Major League Baseball 2K6

"EA or not EA that is the question!"

this game could be worse......it could look like madden.

The game in itself is decent, not great but decent. I am assuming that most people bought this game because it is the first MLB game for the 360 and hopes were high.....very high.

Graphics:

Sub par in comparison to other sports titles for the 360. Lets face it Fight Night is the best looking game in the genre (sports in general). MLB has had some polishing done to it but for the most part to the average gamer is going to think it is a simple port from MLB 2K5 for the XBOX. But it's not, the infield dirt textures are more brilliant when you slide, the lighting effects of the night games are great, player faces have been revamped etc.
SCORE:7.5

Sound:

IT'S BASEBALL, YOU HAVE BASEBALL SOUNDS, THERE ARE NO EXPLOSIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE IT. There fore sound is average compared to many games. The jeers and cheers from the crowd are a nice touch, mostly the jeers. My biggest gripe is the soundtrack. There is an option to customize the tracks played at certain moments (inning end, 1 run homer, 2 run homer, player themes etc.) but you can only use ingame tracks. when will microsft add custom tracks from the HDD?
SCORE: 7.5

Gameplay:

The best thing so far is that there are now physics involved in fielding and base running, a pain to get used to but all the more realistic. Plenty of options to customize in game and out. The swing stick is a little tricky at first but don't get frustrated once mastered it improves the fun factor greatly. Same goes for base running. Sometimes the player collisions are a little too common but it isn't that bad overall. And finally, you actually need to get a good jump on a fly ball to field it not just get close enough and hit the dive button.
SCORE: 8

Presentation:

Once again, ITS BASEBALL!! The typical commentary from Joe Morgan and the boys is up to speed and slightly interesting. But wasn't last years MLB backed by ESPN? I kind of miss that it was nice.
SCORE: 8

Overall: 8.0/10 decent but not great.

For those of you looking for EA quality graphics and mediocre gameplay options, this is not for you. This game was truly tailored for the baseball fan not the casual gamer. Many people will purchase this game and want to return it because the visuals are not upto par with Madden and other EA titles. I for one and thankful for its differences visually from madden.... every player model doesn't look like it bathed in baby oil before the game started. there are dull textures that are responsive to light in MLB, you dont need to wear sunglasses to play this game. Rent it first.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 04/13/06