Major League Baseball 2K8 for Xbox 360

GF Rating

8

Very Good

MLB 2k8 Pros and Cons

posted by Melloman16 (Effort, PA) Mar 5, 2008

Member since May 2007

51 out of 55 gamers (93%) found this review helpful

This year 2K sports did a great job at bringing a true baseball feel to MLB 2k8.
The Pros: The game play is so much better than in previous years. New controls make the game much harder, but don't worry, you still have the option to use the controls from last year. The computer AI no longer jumps up walls 10 times a game robbing homerun's (that got old quick). The new pitching controls are nicely done. Pitching with the right thumb stick gives a feeling of real life human pitching error. Batting is a little harder because computer AI is better and 2k added a lot of new ball to bat combinations. The new baseball card part of MLB 2k8 is great! You collect cards based on your game play, and use them throughout the game. 2K sports did a great job at adding areas where the ball can travel into the outfield, so now your outfielder isn’t waiting for every hit that pops into the outfield.
The Cons: Sadly they still have the same announcers blabbing the whole game with the same junk as the last 2 years. Graphics are as good as last year, but it seems like the players faces are very last gen. Fielding controls are ok, but I feel like they just needed another reason to toss the right thumb stick into another part of the game, but again you can change that back to last years fielding style.
Overall the game is great for baseball lovers! MLB 2k8 is not too easy, you won’t hit 20 homeruns a game, and even playing against the computer can be a challenge. I would rate this game a 9 or 10 but there is always room for improvement, especially in sports games!

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GF Rating

4

Weak

Decent

posted by wormydog (POOLER, GA) Jun 12, 2009

Member since Nov 2008

1 out of 1 gamers (100%) found this review helpful

Overall the game was OK. I wasn't real happy with the pitching, hitting, and the novel length tips that pop up. I wanted to paly a full season through, but I just couldn't because the game controls bothered me that much.

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GF Rating

8

Very Good

Not a casual game

posted by C64gamer (ARLINGTON, TN) Mar 5, 2008

Member since Dec 2007

9 out of 13 gamers (69%) found this review helpful

Although I haven't played a majority of the modern baseball games, I am enjoying my time with MLB 2k8. I especially enjoy the new pitching system which in my humble opinion is the highlight of the game. Pitching in 2k8 requires absolute focus. Any mental lapses results in a home run or at least extra bases. A lot of people around the web are complaining that it is too hard to hit the release point. However, if you read the tutorial tips you'll discover that the size of the release point is based on the pitcher's skill with that pitch and possibly more important the amount of "Effectiveness" you load into the pitch. Effectiveness is the part you control during the windup. You have easy control of a pitch's effectiveness. If a pitcher is inaccurate, drop the effectiveness of the pitch to improve the size of the release point and thereby the accuracy. Yes, this does affect the speed of the fastball and break on your curve or slider. But that is a small price to pay compared to relinquishing a home run by serving up meat. It also helps differentiate between allstar starting pitchers and middle relief.

The batting is the weakest part, although that may be partially due to my skill level. I've always had trouble laying off pitches out of the strike zone. However, 2k has included a set of sliders that with a few minor adjustments produces solid hitting results despite my limited skill.

Video is choppy in spots although not so much that it upset me. As usual with 2K, some of the animations are excellent. With the second baseman throwing to first from his knees or the play at the plate where my guy ran over the catcher making him drop the ball. By the way my base runner was injured on the play.

All in all I am enjoying the game. I love the pitching interface and the focus it requires. However, if you have trouble concentrating for long periods of time or prefer beer and pretzel gaming this one is likely not for you.

Hope this helps.

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GF Rating

4

Weak

MLB still falls short...yet again.

posted by wdwyer (LAKE ARIEL, PA) Mar 12, 2008

Member since Apr 2007

4 out of 6 gamers (67%) found this review helpful

When the only great baseball game for the XBOX 360 is WSB 2K3...a game meant for the original XBOX. There's a problem. To date WSB 2K3 was as close to perfect as ANY baseball game has ever gotten on any system. I STILL play it...now on the 360. And you know what, it's STILL fun. You would have thought that the developers would spend more time trying to push the envelope towards the 360 capabilities than to try and reinvent the wheel every year. As gamers we want more than just a roster update. But taking everything that was familiar away and replacing it every year, will do nothing but alienate what's left of the MLB 2K franchise's fan base...which is dwindling. I have not liked a single baseball game on any system since WSB 2K3.

