Major League Baseball 2K8

The new gameplay features, particularly Total Pitch Control, are great, and the franchise and online modes will appeal to baseball fanatics. The graphics and sound could've been better.

A positive step forward for an already good series.

This year, the game has junked its poorest parts and replaces them with some seriously innovative goodies -- but there are a handful of reasons why we're not jumping for joy and declaring this the must-play baseball title of 2008.

MLB 2K8 is a game for true fans--it's like being there at the ballpark. There are lots of details that only baseball fans will appreciate. It won't appeal to general gamers or those who don't really like baseball though.

MLB 2K8 accomplishes what it set out to do--giving players more control in every phase of the game. Unfortunately, the changes come at a price that is hard to accept. In addition to the terribly inconsistent frame rate, evidence is everywhere that the game simply isn’t finished.

Fielding features the sweetest setup in years, with its simple analog-based meter. And baserunning and hitting benefit from less-complex models. Something's still missing. [Apr 2008, p.73]

It’s the lack of authenticity while on the field that really hurts MLB 2K8. Next-gen simulation sports games are gauged by how closely they emulate the look and feel of the real thing and while the new gameplay mechanics do lend themselves to a more true-to-life experience, the presentation and look of 2K8 in motion really hurts it overall.

We were so ready to fall in love with 2K’s take on major league baseball again this year, but we just can’t get past the depressing drop in visual fidelity.

If you're able to look past the framerate, the pitching and franchise are worth checking out, but if you only have enough money for one baseball game this year, Sony's Show is definitely the one worth attending.

Upper-tier analog batting and pitching make for a unique and enjoyable baseball experience. The rest of the game is average with annoying technical issues and opponent/teammate AI that is, for the most part, dreadful.

MLB 2K8 is one of those games that hurts to play because you just know it could have been so much better.

One very big frustration I have with this game is the music selection. To each his own, but when I play a baseball game I expect to hear the music associated with live baseball games - hip-hop, hard rock, and Latin music. For some reason, this soundtrack is filled with horrendous artsy indie rock, which to me, should not be the soundtrack to a modern baseball game.

The stuttering on the field obscures what can be a very fun, tense and rewarding game of baseball.

MLB 2K8 is full of new ideas; unfortunately, it's also filled with technical problems.

PS3 owners should be grateful that MLB 2K8 is not their only choice.

It's a mediocre offering of baseball that does little to fix the issues that plagued 2K7. A.I. is still questionable, and sliders don't help alleviate the issues. Mode offerings desperately need a rookie-superstar mode of some sort, and the overall feel of the game is in dire need of polish.

It remains a flawed experience, even in the face of its significant upgrades in the depth and gameplay options. [Apr 2008, p.74]

Barring one heck of a patch from 2k Sports, there’s no magic pill to cure all that ails this game. The legacy of developer 2k Los Angeles (formerly Kush Games) continues to be the delivery of high-potential but brutally flawed games that lack considerable polish.

While the lag doesn’t technically make MLB 2K8 unplayable online, it’s bad enough to be a severe detriment to enjoying the game.

They're trying by adding new features, but to my mind this energy is misplaced. While you get some changes and add-ons, that's a lot like pruning a tree when its core is rotten, or putting a dress on a pig, or ... well, you get the point.

As far as pitching and hitting are concerned, MLB 2K8 is great. But presentation counts, and when a weak presentation is coupled with fielding issues, it's a lot harder to enjoy this game.