G4TV

It's surprising that the sports game landscape hasn't gotten worse than it actually is. After the license war fought between 2K and Electronic Arts a couple years ago, 2K Sports came away as the sole publishing rights for Major League Baseball. With the lack of competition, you'd think developers would be happy to rest on their laurels. MLB 2K8 brings armchair stick-n-ballers more than just a 2K7 rehash.

The Wind Up

The biggest change over MLB 2K7 is the entirely new pitching setup. For as long as there have been baseball games, developers have been striving to convey the intricacy of the batter/pitcher duel. The problem comes in when you take the mound. Translating the nuances of throwing a “K” to a couple of buttons or a gamepad has evaded developers for ages – until now. 2K8's pitching interface combines timing with stamina and precise waggling of the right analog stick. A fast ball is a simple matter of pulling back on the stick and completing the motion at the proper time. While a curve requires more stick movement and proper timing, it makes pitching a much more involved process than simply aiming and throwing based on your catcher's suggested toss.

It's also frustrating as hell, at first. During your first few innings, you'll be tossing the ball into the dirt and throwing wild pitches to the point that the game feels broken. Given some practice, you'll start to understand the setup and also realize that using a better pitcher will help you master the setup. Soon you'll be setting 'em up and knocking 'em down with relative ease. It really is a very nice pitching interface.

The Pitch

Almost everything else in MLB 2K8 has been mapped to the analog sticks as well, though the pitching has the steepest learning curve of them all. Hitting with the analog stick is all a matter of timing; fielding with the analog stick adds a whole new level of aim and accuracy not normally seen in baseball games. Running the bases with the analog stick is merely functional, but still more user-friendly than last year's setup.

On top of all that, the game is overflowing with various play features, with the standard exhibition, franchise, and manager modes you'd expect. Plus there's a card collection feature that's used to unlock new stadiums, outfits, players, and other goodies. Cards can be bought in "booster" packs or won by completing various, in-game achievements. It's a cool system that adds a fun aspect to an already enjoyable game.

MLB 2K8 is a positive step forward for an already good series. The doom and gloom predicted by folks back when the sports licensing war stuff finally shook out still has not taken place. 2K has really delivered the goods year after year, and it seems like 2K8 will be an excellent successor.

Review by: Greg Stewart