MLB 2K10 is two GIANT steps in the right direction! I'd say 2K Sports is rounding third and approaching home!
***I just want to add, based on the GS review, that I agree with most everything they said, except for the MY PLAYER portion. I absolutely LOVE playing as an outfielder & I don't agree that it's tedious and boring. It makes me wonder if the guy has ever played baseball in his life. Also, it doesn't take 2-3 seasons of MiL ball to get the call up. I played about 30 games before I got pulled up to the Bigs - keep in mind that those 30 games probably took no more than 2-3 hours real-time because you are only involved in your playable events. I had no problem getting my skill points (running included) to the goal in less than one season & I was hitting .320 with 3 homers and an OBP over .400. This all seems pretty plausable to me, rather than the 5 games it took to reach the majors as a pitcher. Once again, the rest of the review is right on the money.****
Just for reference, I've been playing baseball games since the good ol' days of Baseball Stars on Nintendo, which may still be the most fun I've ever had with a baseball game. I often wonder what people would have said about that game if internet sites such as this one were around back then....
Anyway...there's no doubt that the last couple (or more?) editions of this title were bordering on steaming piles of guano. With that said, it appears we may have seen rock bottom & are now quickly heading back to the top.
PROS:
The graphics are great, except for the occasional player or two. It's interesting that some of the players are spot-on, while some appear to have escaped from Madame Tussaud's museum & are beginning to melt right in front of our eyes....check out Phillies manager Charlie Manuel in the demo for an example...SCARY!
My Player mode has been an absolute blast so far! I created an outfielder and, although I don't get much action, the game speeds right through to each playable "event." So it's possible to get through a game in just a few short minutes, which is actually pretty convenient when you're short on time, but want to get in a little ball. When approaching the plate before each at bat, you are given a situation-specific goal. For example, if you have a man on first with less than two outs, your goal may be to "advance the runner." Sometimes you are asked to hit & run, or get ahead in the count, etc. Each time you achieve a specific goal you earn points to help improve your player. In addition to the specific goals, your accomplishments throughout the game net you points as well. Hit a dinger, get quite a few points. Catch a routine flyball & get a small handful of points. The goals, the action, the Double-A environments feel legit & add a big dose of realism to the mode. Love it!
Franchise mode has seen some tweaks. The menus have seen a much-needed overhaul and, while improved, still could use more work. It's still a chore to figure out the opponents up-coming batting order to determine if I should bring in the lefty or right from the 'pen. There's no easy way to see the stamina level or innings pitched of my bullpen arms to determine which one to warm up.
In-game commentary is great - no issues there. For the most part, gameplay is good. There's the occasional annoyance, such as the animation for an infielder to field a groundball and then run to the bag takes YEARS. I've had a couple of routine outs turn into hits because my infielder couldn't change directions without smoking a cigarette, getting a manicure, and taking a dump, and THEN getting to the bag.
CONS:
Although the batter/pitcher duel is much better, the game still falls WAY short with getting accurate pitch-counts and innings pitched. I've yet to see a single pitcher, human or AI, get remotely close to 100 pitches. So much of baseball is situational & based on historical data. Well, you can throw all the splits out the window - no need for 'em. Each team only needs 5 starters and the occasional closer. The pitching staff could be pared down to 6-7 pitchers based on the number of innings pitched by the starters.
I do like the swing stick and the analog motions for the pitchers are great, but it's still too easy to hit the stike zone. I rarely get the feeling that my pitchers are struggling to hit the strike zone, and keep in mind I'm playing with the Orioles (not known for their killer pitching staff).
I'm playing on all-star level with some tweaks to the sliders. I've jacked up the pitch meter speed and slowed down the AI outfielders, but neither adjustment has had much affect. I still can't get the routine double when you hit a flaring liner down the first-base line - the AI outfield consists of 3 Usain Bolt clones I guess.
All in all, I will enjoy this game for a few months to come (until Madden come out), which is not something I could have said the last couple years. So, that alone, is a definite sign that things are headed in the right direction - finally! There's still some room for improvement, but the good news is that the developers can now spend more time on fixing the annoying quirks rather than scrapping the whole thing and starting over.
Buy the game.