MLB 2K8 News Post

Major League Baseball 2K8 Review

07:51 PM - March 10, 2008 by RaychelSnr

After some database problems this afternoon, we have finally posted our review of Major League Baseball 2k8, written by Dave Branda (aka BlyGilmore).

Quote:

"Taking one step forward and two steps back isn�t new to sports gaming. Nonetheless MLB 2K8 falls into that exact pitfall this year."

Game: Major League Baseball 2K8Reader Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS2 / PS3 / PSP / Wii / Xbox 360Votes for game: 74 - View All

Member Comments

# 1 BlyGilmore @ 03/10/08 08:08 PM

why thank you ;-)

very tough game to review. balancing some of the new things they've done with the utter inexcusable frame rate issue wasn't that easy.

# 2 gallandro @ 03/10/08 08:08 PM

Spot on review. This title will be a solid 7 after lag fixes and the frame rate patch. A step in the right direction, but some steps back.

Yancy

# 3 ezekiel55 @ 03/10/08 08:22 PM

One thing you failed to mention is the fact that they removed vendors walking down the aisles and the fact that the fans dont reach for foul balls anymore. I cant undertand the reasoning behind that. Overall though, the game with a few tweaks, would play one hell of a game of basesball...to bad the developers rushed it out the door.

# 4 Blzer @ 03/10/08 08:29 PM

I agree with everything you said, but I still see potential in this series. I don't know why the graphics took the hit they did (I understand dumbing down details, but now the sky (and overall lighting) and grass look God awful), and I don't understand why presentation overall hasn't gone a notch up... but with only playing the demo, the framerate is supposedly better than retail, and I can't complain any more than the crap 30- FPS that was MLB 2K7. I'd say that and anti-aliasing were marquee components to add in MLB 2K8, even with optimization.

But, far and large, as everyone else says... gameplay over graphics. Surprisingly, "gameplay" isn't one of your bolded terms at the end to go over... but baseball is purely nothing else other than hitting, pitching, fielding, and baserunning. Aside from some herky-jerky looking animations, the gameplay has improved ten-fold, and that's what everybody claims they wanted fixed... though now it seems some people are showing their true colors, and that visuals certainly may matter. Either way, you couldn't sit there with a straight face and convince yourself that MLB 2K7 had these four facets ironed out and working properly. Brinkman promised hit variety, seamless fielding, intuitive pitching, and user-friendly baserunning (all whilst motion-capturing more signature styles than ever seen before and maintaining 60 FPS in the pitcher/batter duels). It was a good segway going into 2K9, which gives it a higher potential rating.

However, compared to its opponent, it is falling short in some departments. In the future, they may be neck-and-neck once again. Until then, as long as the patch comes out soon enough, all console owners should have a playable game this year.

# 5 Heelfan71 @ 03/10/08 08:34 PM

6 is how I would rate it also. Maybe come back and look at the game again if they patch it.

# 6 BlyGilmore @ 03/10/08 08:34 PM

well - most of the review talks about game play ;-)

I'm hopeful for the future of this series, if for no other reason than i'm a 360 gamer who loves baseball. and at the end of the day I want what most of you want - an entertaining baseball game that doesn't make me want to swallow my own tongue.

# 7 Sportsforever @ 03/10/08 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMChrisS


	After some database problems this afternoon, we have finally posted our review of Major League Baseball 2k8, written by Dave Branda (aka BlyGilmore).

I'm not going to disagree with the review/score. I thought you're writeup was a good appraisal of the game. While I personally am enjoying the game at more than a 6/10, I shake my head and wonder how it shipped with some of the issues it has. While everyone's opinion will differ, I think the majority of folks would agree with the write up. Good job.

# 8 BrownsFan72 @ 03/10/08 08:49 PM

Great review, I would give it a 6/10 also.

# 9 Pigskin11 @ 03/10/08 09:18 PM

6/10...spot on

# 10 whosgotcha @ 03/10/08 09:35 PM

I don't know about the score. I haven't played MLB 08 The Show. But I am having fun with MLB 2K8.

# 11 michiganfanatic720 @ 03/10/08 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zekey55


	One thing you failed to mention is the fact that they removed vendors walking down the aisles and the fact that the fans dont reach for foul balls anymore. I cant undertand the reasoning behind that. Overall though, the game with a few tweaks, would play one hell of a game of basesball...to bad the developers rushed it out the door.

I think they were trying to take things out to make the game run smoother. It obviously didnt work very well though.

# 12 bigmoe @ 03/10/08 11:12 PM

Well I havent bought the game yet and this review along with many others take ,has put me on hold until I can buy on sale if I can hold out.NHL 08 and NBA2k8 still take up alot of my time anyway...

