What Happened to Playing for the Love of the Game?

[RaychelSnr]

Whatever happened to the good old days of just picking up a game and playing it to have fun? The days where graphics weren't such a big deal? Carlos Hernandez looks at a game many have looked over, MLB Power Pros for the Wii, and asks a very significant question: What Happened to Playing for the Love of the Game?

"In this age of advanced computer technology and increased focus on delivering true-to-life specs, we gamers have grown accustomed to expecting graphical realism in any sports game attempting to replicate reality. When we play our favorite sports game we expect the images on-screen to compare favorably to those we see on a sports channel. So I ask, with this expectation in mind, how can any sports gamer be excited about the release of MLB Power Pros -- a baseball video game with characters so "cartoonish" their arms and legs are nowhere to be seen? Do you see the problem with even having to ask that question?"

[zzyzx]

Completely agree.

I don't know many people who've actually played the game who dislike it. I *do* know a lot of people who've never played it because in 07 it was available only on PS2 and Wii. And what's the standard reason for discounting games on both of those consoles? That's right: subpar graphics. So my guess is that the real reason this title doesn't garner more buzz is mostly because it is limited to consoles that die-hard sports gamers don't ever get excited about. The griping about graphics is only superficial.

What's funny is when you see a Wii owner complaining about Power Pros' graphics -- as if the alternatives are anything to write home about. I've got a Wii in the house (along with a PS3), and I love MLB Power Pros. In fact, if I had any complaint with 07, it was that it was actually too involved. I remember going into season mode and thinking, "Holy hell, do I really need to specify which players practice which skills with which other players on off-days?!?"

Also noteworthy - MLBPP 2007 had some of the most hilariously inaccurate audio commentary ever found in any sports title. I'm a goofball at heart, so it usually put a ****-eating grin on my face. But I can see how others found it annoying. Apparently, it's been corrected for 2008. Hmmm, progress.

[lnin0]

Nice article. I have really enjoyed the direction and quality of the writing at OS lately. Much more insightful and interesting than the typical press release rehashing and free PR most of the other game sites pump out.

[Ziza9Noles94]

One of the games I'm really looking forward to picking up is the new Tecmo Bowl. Hey, some of my alltime favorite console football memories have to do with marathon season sessions of Tecmo back at college. Beer, Tecmo, and cries of "BS!". Not the prettiest series, maybe not the best series, but it was fun and very pick up and play. I love Madden, NCAA, etc. But flat out fun out of the box games like Tecmo will always have a special place in my heart.

[dbrandon]

Sorry to do this but lots of my disappointment stems from the hugh amount of hype that goes into these games only to feel that the hype was so high that the game can't live up to it. I think it works both ways. We live in America where big is never big enough or great is never great enough.

Thanks

[sqeg]

Well said dbrandon. The writer of this article misses the point or just gets it wrong. You say, how can people get excited about MLB Power Pros when it looks "cartoonish". If you even bother to read the gripes of many of the OS'ers or even people all over the gaming community, it has NOTHING to do with the way the games look but, instead of the way they P L A Y.

Many people are just getting sick of having games(not just sports games either) released with many bugs/glitches straight out of the box. It gets a lot of people thinking, does this company really care if it releases a quality product or don't care because they now have this wonderful medium called the internet to release patches when(not if) people find the bugs/glitches in the game. How is asking for a product that isn't broken straight out of the package, asking too much?

[Matt Diesel]

maybe if they played like the games they represent, we'd love em more.

Good article though.

[CMH]

Re: What Happened to Playing for the Love of the Game?

Well said dbrandon. The writer of this article misses the point or just gets it wrong. You say, how can people get excited about MLB Power Pros when it looks "cartoonish". If you even bother to read the gripes of many of the OS'ers or even people all over the gaming community, it has NOTHING to do with the way the games look but, instead of the way they P L A Y.

