MLB 2K10 Retail First Impressions

[RaychelSnr]

I just posted my first impressions with some positive and negatives of my first game with the retail copy of MLB 2K10 on my blog here on OS. Check it out here.

[trick02]

Not to bad. A few questions

1) You using swing stick?

2) What level are you playing on?

[Dunebug]

IGN's review of this game was so ridiculously pedestrian the editors should literally be embarrassed that it was ever posted. It's a testament to Operation Sports that I acquired more insight in your 566 words than on their entire site. I look forward to more of your analysis!

[TimLawNYC]

Re: MLB 2K10 Retail First Impressions

In everything I've read about this year's game so far, the overriding sentiment seems to be that it's still not a great game, but is a vast improvement over last year's steaming pile of feces. I'm glad that 2K improved the game from last year, but is a huge improvement over a disaster, which still amounts to an overall so-so game (which seems better to us than it really is because it's being compared to 2K9), really worth paying $60 for? I feel like every year we're saying, "Well, it's just okay this year, but I bet next year is gonna be AWESOME!" I just wonder how many years in a row we have to be disappointed in the overall product before we stop paying full retail for 2K's half-baked efforts.

And, lest anybody accuses me of being a "The Show" fanboy, I don't own a PS3 and have never played Sony's baseball game. I only have a 360, and 2K is my only hope for good baseball.

[CybrSlydr]

Re: MLB 2K10 Retail First Impressions

I'm a PC gamer - so I'm willing to part with $29.99 for it.

Last year was better though - it was only $19.99!

[whammo11224]

Last year's PC game didnt allow for roster updates. So be careful if you buy the PC version (if there is one) this year.

Thanks

[trick02]

In everything I've read about this year's game so far, the overriding sentiment seems to be that it's still not a great game, but is a vast improvement over last year's steaming pile of feces. I'm glad that 2K improved the game from last year, but is a huge improvement over a disaster, which still amounts to an overall so-so game (which seems better to us than it really is because it's being compared to 2K9), really worth paying $60 for? I feel like every year we're saying, "Well, it's just okay this year, but I bet next year is gonna be AWESOME!" I just wonder how many years in a row we have to be disappointed in the overall product before we stop paying full retail for 2K's half-baked efforts.

And, lest anybody accuses me of being a "The Show" fanboy, I don't own a PS3 and have never played Sony's baseball game. I only have a 360, and 2K is my only hope for good baseball.

Its up to every person on what they feel is ok to pay or if the game is even good enough to be bought.

I don't disagree with you on how bad 2k9 was. I have never played the show and will not be buying a new system for one game. So to me I take what I can get. I didn't plan on playing a baseball game this year after 09 but it did greatly improve. That along with the struggling to find a job I have a lot of free time that needs to be filled.

[Vermin]

It's disappointing to read a review from a major industry outlet like IGN that touts "Hurry Up Baseball" as being a new feature for 2K10 when I've been using that in 2K9 for months. Things like this make you wonder how much time is actually spent playing games for review and comparing with previous iterations.

[trick02]

It's disappointing to read a review from a major industry outlet like IGN that touts "Hurry Up Baseball" as being a new feature for 2K10 when I've been using that in 2K9 for months. Things like this make you wonder how much time is actually spent playing games for review and comparing with previous iterations.

I hate to be a forum whore but can we keep this about Chris's review and not about how bad IGN is. There is another topic for that.

[nadasfan]

Re: MLB 2K10 Retail First Impressions

I ended up buying both games at midnight last night. I feel that 2K made a pretty good jump from where they were at a year ago (unplayable). As a Twins fan, I was very curious as to how 2K handled Target Field, and it think in ways it is even a better representation than its Show counterpart.

I see some potential in this game to be a fun time. I will definitely play both this year, which I could not say happened last year. 2K did a really nice job with their stat overlays and the depth at which these stats are used. I also like the idea of living rosters and MLB today, as well as all of the post game options for highlights, etc that come straight from NBA 2K10.

[TimLawNYC]

Re: MLB 2K10 Retail First Impressions

Its up to every person on what they feel is ok to pay or if the game is even good enough to be bought.

