Product Reviews
Major League Baseball's only cross-console video game series returns to the field with a 2010 release for PlayStation 2. Built on the same engine as the previous year's game, the 2K10 edition of the MLB game boasts improvements in accuracy and offers new features to give players more control while pitching and hitting. The "Total Hitting Control" system allows players on offence to swing for the fences, aim for a base hit or sacrifice with a well-placed fair ball, or foul the ball out of play, to work against the pitcher's stamina in a full-count battle and wait for an easier throw. The 2K10 edition also introduces a "Batter's Eye" feature for hitters, which occasionally gives players a momentary preview of where a pitch will cross the plate. The frequency and length of the "Batter's Eye" preview depends on the skill and accuracy of the athlete at the plate. On defense, the game's "Total Control Pitching" system is designed to allow pitchers to put the ball right where they want it, working the corners to wear the hitter out and tempt him to take a swing at a tough pitch. The accuracy of the system depends on the pitcher's real-life skills and stats in the league as well as his stamina and current pitch count. For gamers who want to place themselves in the action, the "My Player" mode allows for the creation and development of a custom player, from the farm leagues through a career in the Bigs and, with dedication and a little luck, on to immortality in Cooperstown. In addition to the new features, the game has undergone dozens of refinements, for smoother transitional animations, more accuracy between the play on the field and the umpire's calls, and a better-integrated presentation. As usual, MLB 2K10 features all the teams, players, and venues of Major League Baseball, based on the most recent 2009 rosters. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide