MLB 2K11 News Post

MLB 2K11 Demo Impressions Roundtable

12:28 PM - March 4, 2011 by RaychelSnr

Chase Becotte: Every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in.

Most of my initial thoughts about MLB 2K11 can be found in the preview I wrote a couple days ago, but this demo basically serves to cement a lot of those impressions.

Christian McLeod: For once, I'm with Chase. If you can look past some of its rough graphical and animation edges, the MLB 2K11 demo plays a very solid game of hardball.

Caley Roark: I'm with you guys: I think there is a fun game of baseball buried somewhere in 2K11. However, I'm not sure the demo reflects that. I saw too many flaws in the demo to truly say that 2K11 has improved a great deal over 2K10. (For the record, I thought 2K10 was much better than 2K9.)

Chris Sanner: If you are not as into realism as a hardcore baseball guy is, and if you are willing to overlook some pretty dumb AI moves, I think MLB 2K11 is going to be your type of baseball game. The Show can be a bit overwhelming to the casual baseball player, and I think 2K has wisely tried not to copy The Show's success verbatim.

Read More - MLB 2K11 Demo Impressions

Game: Major League Baseball 2K11Reader Score: 5.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: NDS / PC / PS2 / PS3 / PSP / Wii / Xbox 360Votes for game: 17 - View All

Major League Baseball 2K11 Videos

Member Comments

# 101 roadman @ 03/06/11 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan36


	There isn't a "casual game" , there's a game marketed to the pick up and play crowd. Madden isn't arcade...yet they gear it toward the pick up and play crowd. Again , my opinion is that 2k11 will be fun, I had fun with 2k10 last year...it was realistic enough for me...baseball is my #1 sport, I played and coached high school, and used to broadcast college games on the radio. I enjoy both titles...they offer different things. What I personally have not seen from either demo, is $60 worth of improvements. SCEA's game offers some new models which make it nicer...the accompanying animations, and re-done fielding ratings- the animations I can see in the demo, the new ratings, etc, which I can also see. In 2k11 , I have not noticed many changes, but I didn't play 2k10 a TON- so I am not the best source on this. Again, I want to say the heat 2k is taking for the demo is from people who ARE interested in the 2k title. Nobody downloads the game just to troll a forum. I can see where and why each of writers said what they did, and that to me makes it a legitimate article.

I don't own a PS3, so, my choices are limited in this household. I've played 2k10 a lot and right away I can notices the differences. I can walk a CPU batter on 4 straight pitches that were borderline strikes and I noticed I made the 1st baseman with a throw get off the bag and I made a wild throw to 1st. Those are noticeable things in my book that has 2k inching towards the sim direction.

Honestly, if I never picked up 2k before, I would think I would have a difficult time mastering the controls on a first time basis. I can't just hand this to my 12 year old and say, here you go. I'd be watching the frustration mount. To me, that isn't pick up and play.

That's my simple take.

# 102 CMH @ 03/06/11 09:21 AM

It's not pickup-and-play. I'm not sure why anyone would actually feel that way especially when a lot of those same people complain about gesture pitching being too difficult.

Is hitting a bit easier? Maybe. Or maybe it's just the way this development team thought would best emulate the real thing.

We can crack heads over what hitting system is superior: zone, timing or cursor. The point is neither is more realistic than the other. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

I say this often enough and will continue to say it, I will never for the life of me understand why people get their panties in a bunch over other preferences of play. Play the game the way you want to and let someone else play the way they want to.

MLB 2K is offering their perspective on the game of baseball. Everyone's is different. I actually enjoy both perspectives that we have available to us and despite my initial disappointment with the little things in MLB 2K11, I still find myself wanting to play the demo because it's fun.

No one here says you have to like MLB 2K, but there's also no need to start bringing in your passion for The Show just so you can gloat about what it does right and MLB 2K does wrong. I have yet to see any MLB 2K fans terrorize The Show forums the way The Show fans terrorize the 2K forums and it's not going to happen this year. It's not going to continue this way.

If I have to personally read every single post, every single comment and hand out warnings or bannings to people that might think they are invincible to insult another franchise, I will do it. The war either ends now or I'll personally end it for anyone that wants to continue. Enjoy reading the boards because that's the most you'll get to do if this continues.

# 103 II LUCIEN II @ 03/06/11 09:35 AM

Well, the demo was obvious terrible witch probably means 8 times out of 10 the actually full game will be terrible. I wonder what's going on with 2K baseball we all see how 2K basketball curtinly has the potential. I'ts maby because their baseball licence is ending this season...so this is just a goodbye slap in the face.

# 104 Spongedaddy @ 03/06/11 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by II LUCIEN II


	Well, the demo was obvious terrible witch probably means 8 times out of 10 the actually full game will be terrible. I wonder what's going on with 2K baseball we all see how 2K basketball curtinly has the potential. I'ts maby because their baseball licence is ending this season...so this is just a goodbye slap in the face.

Yes it was obviously terrible since so many people here like it..including the OS writers...unless you were being sarcastic in which case good job.

# 105 CMH @ 03/06/11 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spongedaddy


	Yes it was obviously terrible since so many people here like it..including the OS writers...unless you were being sarcastic in which case good job.

It's called an opinion. Let him have it. And you're not helping with comments like this.

# 106 Jordanfan23 @ 03/06/11 10:12 AM

Well, after more time with the 2K11 demo, I am gonna buy it and only it Tuesday. It does a lot of things well and I like the fast pace games. I haven't bought a 2K baseball game in 5 years and a lot of it seems new and fresh to me and I couldn't put the demo down! Is it perfect, no, but show me a game that is.

I look at it this way, it's worth a try, and if it is something I enjoy, I will keep it. If it is something I don't enjoy as much as I have The Show the last few years, there is always eBay and The Show to buy. But, I believe with all of the improvements and as much fun as the demo is, I am doing myself an injustice by not giving it a look! That statement alone, from a huge Show fan, should tell you how far 2K has come in the last few years!

# 107 lnin0 @ 03/06/11 10:42 AM

If I play a video game I want my skills to directly influence my odds of winning. Not just my managerial skills but my hand-eye coordination as well. I don't want to play a video game of paper & dice baseball. On the flip side, I don't want a game that relies only on my hand-eye coordination by detaching itself completely from the real world personalities and stats. I think 2K11 does a fantastic job of finding the balance between the gamer and the simulation.

I want a video game to keep me awake, involved and having fun for 9 innings. All the other little things are all great but at the end of the day those don't matter if the fundamentals are missing. I think 2K is finally getting its fundamentals down solid.

# 108 15 Step @ 03/06/11 10:48 AM

I think this will be my first baseball game purchased in a long, long time. The more I play the demo, the more I like it. At first, I thought it played more like just an updated version of 2k10, but it slowly reveals lots of subtle things that differ it from last year's game. Since I don't have a PS3, I'm kind of "stuck" with the 2k series, but I really do think this is the year for me. I'll wait and see what you guys think about the game first just to be sure, but yeah, I've been playing way too much NHL 11, so I need to switch to a new sport haha.

# 109 ericdrum @ 03/06/11 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordanfan23


	Well, after more time with the 2K11 demo, I am gonna buy it and only it Tuesday. It does a lot of things well and I like the fast pace games. I haven't bought a 2K baseball game in 5 years and a lot of it seems new and fresh to me and I couldn't put the demo down! Is it perfect, no, but show me a game that is. I look at it this way, it's worth a try, and if it is something I enjoy, I will keep it. If it is something I don't enjoy as much as I have The Show the last few years, there is always eBay and The Show to buy. But, I believe with all of the improvements and as much fun as the demo is, I am doing myself an injustice by not giving it a look! That statement alone, from a huge Show fan, should tell you how far 2K has come in the last few years!

I haven't bought a 2k game since 7. I've been doing only the Show the past few years. I liked the demo so much that I'm getting this game day one as well and am pretty excited to play it. And I'm with you, if I don't like it... I have options.

# 110 BSUFAN @ 03/06/11 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lnin0


	If I play a video game I want my skills to directly influence my odds of winning. Not just my managerial skills but my hand-eye coordination as well. I don't want to play a video game of paper & dice baseball. On the flip side, I don't want a game that relies only on my hand-eye coordination by detaching itself completely from the real world personalities and stats. I think 2K11 does a fantastic job of finding the balance between the gamer and the simulation. I want a video game to keep me awake, involved and having fun for 9 innings. All the other little things are all great but at the end of the day those don't matter if the fundamentals are missing. I think 2K is finally getting its fundamentals down solid.

Well said, I feel the same way and the fun factor for 2K is one of its redeeming qualities !!!!