Realism in games is a good thing...yet what needs to be kept in mind...too much realism isn't fun. A game is still meant to be entertaining, and if a game focuses too much on realism. I'm better off making a fool out of myself and trying out for a real baseball team. All this game will do is cost you more on broken controllers and give you a vibrant potty mouth.

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GF Rating

7

Good

A honest must read review

posted by TyrantRDFL (GLENDALE, NY) Mar 7, 2008

Member since Sep 2004

14 out of 23 gamers (61%) found this review helpful

pitching interface 9.
Its a geat feature. What I'm sure happened was that for the players that didnt like it didnt take the time out to see how simple it works. If you try on your own to do it, you wont figure it out and you will get smashed. Its very easy to learn and when you do its a great feature for pitching, and lots of fun. You feel totally responsible for the great pitches or mistakes u make as a pitcher. Well done 2k

Hitting interface 8.
The hitstick 2.0 is better than last year but its not that tuff, but if you go back to the good old classic mode of hitting I think this is where it shines. They just didnt give us last years interfaces and did nothing they really did a nice job adjusting them. Now with classic mode u get the right reactions with the type of swing u put on pitches and thier locations. I was very happy with the results. Its no longer in anyway HR friendly like it was last year, and think this is what you should use to hit.

Graphics 5.
They dummied down the graphics and the colors and details are pale, and yes I play on HD. The framerate is not horrible that you cant play but its not good, and you would figure that by this time they would get that ironed out on a system that they are very familar with.

Animations 8.5
Unfortunately because the framerate is off it ruins the really nice animations that they implemented in the game. They are alot of them and nice but the framerate doesnt allow for it to look silky smooth. If the framerate was sweet this would have easily got a 9.5.

A.I 6.
Again the A.I in this game has glitches and flaws, and this is where you would have to goto forums and find a set of sliders that would help you. They are to perfect in the batters boxs and it get annoying. You have to adjust the sliders. Playing this game on Allstar the CPU will score so much and present to much of a perfect eye at the plate, but there are sliders to fix this and it will require u to do it but it can be fixed.

Enjoy!!

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GF Rating

9

Excellent

Game is not that bad...

posted by ACustomer (JACKSON, MS) Mar 8, 2008

Member since May 2007

12 out of 24 gamers (50%) found this review helpful

If you switch the pitching and hitting controls to classic, the game is not that bad...The graphics are not better than last years, but they're about the same...people that are ripping this game...just need to stop it..2K makes a great baseball game every year. The gameplay is pretty good...laggy every once in a while...online play is ok...nobody really online though....graphics are about a B+....overall the game isn't that bad...and the new card feature..where you collect cards, and trade them online, and make your own team with them, is pretty sweet...overall game is not bad..in my opinion, ten times better than last year...last year had too many bugs in it...this year's game only has a few....so i give it a 9....thanks for reading....if you wanna add me on XBOX LIVE, my gamertag is NYGiantsFan092...peace out.....

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GF Rating

5

Fair

game needs more work

posted by phishy3200 (CLINTON TWP, MI) Mar 4, 2008

Member since Feb 2005

4 out of 8 gamers (50%) found this review helpful

Well, the graphics are a definite downgrade from 2k7 and the game is very choppy. Split second pauses across the whole game, when the screen changes, when the ball is hit, really choppy. Plus, my game froze 3 different times today. The controls are pretty horrible as well. I don't think they worked on the consistency very well. Very minute adjustments in the new pitch delivery can cause very different pitches, it just doesn't seem very proportionate, really weird. I don't know it just doesn't feel right pitching or hitting. Plus the default AI is set at a skill level higher than what you set your difficulty level at. Makes it very hard to play the game and really have any fun. Overall i am very dissappointed, especially with the graphics. Seems like another rushed game so someone could get paid. Way to many glitches in this game to be on the market yet. Also, again i must say, whats with the bad graphics?

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GF Rating

2

Really Bad

What have they done?!?!

posted by KMurda (ROSWELL, GA) Mar 4, 2008

Member since May 2006

14 out of 30 gamers (47%) found this review helpful

MLB 2k7 was decent if not good. I mean the batting system was wack, but the pitching system was amazing and fun.

