Major League Baseball 2K11

There's a lot to like about MLB 2K11. While the series is trending up it definitely needs a makeover and a whole lot of polish to break through the negative reputation tied to it. It's not an ace but it's a serviceable mid-rotation starter.

While we're having some fun with MLB 2K11, we can envision a scenario where the "new baseball game" sheen wears off and we lose steam quickly. It takes a special game to keep our interest over the long haul, and 2K11 may not have enough to grip us tightly and never let go.

It's not a bad baseball game, and has certainly made some improvements. Pitching and hitting are both fun, and the My Player mode has been expanded on to make it more accessible and engrossing. The glitches are fewer, but still noticeable, and the game does make some graphical improvements, though the game engine is looking tired.

As much as I liked about Major League Baseball 2K11 (playing online and playing through My Player), I found even more that I didn't like (commentary, menus, bugs and glitches, frustrating AI). I enjoy the promise of the MLB integration, whether it's the updated scores every time I log into the game or the DRPS affecting my in-game roster and stats. But ultimately, MLB 2K11 is its own worst enemy, keeping it from being a great sports game and, once again, second fiddle to the MLB: The Show franchise.

Last year's game showed promise and a commitment to getting this series back on track. This year's installment is a disaster. There's a decent game of baseball to be played here, but you are more likely to pitch a complete game than play through nine innings without a bug or glitch.