Major League Baseball 2K6

Every year the debate continues between video game sports fans about who puts out the best games. Although there are quite a few players, the biggest names are usually titles by 2K Sports and Electronic Arts. In recent years though, 2K has been shut out of the football game, and EA has been forced to release a NCAA sponsored baseball game instead of a MLB endorsed one, because of exclusive licences. This means that on the Xbox there is only one game with Major League Baseball players in it, and that game is Major League Baseball 2K6.

At its core, MLB 2K6 is a respectable baseball title. Unfortunately there are quite a few problems that prevent it from reaching all-star status. MLB 2K6 plays pretty much like any baseball game you've played before. There is one notable change to the gameplay though. The team at Kush have introduced a new method for swinging, which involves using the right analogue stick to time your batter's back swing, and then follow through. This adds a new dimension to the old batting system that was simply about button timing. Fortunately though, if you don't like the new system you can turn it off in the options menu.

The rest of the gameplay will be familiar to anyone who's picked up a baseball game in the last decade, which isn't a problem since it has been almost refined to perfection. There are a few problems with some in-game bugs that hampers gameplay and prevents the player from fully enjoying a day at the ballpark. The most glaring would be a bug I discovered that would almost always send an opposing player into a run-down between 3rd base and home, turning a scoring chance into an easy out. As well, when an opposing player steals, the camera is supposed to switch to a first person view from the catcher's perspective. Unfortunately though, this switch did not happen every time a player would try to steal, so it would make trying to throw a player out very frustrating and confusing. Finally, the game seems strangely repetitive. It often feels like the same plays are happening over and over again, with balls being hit to the same places time and time again.

MLB 2K6 won't pose much of a challenge to baseball game enthusiasts. Even on the most difficult setting, the computer can be easily defeated once you have played a few games. This seriously limits the game's replayability.

As usual, the game's presentation is outstanding. Although 2K Games lost their official ESPN license, the game still sports great TV style presentation with lots of interesting camera angles, cutaways and terrific commentary by Jon Miller and Joe Morgan. Miller and Morgan's insights are very good and often reflect what is going on in the game. There is quite a bit of variety in their speech, so things don't get too repetitive.

The one aspect of the presentation that suffers is the graphics. The game features mediocre graphics at best. The stadiums are rendered nicely and with fairly accurate detail, but the crowds look horrible. The simple 2D surfaces with basic animations slapped on top look really poor, and do not match the style of the rest of the game. The player models are also quite bad. Players do not remotely resemble their real-life counterparts and the only way to recognize them is by the commentary, or via on-screen title. The game's animations are fairly decent, but nothing to brag about.

There is pretty much every mode you could want in a baseball title. Single season, Franchise, GM and Manager Modes are all handled here and are done well. As well, the usual distractions that you'd expect from a baseball game are available, like the Home Run Derby.

Multiplayer is what you would expect. Two players can play on the same system or via Xbox Live. The game plays well in multiplayer mode, although a lot of the more interesting presentation aspects like replays and camera changes don't occur in a two player match.

Overall MLB 2K6 for the Xbox is a good title. If you are looking for the most up to date Major League Baseball title but used to be an EA fan, don't fear. 2K Games and Kush have delivered solid baseball gameplay. Unfortunately though, some bugs, boring graphics and easy AI might make gamers who are looking for the year's best baseball title give EA Sports' MVP 06 NCAA Baseball a swing.

Phillip Chertok is a student enrolled in the Video Game Design & Development program at the International Academy of Design & Technology in Toronto.

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