Developer: 2K Sports / Visual Concepts
Publisher: 2K Games
Rating Guide: How I Review Games

Review:

Spring training is here and so is another chance to win one million dollars!   MLB 2K11 ushers in a highly anticipated season of Major League Baseball both on the field and in the virtual world.  2K Sports has done a lot to the game to keep it fresh and authentic.

But was it enough?

Gameplay, Graphics and Sound

It’s tough to review a yearly series epecially in sports.  Changes aren’t as dramatic so you don’t really understand the list of improvements the developer usually lists.  How much can a sports title improve without completely changing the game?  MLB 2K11 doesn’t improve leaps and bounds over last year’s version but it at least gives some noticeable change. 

My Player has been vastly improved. You step into the role of one team member and control him for the entirety.  It’s a lot easier to build your player up over the seasons.  The only thing I take issue with is how limited you are in really “playing the mode”.  For instance, there are moments when you just play defense on a play that comes your way.  It’s boring to just sit there.

The Franchise mode has some additions like managing your minor league divisions and making trades more encompassing.   I’d like to say Franchise mode was the best part of the game but it isn’t.  The best part is simply playing the game.  You do that in Franchise mode but it lacks the passion of a real penant race.

One of the more standout improvements was in the character animations for pitchers and hitters.  Players don’t react and perform like old men anymore.  They actually mimic their real life counterparts quite well now.  I was impressed with just how much 2K Sports managed to get the animations on par with what we’ve seen in its competition.  It wasn’t all gravy though as you could see some aliasing issues and some definite drop in how smooth the game performed during games.  There are less bugs and glitches than 2K10 though.  The AI is still spotty so make sure you compensate.

Control wise MLB 2K11 uses the same controls as last year. Rotating the right stick Street Fighter style allows you to do the various pitches.  The pitching was great when you mastered the different rotations.  It was almost like I actually had to really learn how to pitch.  Hitting on the other hand continued to be a bit challenging and I don’t know why.  Perhaps I just suck?  I did like the batter’s eye prediction that helps predict the pitch.

The three man commentator team of Steve Phillips, Gary Thorne, and John Kruk is the best I’ve heard.  It may be a lot of recycled dialogue but they truly make you feel as if you’re pitching and playing in an actual game.

Conclusion

MLB 2K11 is very solid for any fan of baseball.  It isn’t the perfect game but it gets you a little bit closer than before to actually feeling like you’re in the game.  2K Sports is really close to perfecting the MLB 2K experience.  If you’re a fan, get it.  If not, it’s probably not a good idea.