Versus: Major League Baseball 2K10 vs. MLB 10: The Show

If you had asked us which baseball game to get over the past couple of years, we easily would’ve recommended Sony’s MLB The Show series.  Although 2K Sports had tried to keep up with its own Major League Baseball brand, Sony somehow always pulled through in the end, making the best home run-hitting game on the planet.

This year, however, things are a little different.  2K Sports has put a massive amount of effort behind its latest game, Major League Baseball 2K10, balancing out certain issues and making it an all-around better game.  Meanwhile, Sony has also cranked out another fine edition of The Show, but a couple of mild flaws keep it from being the champion it was once before.

So, here we are, pitting the two games against one another in a special Versus article.  Does 2K Sports have what it takes to overcome Sony’s dominance, or is The Show once again one you can’t afford to miss?  Let’s get this showdown started!

Visuals

If there’s something both 2K and Sony manage to get right, it’s the in-game visuals.  Both Visual Concepts and Sony’s San Diego Studios pull out all the stops capturing the realism of the sport.  2K, for instance, improved its player models with additional animations, while also bettering its crowd details, stadium designs and dynamic camera replays.  Likewise, Sony has also kept up on its end, with realistic players that appear second to none, all sorts of great ballparks (including an additional six-pack available for $9.99, or free if you pre-ordered the game) and other touches that bring you closer to the game.

As for the little things, both 2K and Sony have great menu micromanagement.  With 2K, it has a simplistic pick and choose sub-menu, similar to other 2K efforts.  You simply point your analog stick where you want to go, and boom, you’re off.  Sony has an equally user-friendly menu system, although things stutter slightly with an initial 5 GB install and occasional loading times.  It isn’t enough to throw off The Show’s lively presentation, though.

This category is simply too close to call, despite Sony’s loading hang-ups and some very mild glitches in 2K’s game.  No matter which option you go with, you will find a great looking game of baseball.

Winner: Tie

 

Sound (including Audio Commentary)

When it comes to sound effects, neither The Show nor MLB 2K10 come up short.  Both games accurately recreate the audible atmosphere of the sport, from alternative rock tunes that play in the background for each player (although you can customize them in MLB 10) to the actual sounds of bat hitting ball and/or ball hitting glove, to the crowds that cheer (at a Yankees game) or boo (at a Mets game) accordingly.

Following that is the commentary, and this is where there’s a world of difference between the two.  On MLB 10, Matt Vasgerian, Dave “Soup” Campbell and Rex Hudler provide the play-by-play.  We have no problems with Vasgerian and Campbell (as we stated in our review), but Hudler sounds like the odd man out.  He really doesn’t fit well here at all.  He sounds more like an annoyed commentary man rather than someone who truly loves the sport.

Then we have 2K’s commentary team, which is nothing short of magnificent.  Veteran ball player John Kruk joins Steve Phillips and Gary Thorne for the play-by-play, and it flows ever so smoothly.  These guys really enjoy talking about the sport, and it actually changes over the course of your season, whether you’re playing with a favorite team or taking the field with your MyPlayer selection.  It’s little stuff like this that we really appreciate, and that’s why MLB 2K10 wins this round overall.

Winner: Major League Baseball 2K10

 

Pitching

Both games have different pitching systems, and both of them work very well.  It’s really just a matter of what you’re looking for.  If it’s simplicity you’re after, MLB 10: The Show will suit you just fine.  All you have to worry about there is choosing your specialty pitch and its location, and then properly hitting the right points on a power arc.  Simple, and very easy to get into.

Meanwhile, with Major League Baseball 2K10, there’s a trickier process to throwing your pitches – but by no means is it broken.  Like last year’s edition, you’ll need to start a pitch by pressing the right analog stick in a certain direction, and then completing the second part of that pitch’s movement before the growing power circle expands out of its range.  It’ll take some practice (get ready to throw a few wild pitches), but once you nail it down, it really works.

Overall, we can’t really recommend one over the other.  No matter which you prefer, you’ll throw a solid game.

