the "manual" fielding is for some people. Doesn't seem like bashing to me, pal. Seem like realistic issues.

actually a realistic issue is a game not running at 60fps as advertised. They didn't release a demo because they knew it would hurt sales.

# 1087 Rocky @ 03/04/08 08:17 PM

Hopefully once I stop sucking, it will be get a little better to me.

I can tell already that games are going to be much more intense than The Show deep into the season because you are constantly involved. The gameplay is very immersive.

I just wish that every time I turned on the game, I wouldn't be praying that I get a good framerate.

# 1088 lived @ 03/04/08 08:17 PM

So how's the bat sounds. Do they sound like they're changed

# 1089 ehh @ 03/04/08 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pared


	So the thread has degraded to thrashing The Show instead of posting impressions on 2k8. Incredible. Don't give me the "legit question." It's pretty obvious what's going on here.

Right, that's why a post in The Show forum too and have said numerous times it's a great game and owned it in the past.

And how in the world is that "degrading" The Show? By pointing out a fact? Has the pitching system changed at all in The Show? Yes or no?

I have never seen a group of people so defensive about a game. It's honestly worse than anything I've ever seen in Madden. You'd think you were insulting about someone's child. The Show is the best game ever and 2K8 is a laughable piece of trash.

# 1090 Heelfan71 @ 03/04/08 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ehh


	It's not defensive, it's a legit question. I'm just curious, when looking at it objectively, how you can find one pitching system boring after a few hours and not one that has largely remained unchanged for a few years? Seems a bit off to me.

so because something is unchanged, people can't like it ? Newer is always the best ?

# 1091 ehh @ 03/04/08 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heelfan71


	actually a realistic issue is a game not running at 60fps as advertised. They didn't release a demo because they knew it would hurt sales.

I never said it wasn't! 2K8 obviously still has a lot of issues but The Show isn't perfect either like most people make it out be.

# 1092 Heelfan71 @ 03/04/08 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lived


	So how's the bat sounds. Do they sound like they're changed

like a whiffle ball bat

# 1093 chasmalgrat3 @ 03/04/08 08:20 PM

This is coming from someone who really wanted MLB2K8 to be good because it was my only option for baseball (I'm not spending $470 to play the other game - especially because I hate cursor based hitting and that's all that they offer), but over the HDMI connection on my Panasonic 50" Plasma and the Xbox set to output in 720p the game is near unplayable.

Yes, hitting and pitching are silky smooth, but the stuttering I am seeing in the field is killing me. Set aside the fact that on a lot of balls that get put into play the cpu is choosing the wrong fielder, or that when it chooses the correct fielder it takes them a step in the wrong direction, but most of the time when I have control of the correct fielder (at least on the infield) it's a crapshoot whether or not I can make a play on the ball because of the stuttering issues that have so prevalently been brought up in this thread. It's nearly impossible for me to position my fielder correctly because he keeps "jumping" around.

It's sad, I'm out $60 bucks because you can't return opened games, and I won't be getting my baseball fix this season. There's a reason why I dropped the 2K series in favor of the MVP series back in 2004 and it looks like there's really been no progress.

I wanted to give Ben Brinkman and the team at Kush the benefit of the doubt that they are at least turning the ship around, but this is inexcusable. I realize that there are those on here that have the game and are seeing limited to no stuttering, but unfortunately it doesn't look like I'm one of them (I have to turn off the commentary completely just to be able to get through a game).

My advice, rent it first and see what results you get. Learn from my $60 mistake. The series looks like it's made some strides (pitching is actually fun and challenging this year) but it looks like another year of "just wait 'til next year).

# 1094 SFGiantsPBA @ 03/04/08 08:20 PM

This game kicks ***!

Great fielding, baserunning, hitting, throwing and pitching!

I really love this game but still suck at pitching but I have 2 major concerns as a league Admin.

I see no options to set custom sliders for leagues nor custom room games and the other is I see no way to change pitching from break point to pin point even in custom games!

I'm at the very least hoping that the leagues just aren't finished yet and we will be able to custom out sliders.

# 1095 ehh @ 03/04/08 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heelfan71


	so because something is unchanged, people can't like it ? Newer is always the best ?

Nope, didn't say that either. The question wasn't about liking or not liking the pitching system.

# 1096 Pared @ 03/04/08 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ehh


	I have never seen a group of people so defensive about a game. It's honestly worse than anything I've ever seen in Madden. You'd think you were insulting about someone's child.

You should read yours and other comments in this thread, because I honestly thought you were referring to here. I'm sure others would think the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heelfan71


	so because something is unchanged, people can't like it ? Newer is always the best ?

I've said it time and time again: change for the sake of change isn't always good.

Would be nice if we can get some impressions from a few more objective gamers.

# 1097 ehh @ 03/04/08 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pared


	You should read yours and other comments in this thread, because I honestly thought you were referring to here. I'm sure others would think the same.

Because in large part no one who enjoys 2K8 goes running in The Show forum talking about how great it is and how it does something better than The Show. It's the polar opposite in this forum. Damn near every post in here is, "This game is trash and The Show is the only way to go."

# 1098 Str8_A @ 03/04/08 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HK-47


	DUDE!!!!Since you played against the Angels, how was Howie Kendricks batting stance?Was it spot on?Or did they give him a default stance?

I do remember seeing his name in the signature styles in the edit player feature, so he does have his sig. I don't remember exactly how his stance was in real life, so I can't really say if its accurate. Although, Lackey's windup and follow through is exactly the way it should be, which is cool.

# 1099 Motown @ 03/04/08 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pared


	You should read yours and other comments in this thread, because I honestly thought you were referring to here. I'm sure others would think the same. I've said it time and time again: change for the sake of change isn't always good. Would be nice if we can get some impressions from a few more objective gamers.

It's obvious Pared...I can sure's hell see right thru him. and it's gettin' old...real old.

i'm done...i'm movin' on

# 1100 ehh @ 03/04/08 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motown


	I can sure's hell see right thru him. and it's gettin' old...real old.

And what do you see when you "look right through me". I can't wait to hear this.

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