Major League Baseball 2K10 Review

The PlayStation 2 hasn't been the focus of game development for many, many years and Major League Baseball 2K10 from 2K Sports is a glaring example of this sort of mentality. Once again we have a rehashed version of last year's game (and the year before that) that delivers no real gameplay innovations, no improvements to visuals and no changes to things like the framerate or camera angles. Yes, Major League Baseball 2K10 rests solely on the laurels of previous games, and while that doesn't mean that this version is a horrific mess like its DS-bound brother, it sure isn't the most stimulating or enjoyable baseball experience around.

The most startling aspect of Major League Baseball 2K10 is that there's absolutely no sign of new content in the game. There are no new modes to tout with the back of the box listing things like Home Run Derby and Franchise Mode, two modes that we've been enjoying since what seems like the dawn of time. GM Career mode is where you'll spend most of your time, but again, we've seen it before and doesn't offer much in the way of new content. Thankfully you do get a roster update, but PS2 users looking for something like My Player or new mechanics for the gameplay need to make the switch to current hardware.

When you get onto the field you'll immediately notice that the hitting hasn't been tuned at all in the last three years on PS2. While at the plate you're still forced to complete a step as the pitcher starts his wind up (done by pulling back on the right stick) and then perform a properly-timed swing as the ball crosses the plate (done by releasing the right stick for a contact swing and pushing it forward for a power swing). The whole exercise feels very silly and old fashioned. Not to mention the fact that it moves slower than molasses. Swings look like they take entirely too long to make their way across the plate, and when you hear the explosion sound effect when the bat makes contact with the ball the authenticity is lessened even further.

The fielding and throwing mechanics are also identical to what we've been playing since 2K7. Catching balls in the outfield is also entirely too touchy. Make one wrong flick of the stick and you'll be dropping easy pop-ups. Things don't get much better once you start throwing the ball around the diamond, either. You can't pre-load throws and there's no power meter – thus no real skill involved. There are also weird hitches that take place at random moments during gameplay. It might be after a hit to the outfield or after an easy out at first base, but when it happens it's very jarring and hurts the gameplay experience quite a bit, especially when it causes you to miss a play in the field or at the plate.

Despite those random hiccups the game actually runs pretty well for the rest of the time. Visually the game is more impressive than the Wii alternative with smoother edges on players and a general lack of seams (created by two textures on the field. Player faces look a bit more accurate in this version as well. Animations are relatively strong and lifelike, despite the general lack of speed that I've mentioned before. I'm not saying that MLB 2K10 on PS2 will impress visually, but at least it runs decently well and has player details that you'll be able to recognize.

Gary Thorne is back in the commentary booth but he's by himself this year, which makes the audio experience feel a little vacant. His observations are typically quick and accurate enough, but it's obvious that his list of commentary was kept short as his quips are usually very general. Elsewhere you'll hear fans cheering and jeering during different situations, even though they look like puddles of mud. The sound of the ball hitting the bat, as I've said before, is way over the top and is completely ridiculous for what's supposed to be a simulation baseball game.

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