So what did they do, they switched the pitching system...

First, the new controls are horrible. The pitching is system is utterly confusing. Took me about 100 pitches to finally get one on the correct location. I mean your looking at a good 10 or 20 games to just get the pitching controls so your not throwing 70 meat balls a game.

Oh, before I forget. If you want to switch to last year's pitching controls you can except they changed them too. Now, it takes a good 30 seconds to throw a ball. The circle expands at a snail pace.

The batting system hasn't changed. It's still pull a lever and you can get one of six options (fly ball, homer, grounder, pop up, foul, or whiff). Mostly you'll flys or homers.

Umm, they took away the turbo in the outfield and made the RT a dive button. So the first 5-10 fly balls you'll be diving everywhere.

The new throwing controls are not great. They work alright, but I'm just so use to going to the buttons, so it's not a big deal if you go with either.

Next the graphics have been degraded for sure. I booted it up, and I was just like "What the!" It looks like MLB 2k5 on the Xbox. Every player has broader then broad shoulders and some have ENORMOUS assess. Player's faces are absolutely terrible. Graphics are just terrible. 2k7 looked amazing. 2k8 looks terrible.

Grass in this game is just painted. There isn't much texture in it. It looks like they just busted out Microsoft Pain and just painted the field green.

Here, I'll end this right now. It's terrible, and stick with MLB 2k7 if you don't have a PS3.

Presentation- 3
For some reason they decided to make menu titles teeny tiny.

Graphics- 3
Horrible Graphics.

Controls- 3
The controls use to be decent now they're not even playable.

Replay- 1
I played a total of 10 games, and I returned it.

I'm such an avid baseball fan. Not having a baseball game this year is sad.

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GF Rating

5

Fair

mlb 2k8

posted by jetrssss22 (AUSTIN, TX) Mar 10, 2008

Member since Jul 2005

3 out of 6 gamers (50%) found this review helpful

too many bugs!!!!!!

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GF Rating

3

Bad

Major League Baseball 2K8

posted by noflyzone (YUMA, AZ) Aug 20, 2008

Member since Jul 2008

2 out of 4 gamers (50%) found this review helpful

This game isn't user friendly. Just for pitching, you need to use both sticks. Even the slightest twitch while setting up and releasing your throw, the pitch goes way off track. Sometimes you get the motions exactly right, and the pitch STILL goes off track. Offensively, just to hit the ball somewhere on the field, you have no control over where it goes. I would not recommend this game to anybody, unless you want to spend hours trying to figure it out.

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GF Rating

9

Excellent

Great Game

posted by chachi83 (GOSHEN, IN) May 3, 2008

Member since Mar 2008

2 out of 4 gamers (50%) found this review helpful

The Graphics on this game are amazing, helps to have a large hd tv. Have not been impressed with this years EA Sports games but 2K has done a great job. Total control of batting, pitching and fielding takes a bit of getting used to but is a very cool feature.

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GF Rating

1

Horrible

This Game Sucks!!!!!!!

posted by Lefty722 (FAIRBANKS, AK) Feb 5, 2009

Member since Sep 2007

1 out of 2 gamers (50%) found this review helpful

This game was so hard to play it made the game really bad. The worst part is that it's almost impossible to hit and pitch. One other thing when I played the computer it let the computer come back and win when my guys just dropped the ball and were never able to hit the ball and if they got a hit it was always a groundout or a flyout never got a hit and the computer always got a homerun.

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GF Rating

3

Bad

Not Very Good

posted by TimA2287 (GILL, MA) Jan 5, 2009

Member since Dec 2008

1 out of 2 gamers (50%) found this review helpful

Whatever happened to baseball games that were fun and not so complicated? I remember the games that only required the push of one button and a direction for pitching and one button hitting. This game requires perfect timing and crazy analog stick movements to throw a simple fastball. If you don't time it perfectly the other team is most likely to hit a home run. The graphics and details are great in the game and the commentary is right on but the only game mode I enjoyed was the Home Run Derby. If your used to MLB 2K games then this is for you. If your a 1st timer then good luck. I wish MLB The Show was also for X Box 360, not just PS3.

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GF Rating

1

Horrible

MLB 2k8

posted by Firehawke (DECATUR, IL) Mar 7, 2008

Member since Dec 2006

5 out of 13 gamers (38%) found this review helpful

Well it seems the staff at 2K Sports seems intent on reinventing the wheel every year for MLB 2K line of games.

Well folks this year they have dropped the ball. Who ever is in charge of 2K sports needs to find a new line of work.

MLB 2K7 HAD a solid foundation to build upon. Good Graphics and nice fluid frames rates. 2K8 ruin's almost all of that progress. Not only has the game regressed but the reputation of 2K Sports has been tainted by this awful game.

Game play is extremely slow and choppy. New pitching style isn't all that. Base-running is very mechanical and doesn't have the risk vs reward factor. Year's past you could take an extra base if you were a head's up player.

All in all this game isn't even worth renting.

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GF Rating

1

Horrible

Horrible Controls Thanks for ruining the only MLB

posted by Outtellect (ALLEN, TX) Mar 6, 2008

Member since Sep 2006

4 out of 11 gamers (36%) found this review helpful

As a baseball fan, player, & gamer. 2k sports ruined this years franchise with their horribly new control layout. No Need for A, B, X, Y! All you need is your Right Thumb stick!!! ITs lame!!! A groundball to the secondbasemen use your right thumb stick to throw to 1st. Pitching, by far is the worst!!! Its all with the Right thumb stick!!! There's a thousand different things you have to time and do, to create a decent pitch!! Don't waste your time with this franchise. I can't wait until their contract with MLB is up. I'm tired of 2k games constantly trying to innovate their controls each year instead of sticking to the basics. WHY CHANGE??? Why ruin the only baseball game on XBOX 360!!!Hey next year maybe you can get a dance pad like dance dance revolution so I can time my feet to the a pitch! Morons!

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GF Rating

4

Weak

Stay away... rent 2k7 instead

posted by Khaneric (SIMI VALLEY, CA) Mar 7, 2008

Member since Jun 2007

4 out of 12 gamers (33%) found this review helpful

So i played MLB 2K7 a lot and really enjoyed the game. Sure it had some problems but overall it was a fun game. Seeing some of the new features in 2K8 I was thinking about just buying the game, but in retrospect i'm glad I didn't.

First of all the new controls for fielding, pitching and hitting are pretty interesting, and once you get used to them, enjoyable.

But this game fails because it is played with audio and graphical issues everywhere. The framerate is horrible... especially in panning shots across the field. I thought for a while my xbox was overheating or something. Also during transitions i saw popups and random freezes (with the audio cutting completely out) for two seconds or so. Also after finishing a game it took about 20 seconds to exit back to the main menu.

I would recommend skipping this game altogether and renting 2K7 if you really want a decent baseball game.

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GF Rating

2

Really Bad

Please bring back MVP :(

posted by timissmexy (FREMONT, CA) Mar 6, 2008

Member since Nov 2006

2 out of 6 gamers (33%) found this review helpful

What were they thinking!!!! They basically switched the controls around, made the graphics worse, and added a better soundtrack and expected everyone to fall in love with this game. I'll start with the gameplay: Basically what they did with the gameplay was just switch the controls around. Throwing is now one of the most annoying features, as it doesn't work properly. You're supposed to hold the stick towards the base you want to throw it too, then hold it for how much power you want to add. This would be simple if the games camera's didn't suck. Prepare to start a throw holding your stick towards first and end up with it facing third base. Sometimes, even if you get it perfect, It will still go to the wrong base. There's no more turbo in this game, the right trigger is now dive. Prepare to dive for every ball hit in the outfield on accident your first couple innings. The one thing that I think has improved is the pitching system, which can be slightly fun sometimes. Batting is boring now, as it's just pull back and press forward. Graphics are terrible and gameplay is choppy. Milton Bradley came up to bat for me and the guy at the plate was white. Terrible, terrible, terrible. Most other mode's are the same as 2k7, which wasn't that great. This game feel's rushed and watered down, and is more of MLB 2k5 than MLB 2k8. I am so disappointed, as I am a die hard baseball fan. Also, the player ratings are way off, they went on like most player's ratings in 2006. The create a player is dreadful, all the faces make you looks like your parents were siblings. There is also no explanations for some skill categories in create a player. Overall, the controls, graphics, gameplay, and game modes are terrible. Rent it if you don't believe me, but I haven't been this disappointed in a game since Smackdown Vs. Raw 2008.

