MLB 2K8

The fix is now being suggested by 2K Sports:

Originally posted by Grambo Bastille Also - NEWSFLASH - not sure if it has been reported here already, but I went on to the Marketplace this afternoon and found three free downloads for MLB: - Minor league stadium pack - three minor league stadiums including Durham - New uniform set - probably in line with some of the new unis supposedly coming out this year? - Card Set 2 - reported to be a new roster set reflecting up to the minute trade and free agent signings through now. I give them credit for responding to these issue right away.  Obviously this stuff wasn't ready in time for the game when it went gold and at least they didn't hold it back for a week and then try charging for it.  I know there will be more content down the line they will charge for, but it sounds like they are at least trying to make this a workable game.

Actually the downloadable items above are things that were not available for the 360 version as 2k stated that they did not have room on the disc.  All of the above are on the PS3 version right out of the box.

5 inning impressions.

If this smoking turd was released by EA it would be getting absolutely raked over the coals.

I don't like the pitching stick.  Sorry, not my thing.  It's not intuitive and it's not fun to use (for me).  The meatball thing is overdone.  Every meatball I've thrown has been crushed, even if it is low and outside.  I don't like the default camera as much as last year's camera.  Something is different about the hitting stick this year.  It just doesn't feel the same as it did last year.

Unbelievably, it is graphically inferior to 2k7.  The camera cut scenes are greatly reduced in variety and and they don't look as good.  The play on the field looks more video game and less life like than last year.  The frame rate stutters are very noticeable and take away the immersion immediately.  Also, the players make odd movements after the out is made like jiggle around and vibrate.  I never saw this in 2k7.  Instead it would always smoothly transition into the post-play replay or first baseman throwing it around the infield.

The throwing stick isn't bad, but it isn't special by any means. 

I don't even have any idea if it plays a good game of baseball at this point. 

The joy of 2k7 for me was the simultaneous feeling that I was playing baseball and watching a TV production game at the same time.  2k8 feel purely like a video game.

2k8 gives me new menus, new controls, a regression in graphics, a regression in frame rate, no advancement in audio, and a regression in presentation.

I stayed away from 2k7 for two straight weeks to allow 2k8 to be fairly fresh.  I'm really disappointed so far in 2k8.  I'm going to keep it around a little to see if a patch addresses the frame rate and also if the new controls grow on me.  If I had to make a decision today I would be backing out of the league.

Oh by far.  I get no slowdown in 2k7 on 480p and it's very noticeable at 480p in 2k8.  The pitching is  press and hold during the windup for power and "stuff" and then a release and press again for release point and accuracy  of your thrown.  The nice thing about 2k7 was that you could release early or late and your throw would be high or low or inside or outside depending on what you were throwing and where you were aiming.  This new meatball thing....well it seems no matter when I release it is just a meatball that gets hammered.

For example in 2k7 as I got tired I could purposely release a hard breaking ball late to get it to stay low and at least I would just pitch a ball.  If I released early it could get hammered.  In 2k8 it doesn't seem to matter when I release.  If it is wrong it is automatically a homer so far.

Also, I could pitch a fastball right down the middle, but if I released early or late it would sail high or low or go inside or outside.  It didn't automatically become a catastrophe.  In fact, I often got outs on mistake pitches that weren't hit well.

Foe another point of view, I think 2k8 plays a much better game of baseball than 2k7 out of the box.  I had to tweak like hell to get 2k7 where I wanted it, though I ultimately did enjoy it last year.

In 2k8 I got rocked 11-4 in my first game because I didn't get the meatball thing yet.  Yes, it is overdone for sure, but now that a have a handful of full games under my belt, it is hardly an issue.  I've actually already had to up the pitching difficulty slider.  On the other hand, it was hard to miss in 2k7.  Ted, releasing early or late definitely has the same effect in 2k8.  You can keep pitches low if you go late or watch them sail high if you go early.  It is a matter of degree, though.  Too much in either direction will be a meatball.  I really enjoy the pitching system in 2k8.  Keeps me on my toes, where in so many other baseball games pitching is hum-drum at best, outright boring at the worst.  The style is definitely more joystick-jockey, though, so I can understand if you are not a fan of the style.

As I stated in my earlier impressions, though, I agree with you about the hit stick.  While I feel the results are better with it this year, the feel of it is worse...less fluid, more herky-jerky.