Winner: Tie

 

Batting

Then we get to the batter’s box, and here’s where a little difference comes into perspective.  For MLB 10 The Show, you don’t really have to worry much about swinging.  You simply use the analog stick to direct your hits, and then swing away with either the X button (to bat) or the circle button (to bunt).  Power swings are available as well, if you’re confident that you can bean one over the wall.

On the other hand, 2K Sports’ batting system is much more natural.  Here, you’ll actually use the analog stick to take care of all the motions, and it’s a little bit easier as well.  You simply jerk the analog stick upward for a quick swing, back-and-forward for a power swing, or on the side for defensive swings (if the ball manages to go outside the plate).  We really prefer this to button pressing, as it makes us feel like we’re doing something more active.  Thus, it wins this round.

Winner: Major League Baseball 2K10

 

Fielding/Base Running

Oddly enough, both MLB 10 The Show and MLB 2K10 suffer setbacks in this category.  In both games, the fielding isn’t entirely broken, but it is a little stunted.  With MLB 10, for instance, your fielders, if set on automatic, automatically go for the safety throw rather than trying to pick off someone trying to make a run for the plate.  Likewise, in MLB 2K10, you’ll have to time your throws just right, and use the analog stick (or buttons) to go in the right direction.  Otherwise, who knows where the ball will end up?

As for base running, MLB 10 starts off with a mild advantage with a new pick-off system.  However, it dwindles after you realize that, again, the AI doesn’t always make the greatest of decisions.  The same could be said of MLB 2K10’s fielders, and how they sometimes miss out on a double play because they prefer to be lazy.  C’mon, guys, be a contender!

So, again, another tie.  Neither game necessarily has bad fielding and base running, just faulted.

Winner: Tie

 

Extras

No matter which way you turn on the baseball front, both MLB 2K10 and MLB 10: The Show are chock full of options.  On 2K10’s side of the field, you have the new MyPlayer mode, where you enlist with a certain position in a ball club and work your way up through the majors.  Some positions are better than others (namely pitching), but overall it’s a nice change of pace from the usual Franchise mode (which is also included, and just as good as ever).  You also have MLB Today, a constantly updating daily roster that gives you the rundown of the game as it changes, including new players, trades and such.  It’s a nice addition.

In MLB 10’s camp, you’ll find an improved Road To The Show with numerous franchise options, as well as a new catcher mode that lets you call all the shots from behind the mound.  It’s great, and gives you an idea of what the game is like from that particular position.  The updating stats are terrific as well.

So, again, tie game.  Both 2K Sports and Sony really brought it this year, and we couldn’t be happier.

Winner: Tie

 

Online Play

So far, it’s been looking like a pretty tight battle between the two, with MLB 2K10 taking some slight advantages.  Well, with online play, Sony finally gets a break.  A few sessions we’ve engaged in with MLB 2K10 have run into some minor setbacks, including connection issues and occasional lag.  It’s still a very competitive game, of course, but this is something that 2K Sports needs to address with a future patch – hopefully before the actual start of the baseball season.  (How about it, 2K?)

Meanwhile, the sessions we tried out with Sony’s game have been nothing short of marvelous.  Outside of the starting loading time, The Show runs beautifully across the PlayStation Network, with easy connection and plenty of fun action against other players.  There are league options as well, if you feel like hanging with your homeboys (or homegirls) over the course of the season.

So, until 2K Sports corrects its issues, MLB 10: The Show wins the online round.

Winner: MLB 10: The Show

 

Overall

Wow, it was really a close race this year, and that is really saying something.  Considering how far behind 2K Sports fell over the past couple of years, it’s really stepping back up to the plate with Major League Baseball 2K10.  Likewise, Sony is showing some signs of wear and tear with MLB 10: The Show, even though it’s still a truly remarkable game of baseball.

In the end, though, the improvements to commentary, gameplay and options really help push MLB 2K10 ahead of its competition.  We can’t get enough of John Kruk, and MyPlayer has enough content to keep you busy for months.  Sony may still have its home runs, but 2K Sports’ game comes away with the grand slam.

Winner: Major League Baseball 2K10