# 13 Tomba @ 03/10/08 11:15 PM

Sadly this is NOT the game I wanted it to be... Bought/the PS3 versiona nd am hoping for a patch. i'm giving 2k about a month to do so...

# 14 Tomba @ 03/10/08 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlyGilmore


	why thank you ;-) very tough game to review. balancing some of the new things they've done with the utter inexcusable frame rate issue wasn't that easy.

I only hope 2k and Brinkman see THIS review as I believe it is the "definitive" review of the game from the most accurate sports gaming site out.

# 15 Spanky @ 03/10/08 11:20 PM

Thanks for help saving me $60. It used to be I'd buy a highly anticipated game on release day. Not anymore. I've learned from my mistake -- NCAA Football 08 -- and I'm glad I showed patience with this apparent disaster of a game. I don't care if it has some good points and plays a decent game of baseball after you get the hang of it, for $60 it damn well better be orgasmic for me to reach into my wallet.

# 16 Triggerfish @ 03/11/08 12:11 AM

when is the 2k contract with mlb up? I thought it was better then last year...which is ez...i really dont think they have the resources for the game. I am enjoying the pitching though...the "show's" old school buttons are getting real old and boring. I agree with the 6.

# 17 Radja @ 03/11/08 12:21 AM

i actually think the score should be lower if you do not have a gold xbox live account. the frame rate issue will never go away. i fortunately, do have online support so it is a six to me.

the game play may be in the 8 or even 9 if it is fixed. but the overall problems really drag the score down.

# 18 Brophog @ 03/11/08 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triggerfish


	the "show's" old school buttons are getting real old and boring. I agree with the 6.

It's all in your mind. The sticks are just buttons that work different with pluses/minuses as psuedo-buttons. You'll just get bored of them too, as the mechanism is essentially the same. Heck, take away the step process in swinging and it IS the same. Pitching is still essentially a meter. Throwing is the same metered throwing we've had for a while, with an accuracy penalty that doesn't seem to really exist unless you constantly REALLY botch it up. Whose that bad on throwing with the sticks?

That has nothing to do with the game, fwiw. The real reason you're bored is the fact we've been using the same controller designs now for a very long time. We have buttons, and imprecise sticks that act like buttons.

For the review, I agree that a 6 is a tad harsh, but I don't know his scale.......everyone has a different 1-10 scale. On mine, it's a tad harsh. On his, it may be generious. To me, though, the review focused too much on the framerate, which while annoying, is almost definitely to be fixed via a patch. And I know that there are still those out there that don't have broadband for their console, but the reality of console gaming in this generation is that a lot of games now require patches, however unfortunate that is for the end user.

So, to me, in terms of reviewing a game, the fact something like this framerate issue exists is merely annoying, I don't think I would put nearly the attention into it. I would have focused on the hitting engine, the variety, the animations, the feeling of if the ball is organic or on rails, the controls, the presentation, the sim engine........those kinds of things. And then I'd hope that something that sticks out like theframerate would be duly fixed.

Given that, what I would like to see from OS is a second review post patch. In fact, given how buggy The Show is, I'd hope both games got patched and both games got 2 reviews, to try to show how good they really are.

# 19 crumpled_heap @ 03/11/08 01:02 AM

This game does not deserve a six. All the negatives you gave it had nothing to do with gameplay. Who cares about the commentary, who cares about the presentation, who cares about online play. The gameplay is good therefore it does not deserve a six.

# 20 gallandro @ 03/11/08 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gilgamesh348


	This game does not deserve a six. All the negatives you gave it had nothing to do with gameplay. Who cares about the commentary, who cares about the presentation, who cares about online play. The gameplay is good therefore it does not deserve a six.

Huh? It's part of the game isn't it? Commentary and presentation is part of the overall package, isn't it? How can you avoid those issues and call it a comprehensive review. A 6 is more than fair for 2K8. The gameplay is pretty good, but seriously, beyond the gimmick of a new controller configuration (and it is a gimmick), 2K8 has problems out of the box, and a comprehensive review should reflect that.

I was a looooong time apologist for 2K Baseball (helped bfnjoe with some slider sets and discovered a workaround for the passed ball bug from 2K6), I loved World Series Baseball 2K3 and have steadily watched this franchise go downhill. There have been positives along the way, but all in all 2K has really just gotten stuck in a rut as of late.

Fortunately I rented 2K8 (MLB2K7 was the final straw for me buying 2K Sports games sight unseen), and will be passing on this year's version... I'll stick with The Show.

Yancy

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