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GF Rating

6

Above Average

A few annoying problems

posted by Alex233 (PITTSBURGH, PA) Mar 6, 2008

Member since Jul 2007

1 out of 3 gamers (33%) found this review helpful

This game really hasn't changed much from last year's version. The one thing that really bothers me is the major fluidity problem. The fielding camera is very jerky and can be very annoying. Otherwise, the game is not that bad.

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GF Rating

1

Horrible

Waste of a rental

posted by Milkman (POLSON, MT) Mar 11, 2008

Member since Mar 2005

2 out of 7 gamers (29%) found this review helpful

This game was absolutely horrid. I played it for 3 innings, took it out, placed it back into the sleeve, placed the sleeve back into the mailer and went right outside and put it in the mail to be mailed back. Of all the games I have ever rented from Gamefly (customer for about 3 years), this is only game I have put back into the mail the same day I got it.

The game didn't look any better than last years game, and played even worse. 2K, please give EA the baseball license back cause you're a joke of a company and need to just go away. IMO, you haven't created a game worthy of a $5/5 day rental yet. I would rather break out my SNES and put in Extra Innings (anyone who knows this game gets extra geek points). I am threw wasting my time with anything 2K from now on. How many poor games are they going to put out before they realize that they need to do something else with their lives because this obviously isn't working out well for them. I want EA's MVP baseball back next year, please for the sake of this juiced up/dying sport, do something right and give it to EA.

In case you need a quick summary of this game here it goes:
1) Don't rent
2) Refer to #1

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GF Rating

3

Bad

Something's Wrong

posted by HaloFan77 (FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA) Mar 10, 2008

Member since Nov 2004

2 out of 7 gamers (29%) found this review helpful

Something is definitely wrong when you are losing to the Royals 30-1 in the 4th inning. This pitching interface is completely whack. Do yourself a favor…buy a PS3 and rent the show…you will have more fun.

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GF Rating

10

Perfect

Best Major League Baseball 2k

posted by kadeemalik (WEST PALM BEACH, FL) Mar 4, 2008

Member since Aug 2007

6 out of 25 gamers (24%) found this review helpful

You got to get these game best major league baseball. Maybe best sport game out today.

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GF Rating

8

Very Good

Very good

posted by Wow0Addict (ANN ARBOR, MI) Mar 8, 2008

Member since Jul 2006

1 out of 5 gamers (20%) found this review helpful

good game, awsome new pitching controlls, but a bit hard to field. if your thinking about getting this game, then rent it!

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GF Rating

6

Above Average

GOOD

posted by THUGKNIGHT (BROOKLYN, NY) Jun 22, 2009

Member since Apr 2006

ITS OK

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GF Rating

7

Good

Making progress..

posted by MFitzM23 (JOLIET, IL) Jan 29, 2009

Member since Jan 2009

Many loyal baseball video game fans may in fact be disappointed with this edition of the MLB 2K series. In what promised to be a surprising turnaround with the addition a staff member from the ever so popular but previous MVP series, came up short of the hype and anticipation.
Although the improvements were not as huge as expected, the series continues to progress and head in the right direction.

While this years version fixed some of the aggravating problems experienced in the previous games, the series took a huge hit with their frame rate problems. The game itself often ran a bit choppy especially when loading profiles, and the new pitching technique proved to be far too difficult for most gamers to catch on to. Needless to say, the issue of too many home runs has been fixed slightly, however you will still need to make good use of your sliders (otherwise known as the difficulty adjustment bars) in order to keep the games competitive.

All-and-all for those of you who absolutely love the game of baseball, MLB 2K8 most certainly provides a fun and competitive experience for all. While this may not be the ideal for baseball gaming, it most certainly sheds some light on what is to come in terms of future development for the series!

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GF Rating

5

Fair

This game is too hard FOR KIDS!

posted by gamelover5 (BROOKINGS, OR) Nov 24, 2008

Member since Nov 2008

It took me 5 days just to get a hit. I played 2k7 for Xbox 360 and got 10 or more home runs.I'd say is ok to buy cheap like $14.00 but $60.00 is just too much!

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Major League Baseball 2K8 for Xbox 360 Reviews by Gamers

Release Date

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