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So 2KSports, who continues to hold the exclusive license for third party MLB video games for virtually all of the major console platforms, released their latest rendition of an MLB video game a few weeks ago.  Too bad that they don't seem to have put forth a worthy effort

I actually liked the MLB 2K7 video game.  It wasn't perfect, but it was fairly well done, was fairly enjoyable, and at least didn't frustrate the heck out of me.  (Well, except in one area that continues to be a thorn in my side this season...)

Last year's version basically fixed the problems that had slipped through (did I say slipped through?  Hell, the problems were big enough in MLB 2K6 that they couldn't have just slipped through, they marched on through and basically destroyed any hope of a worthwhile MLB console video game experience that season) in the 2006 rendition of the game, and actually improved things a bit with the Hit Stick concept.

While it took a little getting used to, the Hit Stick was actually pretty nifty, and once you learned how to play that way, it did feel more immersive.

This year the 2KSports folks have taken that Hit Stick concept and applied a similar mechanic to how players pitch the ball.  Oh joy.  Learn that mechanic and you might, just might, get competent enough at playing the game to be competitive again.

Actually I wouldn't mind that so much, and I do give credit to the developers for continuing to include a 'classic' mode that lets n00bs play with a much simpler game mechanicism.  If you don't want to deal with the pitching stick, or the hit stick, you can turn on the classic mode and just mash buttons at the appropriate time.  If you do that, the game is pretty easy, or at least it should be pretty easy.

Unfortunately this is my major complaint and that aforementioned thorn in my side.  Where the game should be easy and should be pretty much guaranteeing a n00b a winning experience when they play a game, well, it just doesn't happen the way it should.  Apparently the knuckleheads at 2KSports (or their subcontractor/sub-developer) don't get the concept that when someone chooses 'rookie' level to play the game should be setting the sliders and options that control the game in a way that hits are easier, pitches are better, and the AI (artificial intelligence) is stupider and slower.  The hitting may be a bit easier for the n00b, but the pitching really isn't, and the AI (computer controlled team/players) hitters will still tee off on the n00b player.  Oh, joy! (NOT!!!)

I'm not suggesting (well, maybe I am, but I don't mean to) that the game should become incredibly easy for a n00b level player, but it should be easy enough to bring a player into the game at an easy level and then give them multiple levels of difficulty that improve the AI as a player gets better, and makes the controls the player must master more complex and complete as the difficulty level is cranked up.

2KSports fails in the area in just about every game that they've done which I've had the pleasure of trying.  They never seem to get the sliders right.  N00b players find that they miss the shots in basketball, can't hit the ball in baseball, and can't run down the field in football because the controls and sliders that set the various skill levels up are set seemingly backwards.  Argh.

This year's baseball video game looks ok for the most part, but on top of the problems noted here, the graphics aren't really much better than last year, and in spots actually seem worse.  Last year's version of the game seemed to be prettier in most spots, and seemed to include more detail for more players, providing a pretty impressive run down of player faces that looked more realistic.  This year there are more generic faces used for far more players.  It's as if the developers couldn't afford to bring in the players they didn't have models of and just opted to skip that part this season.  (May have been a tight development budget that just couldn't afford that luxury, but still....)

There's also an intriquing new 'cards' feature that lets gamers earn baseball cards as they play through games.  Sort of a mini-achievement system (for those familiar with the XBOX 360/LIVE Achievement system) within the game.  I liked the idea of that feature, and actually earned a couple of cards in the limited game play I put in before returning my rental copy of the game.

In the end, this year's MLB 2K... game just wasn't worth the time investment to play, at least not in my book.  It's a shame as I had made it a habit of playing through a season (or mini-season) each of the last few years, but this year I'm going to be doing something else.  Maybe watching real MLB games even