2K Sports Should Be Embarrassed
Pitching and fielding are hands down my biggest issue against the game. I can't even count how many times I've had a fielder stand directly underneath a simple fly ball, perfectly placed within the yellow target, and watch the ball hit the ground as if the fielder wasn't even there. Throwing to a fielder also seems broken. Maybe it's just me, but an outfielder throwing a rocket just to simply get a ball back in on an easy base hit when there is no need makes no sense. Yet on the flip side, when one wants to turn a double play, the infielder tosses a slow pitch softball lob. Yes, baseball is a game of timing, but this is just not right.
Pitching-wise, it takes some getting used to. I personally am not a big fan of using the analog stick to determine what my pitch will be and where it will go as even a minor movement off kilter could lead to a disaster. But baseball is a game of precision and in actuality, if a curveball is off by even a mere inch, it could wind up in the seats. Getting to the point, I used the classic mode, but if feels sloppy. And I enjoyed the payoff pitch from 2K8. Maybe it is in 2K9 but I've yet to see it.
Batting, at first, feels too easy. And from other reviews that I've seen, it isn't uncommon to hit an ungodly amount of homeruns. Maybe this is a referrence to the steroid era, but come on... Thankfully, this can be countered by adjusting the game's difficulty sliders. However, the Home Run Derby is quite fun and feels alot more substantial than in games past.
A minor issue... well, big issue to me... is the fact that you can't edit a player's stance or pitches. What the heck!? In almost every baseball game for the better part of a decade allows that. Why not here? And don't get me wrong, most players have their proper stances and body types. In fact, the player models are one of the game's bright points. But the option to tweak a player's appearance should be there.
All in all, unless this game recieves a serious patch, youd be better off hanging onto MLB 2K8. While this game looks better, so many glaring flaws detract from what could've been amazing.