[jestep123]

Loving it so far. I was unimpressed by the Cards/Cubs gameplay earlier this week but this is awesome.

Atmosphere: The crowd looks fantastic. I just dont see the problem behind the plate. For a crowd they look great. Trying to line up the analog pitching with the bases loaded and the crowd going nuts is a challege. You really have to think about your pitches. I find myself throwing more fastballs in that situation because I am affraid I will mess up an an offspeed pitch.

Pitching : This is the best part of the game for me. I used to have MVP 07 so I was familar with Rock N Fire. I am not saying it is easy, I just came in with experience. The ball moves according to whether you hit or miss your target on the meter. Fantastic.

Hitting: In the two games I have played, I have had two hits, both by left handers, both down the first base line. To me this means I need to wait if I want to use the whole field. I know that alot of folks are already wanting to go back to the old hitting scheme. I would say get the full game in your hands and go into BP. Pitch recognition is the absolute key in this mode. You have got to stay back and be patient. If you cant do that, you wont be sucessful. I cant do it, Ive struck out 17 times in 2 games BUT..the last three outs of the last game were all hard hit balls and one was to the warning track so I may be getting there.

The tips I would give for hitting are : stay back and hit the ball where it is pitched. I mean take it for what you will because I have two hits but I know what my weaknesses are.

Fielding: I am yet to fully understand what gets me the green meter but I love the controls. My first throw was a ball in the dirt, after than an error and after that a slick looking 5-4-3 to end an inning. Just stick with it. One thing that is happening to me is that for plays in the field, I am remembering to use the analog stick but for ancillary things like hitting the cutoff man and throwing a guy out on a steal, I am forgeting the analog. I can see that costing me but I love the fact that if you chose analog, that is what you have. There is no overiding inside the play, if that makes sense?

Commentary: So far this has been kind of a mixed bag for me. We'll start with the positives. There does at least seem to be threaded commentary in the game this year where Matt will toss to one of his booth mates for a drop in ("Dynamite drop in Monty, Hes not the best color man in the business for noting folks" -Harry Doyle). I also love how Matt talks about Torreabla starting his career with the Giants and so on. There was an AB with Freddy Sanchez where Matt talked about some of his accomplishments during the AB, which, I may be wrong but I think is new. I thought they only used to do that during the walkup. If we can hear this commentary in advanced years of Franchise it will be spot on, if not that is dissapointing.

Speaking of dissapointment, EK is definently smoother than Rex Hudler but one thing I am tired of already here. Anybody else notice that everytime EK makes a comment by himself in the game it is laced with an akward chuckle? Not everything is funny or weird, just say what you have to say already. What is worse is that when he delivers the same lines Rex used to with the only difference being aforementioned akward chuckle.

I metioned the threaded commentary which is great but it seems like that commentary occurs at the same momment in the game everytime. Like the one about SF's big 4 leading them to the WS. This wouldnt be uncommon for the Show, an example last year is how Matt always talked about the temp after the second pitch of the game but only if an out wasnt recorded on the pitch (if this happened the temp audio was skipped).

Overall great package and folks who are saying it isnt that different might want to at least look this one up as a rental because it really is different. Analog controls are where it is at. I am commited to them, I will sink or swim with them.