The comeback franchise of the year, MLB 2k7 delivers a stand up triple.

System: Xbox 360
Publisher: 2K Sports
Developer: Kush Games

To say that last year’s MLB 2K6 was a miserable mess of a game would be far too kind; the entire game felt like it was “rushed” to retail. There were problems in virtually every aspect of the game; batting, pitching and fielding just felt…“off”. Even the overall graphical presentation was lacking; from players having the wrong ethnicity, to player faces being incredibly detailed, or incredibly lifeless. It just seemed that developer Kush Games was so wrapped up in the joy of EA not being able to use the official MLB license, that they dropped the ball…literally. Well, I’m proud to say that this year MLB 2K7 just might be the “Chris Webber-comeback-kid” of baseball titles; it isn’t quite up to World Series contention, but certainly makes the playoffs.

Can a baseball game actually look any more realistic than this one? I have my doubts, because this is one absolutely GORGEOUS game. From the ambient lighting, to the individual shadows of the players on the field and the dugout, this is one damn fine looking game. Not to mention that Kush Games has infused a new element into the game, called “Signature Style”. Basically, little individual nuances about the players’ appearance, even personal animation, are ever so present. Watching the patented Dontrelle Willis powerhouse windup or Junior’s smooth-as-silk swing, it’s all here. This has definitely helped this game get over the “hump” of mediocrity. It’s truly as if the entire game is being watched in a Hi-Def filter; everything from the new camera angles, to the life-like close-ups help to define the baseball experience.

On the field, there are more changes to improve both the batting and fielding interfaces. Last year, fielding was a serious experiment in hope and prayer. There were numerous times that I would be running towards the wall to snag a fly ball, and be right under it- only to have it glance off of my glove. Little things like collision detection play a HUGE part in any game, especially in baseball titles. Thankfully this has been addressed with infield and outfield play; even the computer opponents are now vulnerable to mistakes. Base running has also been improved, thanks to the elimination of the “turbo” button from last year; players have to now rely on their actual attributes to run the bases. The maneuvering of multiple players around the diamond has been revamped as well; it isn’t quite as easy as it should be, but still it is much improved.

Batting has never been as “natural” with the analog stick as in other current baseball titles; actually, this is still an area of concern that needs to be improved. The problem is that the swing motion always seems to hesitate, ever so slightly. Obviously, the timing of hitting can be affected by any type of split-second delay; I often found myself behind pitches, even with a perfect swing. Switching back to the face button method of swinging, seems to be more accurate and realistic. Running and throwing have also been addressed; no longer will defensive players feel like they are running in quicksand trying to catch up with the offense. Not to mention that players can actually throw the ball with the velocity and power of an adult, not a 4-year-old. As well, the camera angles have been revamped so that attempting to chase after a fly ball isn’t as disorienting as last year. There is a more “television-like” style of presentation involved, which helps to keep the action in front of you.

The Front Office has also received a facelift; now, drop-down menus help to quickly get you into the action, and not buried beneath a ton of useless menus. There are the usual accoutrements in Franchise and GM Mode; setting ticket prices, negotiating contracts, trades, etc. Nothing too revolutionary, but the usual amount of depth found in 2k sports titles. Hopefully, next year we will see an overhaul of this system, to include more micromanagement of funds for each ball club.

The online experience is either hit or miss; while there are Online Leagues, Tournaments, and friend matches; the overall experience of playing this game is a SLOW one. Unless you have at least an hour to kill, don’t even think about taking this puppy online. Aside from the fact that the already rocky framerate dips even further when playing online; good luck trying to locate an opponent that wants to play anything less than nine innings. I was disappointed that a good offline game wasn’t enhanced and optimized for online play. Yet another key area where Kush Games needs to improve for next year’s version.

Joe Morgan and Jon Miller do a bang-up job of calling the game. Informative, witty, and even downright hilarious things fly out of their mouths when least expected. Trust me; pause the game and just listen to them talk to one another….great stuff. The combination of Jeanne Zelasco and Steve Physioc are spot on with their pre-game analysis; it’s evident that these two know exactly what they are talking about and add to the realism of the audio package. The crowd noise is also very interactive; the fans are very vocal about calling out Superstars’ when batting and fielding. This certainly contributes to the feeling of being “at” the ballpark. I hope to see more sports titles incorporate this type of fan/crowd reaction; not only to cheer big plays, but to show their displeasure at their team performing poorly.

Subtle nuances aside, this game is a LOT of fun to play; a marked improvement over last year’s installment, and definitely moving in the right direction. Perhaps having hired the Lead Designer from EA’s MVP Baseball has helped “right the ship”; either way it is very evident that Kush Games and 2K sports are taking this baseball license very seriously. If Kush can add more depth to the Franchise and Gm modes, and improve the batting mechanics and online play, then FINALLY we will have a next-generation product to go head-to-head with the current king of baseball games, Sony’s MLB ’07. Kudos to the development team for listening to the cries of the consumer, and delivering the first “true” next-generation baseball title.