# 111 ericdrum @ 03/06/11 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lnin0


	If I play a video game I want my skills to directly influence my odds of winning. Not just my managerial skills but my hand-eye coordination as well. I don't want to play a video game of paper & dice baseball. On the flip side, I don't want a game that relies only on my hand-eye coordination by detaching itself completely from the real world personalities and stats. I think 2K11 does a fantastic job of finding the balance between the gamer and the simulation. I want a video game to keep me awake, involved and having fun for 9 innings. All the other little things are all great but at the end of the day those don't matter if the fundamentals are missing. I think 2K is finally getting its fundamentals down solid.

Your post made me think about what I want from a baseball video game. I'm probably very similar to you. I want to win the games by making smart decisions and possibly sway a win with my skill, but I don't want the Royals to sweep the Red Sox 4-0 either. I would like to be able to make any team a playoff contender... but not necessarily a playoff winner, if that makes sense.

Somehow, 2k11 just really keeps my attention. The mechanics of the game agree with my brain and I just don't get tired of playing it. I love that fact. And even while I have my gripes about it and compared to how I'm used to players looking a lot better, I don't care about those things because I'm having fun! I'm jonsing right now to fire up the demo again for the 10th time.

# 112 Jordanfan23 @ 03/06/11 11:17 AM

I agree guys, the balance between the two makes a great baseball game to me. User performed/stat driven video game baseball. I loved High Heat for that reason. It was ugly, but the balance was almost perfect to me! I see this game having that type of balance so overlooking less than spectacular graphics, player models, etc..., is easily overlooked by me.

# 113 Simp @ 03/06/11 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BearClaw


	But it's okay for SCEA to copy Madden NFL Superstar and call it Road to the Show?

And it's ok for 2K to copy analog controls from MVP 06 (and not implement it as well as MVP did)... And then some people around here act as though 2K invented analog sticks.

Everyone does it. If an innovation is good eventually the competition. Will implement it too. It's just business.

# 114 tvman @ 03/06/11 12:49 PM

Just played a game and threw a pitch that was fully in the strikezone and it was called a ball, i'm like what the... gotta love that stuff.

Casual fans won't like that stuff,lol.

# 115 rudyjuly2 @ 03/06/11 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CMH


	I say this often enough and will continue to say it, I will never for the life of me understand why people get their panties in a bunch over other preferences of play. Play the game the way you want to and let someone else play the way they want to. No one here says you have to like MLB 2K, but there's also no need to start bringing in your passion for The Show just so you can gloat about what it does right and MLB 2K does wrong. I have yet to see any MLB 2K fans terrorize The Show forums the way The Show fans terrorize the 2K forums and it's not going to happen this year. It's not going to continue this way.

100% agree.

# 116 Artman22 @ 03/06/11 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CMH


	No one here says you have to like MLB 2K, but there's also no need to start bringing in your passion for The Show just so you can gloat about what it does right and MLB 2K does wrong. I have yet to see any MLB 2K fans terrorize The Show forums the way The Show fans terrorize the 2K forums and it's not going to happen this year. It's not going to continue this way.

Glad you guys are noticing this. I don't understand why people get upset over what game the other person likes.

# 117 Artman22 @ 03/06/11 03:00 PM

One of my main concerns with the demo so far is the ball warping into the fielders gloves. It looks bad. I remember allstar baseball having that same problem as well.

# 118 Jordanfan23 @ 03/06/11 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Art1bk


	Glad you guys are noticing this. I don't understand why people get upset over what game the other person likes.

I agree, I remember the ASB vs High Heat battles like that. No one can dictate to anyone what they are supposed to like. You like something well, because YOU like it!

I made some bad purchases before I learned that lol!

# 119 tazbk @ 03/06/11 04:31 PM

Bottom line, I don't rely on demos to make my decision about a game. I know everyone can't afford to blow $120 to buy both games and choose which one they like the best...but there are other avenues such as renting the full game before making a judgement.

But that is the choice I make when I decide between games. Hell, I'm just happy to have a choice unlike football.

It seems like a lot of people have their own agendas and stances, but i'll be damned if I ever let a message board tell me which game to buy.

# 120 Skrilla757 @ 03/06/11 07:29 PM

The MLB 2K11 demo is great as well as the Show's both games have an incredible fun factor to them so you really can't go wrong with either game....I'm not gonna get into which game is better as I believe as it is a VIDEO GAME you should have fun playing it and the fact of which game is better is merely personal opinion....so on that this Tuesday I want everyone to PLAY BALL!!

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