Many people are just getting sick of having games(not just sports games either) released with many bugs/glitches straight out of the box. It gets a lot of people thinking, does this company really care if it releases a quality product or don't care because they now have this wonderful medium called the internet to release patches when(not if) people find the bugs/glitches in the game. How is asking for a product that isn't broken straight out of the package, asking too much?

I was talking about the people that have not played Power Pros. The fans of the game have complained time and time again about the lack of walks amongst other things and I specifically mentioned that Power Pros was not without it's issues.

But, for those that haven't played the game a good majority (just visit other boards and read the comments) have never given the game a chance because of it's look.

[DaveDQ]

Re: What Happened to Playing for the Love of the Game?

MMChris...great article.

I think if you gather the group here at OS, and other communities that primarily focus on realism in their sports games, you'll see a group that probably spans the age spectrum of maybe 18-35ish (I add the "ish" because I'm 36). With that comes a certain maturity where playing games with high offense and big time scores begins to feel silly. It's only natural to begin to want the more balanced experience that best presents each respective sport.

Still, there's a pretty unhealthy trend right now in the sports gaming community where many find some odd validation in taking the time to platform every mistake a newly released game has. We're not talking about venting their frustration with a game that is truly unplayable (because of errors in development), but we're talking about people who thrive on the Bugs and Glitches threads, as if being the first to post the error adds one year to their life.

Taking two games that have been released this year, MLB 2K8 and NCAA 09, yes they have some game play issues, but with both games, nothing in them prevents me from wanting to play them and enjoy them for what they are.

[TopCop7980]

I think that people are upset these games are coming out of the box with serious glitches and bugs to them after months of hype of how great the games are going to be. If it were like the old 2k series that only charged 20 bucks for a game I would say no big deal but these games are 60 bucks a game and for those of us without cushy jobs writing about video games for a living, 60 bucks is hard to part with and then get a crap product, especially in the tough economic conditions we are facing these days. Its not hard to form the opinion that EA/2K doesn't care about producing a quality product after these games come out with huge glitches or complete features that don't work.

[ChaseB]

I think that people are upset these games are coming out of the box with serious glitches and bugs to them after months of hype of how great the games are going to be. If it were like the old 2k series that only charged 20 bucks for a game I would say no big deal but these games are 60 bucks a game and for those of us without cushy jobs writing about video games for a living, 60 bucks is hard to part with and then get a crap product, especially in the tough economic conditions we are facing these days. Its not hard to form the opinion that EA/2K doesn't care about producing a quality product after these games come out with huge glitches or complete features that don't work.

That's not really what the article is about, though, I do understand your general viewpoint.

[Sausage]

Re: What Happened to Playing for the Love of the Game?

I think that people are upset these games are coming out of the box with serious glitches and bugs to them after months of hype of how great the games are going to be. If it were like the old 2k series that only charged 20 bucks for a game I would say no big deal but these games are 60 bucks a game and for those of us without cushy jobs writing about video games for a living, 60 bucks is hard to part with and then get a crap product, especially in the tough economic conditions we are facing these days. Its not hard to form the opinion that EA/2K doesn't care about producing a quality product after these games come out with huge glitches or complete features that don't work.

I do think as fans we can be overly critical, but that is why we are here. In hopes that our complaints can be met by a better game and then better game after the next.

Just a heads up the 2K series only did the 19.99 thing for I believe NFL 2K5 and maybe the other sports that year. The rest of there games were the usual average retail of 49.99.

[arseniotall]

nothing happened. Buggy games are NOT FUN.

[Assassin]

I enjoyed your take on this and I have to agree with you. These seems to be a little bit of a loss of having fun when it comes to playing a game.

I guess it just took someone pointing it out to get everyone to take notice.

[CMH]

Re: What Happened to Playing for the Love of the Game?

but these games are 60 bucks a game and for those of us without cushy jobs writing about video games for a living, 60 bucks is hard to part with and then get a crap product.

My splintered buttocks does not agree with this statement.