Underrated refinements bring MLB 10's gameplay and franchise options to their highest level yet.
For the last few years, the developers behind MLB: The Show have focused on graphics and gameplay. While The Show certainly had a serviceable Franchise mode, obviously the big-ticket items that get people's attention are how the game looks and the actual action on the field. Graphics are always the easiest feature to be impressed by, as shown by the acclaim for MLB 08's stunningly detailed player and stadium models, and then MLB 09's vastly improved lighting and stadium/crowd details. Gameplay also took great leaps during those two games, adding realistic physics, tons of hit variety, true-to-life fielding animations. These are improvements that are immediately recognizable and represent big leaps forward for both The Show and sports gaming in general.
So it's not entirely surprising to see the lukewarm reaction to MLB 10. There are no monumental leaps forward on the gameplay or graphics front. MLB 10 is a game of subtle refinements that aren't immediately noticeable until you spend some time with the game and gradually see how awesome they are.
The best innovation in this year's game, to me, is the 30-team control in Franchise mode. Sports games -- both action and hardcore sims -- have never come close to being able to execute CPU managerial decisions that resemble the real world at all. Horrible trades (Carl Crawford for an aging reliever), horrible signing decisions (releasing Albert Pujols), ridiculous lineups (immoble full-time DHs appearing in the field), absurd roster moves (sending MLB talent to the minors for no clear reason), freakishly randomn injuries.
MLB 10 is the first sports game I've ever played that allows you to control every team in the league, but also specify exactly how much control you want to deal with. Do you just want to be a "trade czar" and have veto power on all proposed trades? You can set it up that way. Do you just want to set CPU lineups so they resemble real life? You can just do that. Or maybe you're a bit more obsessive about your franchise and want to control a few things -- lineups, trades, re-signings, injuries -- but leave the monotonous stuff to the CPU (marketing/tickets/promotions)? You can do just that. And it doesn't involve weird workarounds or tons of menus or committing to a decision right when you start your franchise and never being able to change it once you're in the middle of it. All these options are a simple button-press and you can change it however you like, whenever you like. To me, this is a huge evolution for sports gaming -- as much so as the expansion of stat tracking and franchise building in the last console generation.
Other welcome refinements include:
-- Reliever warmups. Eight pitches to get a feel for a new pitcher before you bring him in.
-- Faster loading times. Game loads up faster and games launch and end faster.
-- Trade waivers. This enables trading players after the July trade deadline.
-- Expanded All-Star weekend (Futures game, Home Run Derby),
-- Best-looking (and -sounding) crowds ever
-- Simplified menus
-- Best fielding controls and animation in the series yet
-- Day-time light progression. Adds immersion to day games.
-- Improved ball physics with more realistic bounces on dirt vs. grass
Many fans of the series have remarked on the game's difficulty. It's sometimes a guessing game, trying to figure out if you're just out of practice, or you're just having a bad streak, or is the game actually getting more difficult? After playing MLB 10 for about five months now, I can honestly say this version of the game is definitely more difficult. I've been playing the series for for four years now. In the past I've managed to play .500 or .600 ball on the default or All-Star difficulty. In MLB 10, I can barely compete on default settings. I've been losing nine out of 10 games played for a quite a while, so I finally caved in and went back to Rookie difficulty just so I'm not pulling out my hair every time I play. If you're having any trouble enjoying the game simply because of difficulty, by all means, turn all the sliders down and play on Rookie. Swat away and enjoy some wins. I won't tell. :)
Plenty of other reviews have already touched on online performance and the inevitable laundry list of bugs. MLB 10 is no different than previous versions of the game. There are plenty of minor bugs, many of which have already been quashed with two patches after release, but there is nothing game-breaking that I've seen yet. Online gaming is definitely a matter of taste. I love playing a lot of genres online, but baseball is not one of them. The nature of baseball is built on split-hair timing, and I just don't know if you'll ever be fully satisfied with a peer-to-peer connection.
It's a disservice to serious sports gamers that most of the mainstream press basically stopped their reviews after looking at graphics and online performance. MLB 10 is a significant step forward in the series for serious franchise players, and none of the reviews I've read have done justice to these improvements.