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For a sports gaming franchise that has seen much better days, the pressure was on for MLB 2K10 to help rejuvenate the once proud series back to the top of its game. While there are incremental improvements that help polish up the overall package in this 10th anniversary version, the final product is still many innings away from respectability. The one element that has been adjusted and refined as the cornerstone of the game is the mechanics for pitchers and hitters. This might be a no-brainer given that the duel between the two is the key moment of any baseball game, except that it can be a frustrating experience learning to get there. Hitting the ball isn't so bad since it only requires that you push the right analog stick in whatever direction you want to control your swing. The hard part is in controlling the ball as a pitcher. You can choose between multiple pitches, but you need to execute each pitch by rotating the right analog stick with the proper formation and timing to throw it well. Otherwise, you lose control and either leave a hanging breaking ball ready to be cracked out of the park, or even bean the batter for a pass to first base. You can practice all this before even taking the mound by going through a tutorial and training. But even with that, getting it right can take too long. Wouldn't it have been easier to just simplify the process by allocating the face buttons to each pitch and controlling the ball's placement with a simpler analog stick mechanic? I realize, of course, that this is pretty subjective, as other gamers might prefer the way the batter-vs.-pitcher duel is presented here. And I did get the hang of it after a while, but even 20 games in, there were too many instances where a pitch would go astray putting me behind the count, even after getting it right. Part of this does have to do with improved AI on both sides though. AI batters won't chase after pitches as much as they did in previous years. Pitchers also react differently based on what you might swing at or what the count is. Where a pitcher might have thrown a fastball away on a 3-0 count in MLB 2K9, he'll take more risks in this game by throwing heat down the plate or a change-up. All that aside, the most obvious change in MLB 2K10 is the addition of the My Player mode, which starts out promisingly, but makes it tough to stay interested. Part of the reason is because of the trade-offs. If you want to develop a pitcher, you will rarely, if ever, get to swing a bat. Develop a catcher and you can get better defensively, and as a batter, but end up with the most tedious of positions. Imagine staying crouched pitch after pitch without being able to even call what pitch should be tossed your way. In short, My Player games can get pretty repetitive and boring depending on the position you're playing.    The My Player ratings system is another matter altogether. While it's nice to be able to build your player's skills and allocate the points accordingly, you may not be able to build the kind of player you have in mind. Think of it this way - David Ortiz is certainly not known for his speedy baserunning, so if you were looking to foster a burly big man with a heavy bat like him, you'd have a tough time advancing to the majors. The reason why is because My Player doesn't break down skill sets based on types of players. There are targets to hit for batting average, slugging percentage and yes, baserunning. The problem is that you can be penalized for not stealing bases, which is practically impossible with a big man who wouldn't even try a big lead-off from first base. You can gain points for taking a base on a sacrifice fly, a hit-and-run and even a fielder's choice, but the AI also determines when points are actually awarded for these things. This is also true of slugging percentage for a player who might be at the bottom of the lineup. Making good contact with the ball as a rookie in the minors is too difficult. More often than not, you'll get a hit by squeaking a grounder past the infield, whereas extra-base hits are a lot less common. Considering that this can happen game after game, it can take more than one season to finally achieve some success at the plate. This should've been adjusted to at least make hitting more believable. From a presentation standpoint, MLB 2K10 is a definite improvement from what 2K9 was able to offer. Everything looks crisper and more vibrant with nice player models and ambience in the ballpark. It would help if Visual Concepts can finally bring the crowd to life a lot more, especially in playoff games, but at least there's been progress. Some minor gaffes still happen from years past - outfielders gliding into position to make a catch, players look away from the play and there's still some repetition in the play-by-play. Online is a hit or miss experience. On the Xbox 360, you're more likely to find lag-free games but that's not always a guarantee. The choppiness is a bit surprising for a game franchise that has been throwing pitches online for years. It very well could be patched at some point, but why should it even come to that? Despite the issues I've mentioned, MLB 2K10 is a step in the right direction for a franchise that really was mediocre over the last two years. But the positive steps are more akin to baby steps, rather than the leap forward the series needed. This bodes well for next year's game, which should be light years ahead of what 2K9 was, and a significant upgrade to 2K10.     MLB 2K10 Format: Xbox 360 Publisher: 2K Sports Developer: Visual Concepts ESRB Rating: Everyone Official Site: http://2ksports.com/games/mlb2k10/ Rating: 7 / 10

 

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