After last year’s debacle, 2K Sports returns with their second offering for the Xbox 360 with MLB 2K7. The move to bring in Ben Brinkman (formerly of EA Sports MVP Baseball series) to lead has evidently paid huge dividends already.
It is reasonable to call MLB 2K6 simply a disaster. If you could actually get past a few innings without the game freezing, you would soon enough decide you wish you hadn’t as then began the experience of facing the numerous problems within the actual gameplay. Luckily for baseball fans this year things have changed. The concentration this season was to get the basics of the game right and for the most part that they have done successfully.
The visuals in the game are excellent. Personally I have not been a fan of the graphics in any 2K next-gen offering, however this one delivers. The players and stadiums look fantastic. It is a drastic upgrade from MLB 2K6. Presentation is exceptional with the replays between innings being a personal favorite. I feel that TV style presentation works much better with baseball than the other sports.
There aren’t a lot of additions or drastic changes to the gameplay, other than what was tweaked or fixed. The breakpoint pitching is still here and it’s a great system that makes it difficult to pitch on the edges all game long and demands the user to think and strategize. The swing stick is back, something that I personally have a strong dislike for and I almost immediately switched over to classic hitting. Some people will like learning that right analog system however it simply decreases my enjoyment of the game. I do feel sorry for those who only have the option of playing on the PS3. Some things like the intense pitching moments just aren’t the same without having rumble.
Fielding was horrid last year, but it is much improved this time around. It will take a little getting used to as the controls seem quite sensitive which can result in over running ground balls or missing a spot in the outfield. The main issue seems to be with the camera of which there are no alternate options. The camera offers a very low perspective which makes it much more difficult to judge where the ball is headed and how to play it.
There doesn't seem to be enough in the way of variety of hits, especially when it comes to getting ground balls through the infield which has proven to be a rarity. I also would've liked to see more fouled off pitches. Another thing that is apparent is scoring tends to be a little homerun heavy. Some of these things can be tinkered with using sliders and how each individual approaches hitting, however a larger variety should be seen regardless. One more thing that stands out is that outfielders rob homeruns way too often, sometimes it'll happen multiple times in the same game. Spectacular catches like those should be much more rare, but it seems that many of the homeruns barely clear the fence thus allowing for those opportunities.
I think it’s a nice touch visually having a lineup card as what you can access for your in-game options. Anything that can be done without having to pause is a huge plus. Although you can access player cards from in there, I would’ve liked to have seen more info on the main card. Even simply first names or positions would’ve been nice. It just requires more digging in to find the info on the players. Hardcore baseball fans may know most of these guys, but as I found myself playing with different teams I came across middle-relievers or pinch hitters I had never heard of and it slowed down the process of decision making. The other things you can do without pausing such as infield and outfield shifts with the d-pad and scrolling through stats and attributes for players are great to have.
The commentary continues to be excellent. Although on occasion they can get details wrong (one time said the wrong name of the batter at the plate) it is likely the best representation of the real-life commentating within any sports game. Turn away from the TV set while in demo mode and you’ll feel as if it’s an actual television broadcast taking place.
There are a wide array of game modes such as Exhibition, Franchise, HR Derby, and Manager Showdown. I found the Manager Showdown to
be quite interesting and enjoyable for what it offers. Instead of simply simulating a game, you sit with a screen that shows the current situation and a diamond, and the game progresses based on your calls for each play. When on offense you can tell your players to swing for a hit or swing for a homerun, bunt, hit & run or steal. While pitching you can pitch to the batter, pitch around, walk or hit the batter. Then at any point you are allowed to jump into the game and play the rest out yourself. For those people who would like control over the outcome but a much speedier experience this mode is a nice option to consider.
One significant issue that has been noticed is a problem in franchise mode where the CPU controlled teams have lineups that are completely out of whack. Players who clearly shouldn’t be batting at a certain spot in the order are noticed often. Also it seems that when players are replaced in the lineup due to injury, they don’t regain their starting position once returning. This can be a serious bother to those who look for a realistic franchise experience so be forewarned.
Online play offers and nice smooth experience. I was pleased with the number of options in your profile to view. Pretty much any stat, percentage, or tendency you can think of is covered in there. It gives a nice opportunity to analyze how you play and take from it ways to 
improve your game. Its a shame though that they are wiped clean every month. If its deemed necessary to clear the leaderboard, I don't see why the stats have to be erased as well. I was also very happy that ranked games are 9 innings, and not taking the easy way out by trying to shorten these online games for those with ADD. Baseball is meant to be played 9 innings. Settings wise its nice to see this year the ability to have one side use different ones than the other. Last year if one person wanted to use the swing stick and the other classic, each person would have to change the setting after every half inning and that isn’t necessary now. I only would like to see more options such as being able to turn off the strike zone display box. The one awkward thing I noticed was as the pitcher is winding to the plate and releasing, the catcher, ump and batter all seem to freeze like statues before coming back to life once the ball leaves his hand. That was slightly distracting to me.
Unfortunately once again 2K seems to have botched their online leagues. This has become a trend with recent releases. The leagues for this game seem to set all sliders to 0, regardless of how they actually show being set. The first league game I played, the ball took so long to get to the plate you could reach down and have a bite to eat once the ball was released and look back up before having to swing. Also pitchers didn’t fatigue at all. I then went and adjusted the league sliders all the way up to 100 for pitch speed and fatigue and it did no good. If the leagues aren’t going to work, don’t bother to include and advertise them.
MLB 2K7 has taken huge strides and should be good enough to satisfy baseball gaming fans. After having an empty experience last year, it’s extremely refreshing to get back into baseball. There is something about the strategical nature, pace and nuances that make it the most enjoyable sports title for me to play. 2K7 has its occasional glitches and oddities. The franchise lineup problems and fielding camera angle seem to present the most concern, while the continually broken 2K league system needs to be addressed. Yet despite all that the game is quite fun, has numerous modes and options, and plays well on the field. This year those of you who own an Xbox 360 won’t feel as if you’re settling for a game because it’s the only one available. The future appears to be bright for this franchise.
Final Score:
8.4/10