You're 100% correct as the decision lies with each individual gamer. To some, it's worth it to buy a PS3 for no other reason than to play The Show. And if you love digital baseball that much, that's the right choice for you.

My concern is on a broader level, I guess. I'm less concerned with whether this game is worth $60 to any given individual (as we all, depending on our relative circumstances, value a dollar or an hour of entertainment differently), and more concerned with at what point it stops being worth it for us as a large group of consumers to say enough is enough. When do we, as a group, stop buying games that are improved over last year's but still nowhere near what we have a right to expect? (Again, I haven't played 2K10 yet, and I hope it's awesome; I'm just basing this argument on the overall consensus among the reviews I've seen so far).

[Boilerbuzz]

Re: MLB 2K10 Retail First Impressions

You're 100% correct as the decision lies with each individual gamer. To some, it's worth it to buy a PS3 for no other reason than to play The Show. And if you love digital baseball that much, that's the right choice for you.

My concern is on a broader level, I guess. I'm less concerned with whether this game is worth $60 to any given individual (as we all, depending on our relative circumstances, value a dollar or an hour of entertainment differently), and more concerned with at what point it stops being worth it for us as a large group of consumers to say enough is enough. When do we, as a group, stop buying games that are improved over last year's but still nowhere near what we have a right to expect? (Again, I haven't played 2K10 yet, and I hope it's awesome; I'm just basing this argument on the overall consensus among the reviews I've seen so far).

That's quite a Draconian view of the situation isn't it? You act as if:

1. The people making the games don't WANT to make the game worthy of your $60. We know that's not the issue.

2. The amount that you pay scales with the work put into the game. It's clear they worked hard on this game. You can at least give 2K that.

Do you think the Show was a good game from the start? Not even close. Do you think they would have kept at it if people just turned away from the product completely? People don't want to hear it, but the 2K baseball is going through a reset in the middle of a console life cycle. That's unheard of. It's NOT a smart decision. But, based on what we know (MLB deal, Kush collapse), it was really the only decision and 2K has to live with it.

[TimLawNYC]

Re: MLB 2K10 Retail First Impressions

That's quite a Draconian view of the situation isn't it? You act as if:

1. The people making the games don't WANT to make the game worthy of your $60. We know that's not the issue.

2. The amount that you pay scales with the work put into the game. It's clear they worked hard on this game. You can at least give 2K that.

Do you think the Show was a good game from the start? Not even close. Do you think they would have kept at it if people just turned away from the product completely? People don't want to hear it, but the 2K baseball is going through a reset in the middle of a console life cycle. That's unheard of. It's NOT a smart decision. But, based on what we know (MLB deal, Kush collapse), it was really the only decision and 2K has to live with it.

Right, but I'm just frustrated that we as consumers have to live with it too. At least 2K stands to make money from their bad decisions, while we keep paying $60 each year for a game that we're sure will be really awesome next year. We've been really patient--2K7 showed promise, 2K8 wasn't a huge improvement, 2K9 was an absolute disaster--and each year I feel like they keep telling us, "Gee, sorry about this crappy game you just bought--but just wait and see how great the next one will be!".

I know that the developers want to make a good game, and that a "reboot" of the franchise really is a challenge--but if that's the case, why not take a year out of the cycle, spend two years building the right engine and game from the ground up, and come out with the best baseball game ever in 2012, rather than continuing to hobble along each year with a half-baked improvement over last year's crappy game? They don't do it because they would lose the money the get from each annual release, so we just keep shelling out our money every year, hoping that we're finally getting a decent game of baseball instead of another "wait until next year".

[DJDReW3102]

got the game today. so far, only played my player...it has its quirks but overall, having a LOT of fun! i guess what it boils down to is that haters will hate, people who want to love it will love it, but me? I'm just having fun playing a video game, little glitches aside!

[RaychelSnr]

IGN's review of this game was so ridiculously pedestrian the editors should literally be embarrassed that it was ever posted. It's a testament to Operation Sports that I acquired more insight in your 566 words than on their entire site. I look forward to more of your analysis!

I read through IGN's review, it wasn't too good for sure. Their score was probably about right, minus their graphical score of 6.0, that's a joke considering there is no lag this year and the game just looks a lot better.