2K
Sports brings their top game to the field with the release of Major League
Baseball 2K7 for the Playstation 3 system. Featuring incredibly realistic
visuals, stunningly realistic player models and authentic stadium
recreations, the game captures the look of professional ball perfectly.
The game lets you control both sides of the field with excellent play
mechanics that give you excellent control of pitch type and velocity.
Using the Sixaxis controller allows for a unique motion-sensing batting
scheme that makes things even more realistic. Multiple play modes allow
you to play an exhibition or change lineups in the management mode. Look
inside and find out why MLB 2K7 is a deep, well-rounded title that should
please sports fans everywhere.
Playing Major League Baseball 2K7 on the
Playstation 3 mirrors the look and feel of a televised professional game,
with some of the most impressive visuals seen on any next generation
sports game to date. While it looks good, there's a lot under the hood as
well, with plenty of depth and nuance to keep baseball fans happy. Players
can begin with a number of different play modes and can take their team
through a single exhibition game, participate in a home run derby, take a
full season of action, set up game situations or go behind the scenes in
management modes where they can trade, train and purchase players in the
back rooms. The game can be played either solo against the computer or
against another human opponent. Major League Baseball 2K7 also includes a
number of online modes as well, with easily navigable menus that allow for
quick set-up and matching which allow you to get on the field quickly. You
can choose which players to use from a real-world roster of licensed
players including all the major stars of the era. During the game, you can
strategize in a number of ways with substitutions, pitching changes and
outfield adjustments. Once you have players on base, you can set the size
of their leads on bases, change their aggressiveness and have your pitcher
check them aggressively. The game does an excellent job in recreating the
strategy of the game, and players can choose different strategies based on
their team's statistics. Speaking of which, you can purchase inside
information on opposing players as well, which you can use in the game to
adjust your strategy and play. For example, if you know a hitter has a way
of hitting the ball deep, your outfield can be moved back.
The
depth extends to the pitching and hitting as well and the game uses what
is called a batter's eye that lets you predict and anticipate which
pitches will be thrown. If you guess correctly, your swing will have a
little extra power and strength. You need to keep your eye on the onscreen
indicator which will flash the ball position and pitch type as the pitch
is thrown. Doing this correctly helps to increase your contact with the
ball and results in fewer pop flies. On the mound, you can select the
pitch type easily since each type is mapped to a different button on the
controller. Once you release the button, another indicator appears in
front of the batter, where you can see where the ball will be thrown and a
quick look at their hot zones and cold spots. Pitchers can then select the
position and type of pitch and release. You need to pay attention and keep
your opposing batters off-balance throughout each at-bat. Getting a feel
for each batter allows you to keep them guessing as to which pitch you'll
be throwing next, which results in more strike-outs, keeping your ERA low.
During the game, you can also decide to warm up pitchers before they
relieve your starter, which is important to keep in mind, since a cold
start is far less effective. This definitely makes the play of MLB 2K7
feel more authentic and deeper than you'd expect it to be, and this layer
of strategy makes players into managers as they try and outsmart their
rivals. One of the coolest features of the game allows you to challenge a
bad call from the umps, but you need to be careful. If you get too excited
and aggressive, your manager might be ejected from the game, and you'll
lose the ability to select pitchers, strategize and more, since these will
be decided by your staff automatically.
One of the most innovative aspects of
the game on the Playstation 3 is the ability of players to utilize the
Sixaxis controller as a virtual bat. Holding the controller at an even
position to your body, you simply need to push it forward to swing the
bat. You can also hold it back to bunt, or push forward if you want to
produce a strong swing for the fences. To aim your bat, you simply need to
tilt the controller in the direction you hope the ball will go. It's a
fairly simple system to use, though it takes some getting used to in order
to learn the timing and technique of this system. You might want to take a
few swings in a practice mode in order to master the motion sensing
controller, but it becomes much more intuitive once you get the hang of
it. While it doesn't seem necessary, this approach definitely adds a lot
to the gameplay, adding a new dimension to the experience that definitely
feels like a step forward. For players who want more traditional controls,
you can set the batting to use a simple hit of the X button, or use a more
complicated swing system where you need to push the controller back then
forward to hit the ball. These control systems are quite effective and
allow the gamer to get right into the action while also providing plenty
of depth to the gameplay.
Major
League Baseball 2K7 is loaded with extra features and bonuses that add
plenty of depth to the game. Each player included features many of their
signature moves along with strategies and mechanics, making the game feel
much more realistic. There are a number of options you can select from at
the start of each game including time of day, difficulty and stadium,
which lets you create a custom game if you want. You can also choose which
team jerseys they want to use including many classic uniforms as well,
there are some pretty cool surprises that should make older baseball fans
happy here as well, but we won't spoil them for you out there. The game
modes themselves allow you to plenty of variety. You can substitute
pitchers on the fly and try players in different position. There are also
several unexpected surprises lurking in the menus. For example, there are
several types of home run derby, where you can adjust the number of
players and strikes allowed as well. Players can also set up a game
situation by inning, score and position and try and win the ballgame from
that point as well. You can also choose to play the game online with other
players, which adds even more to the enjoyment. Finally, there are several
management modes available where you can buy, trade and sell players and
go behind the scenes in operations mode. The game's depth is apparent in
the number of stats that you can use during the game to make decisions
about who to start and when to start them. You can call up these lists at
any time and use these notes on the fly during game situations to figure
out what your next move might be.
From a visual standpoint, Major League
Baseball 2K7's presentation is superb. Each player on the field is
animated brilliantly with realistic movements that makes them look
amazingly life-like. You can see their facial expressions and body
language in each move and their reactions are quite effective throughout.
The graphics engine is quite smooth as well and there's an almost seamless
transition between in-game and cinematic replay sequences. You can
definitely feel the atmosphere of the game underpinning the action with
the authentic recreations of each major league baseball park, complete
with realistic spectators in the stands and PA announcements. The game's
production values are further enhanced by excellent play-by-play
commentary and music that brings each game to life. With it superb
production values creating a highly polished experience, the solid
gameplay is even more impressive. You can definitely see the effort that
has gone into recreating the pace, strategy and action of each game. The
unique controls make this a standout title, which offers plenty of depth
and numerous modes of play either on or offline. Major League Baseball 2K7
is definitely one of the more impressive baseball titles on
next-generation consoles, making it a solid release that delivers a deep
and satisfying experience.
- Michael Palisano
Grade:
B
