MLB 2K13 Review

joshuaboy
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Strike Three

The notion that each annual version of a sports game is simply a roster update and some new music is a misconception that belittles an entire genre of games. But then something like MLB 2K13 comes out and reinforces the stereotype that, yeah, sometimes a sports game is a phoned-in, weaksauce embarrassment.

For years the MLB 2K series has been the only game in town for Xbox 360 owning baseball fans (since the rival baseball series, MLB: The Show is a PlayStation exclusive). And while it always felt like 360 gamers got the also-ran sports game, most of the time 2K at least provided a fun, competent baseball experience.

This year MLB 2K13 takes a new and daring approach by... not improving anything at all. More amazing than that, a lot of it somehow looks and plays worse than last year. Everything in MLB 2K13 has been used in previous games, to the point where, aside from a revamped menu system, it's very hard to tell if this is actually a new game or an old one with a new sticker on it. Even the soundtrack sounds like it was borrowed from years past. Peter Bjorn and John? Sean Kingston? This isn't 2007, guys.

It's not MLB 2K13 is broken – it's still as mostly competent as, say, MLB 2K12. Physically playing baseball feels good. The ? of the bat is solid, and baserunning is exciting. Pitching mechanics, a highlight of the series, stay tight and challenging, making you earn every K. 2K13 has all the modes you would expect: Season, Franchise, and My Player. You can take a team through a season, jump straight into the playoffs, play an exhibition game, or compete in a home run derby.

For those that like the My Player mode in the NBA 2K series, the idea is pretty much the same here, but without a lot of the presentation that makes the basketball equivalent so engaging. You work your way up through the minor league, earning stat upgrades for performing well in different aspects of the game. While playing the role of a single baseball player isn't nearly as dynamic as a basketball player, it's still a fun look into the world of baseball, and one of the most addictive aspects of the game.

There were pockets of enjoyment while playing 2K13, moments of greatness when I turned a double play or hit a clutch home run. But a lot of little things add up to make a very unpolished game. The way baserunners leave the field at the end of an inning by sprinting like they were trying to steal a base. The way a batter can get stuck behind the umpire and just spin around. The way the third baseman runs into a wall and just keeps running, trying to catch a foul ball that hit the upper stands. How minor league games are completely devoid of announcers. There are hundreds of things that pull you out of MLB 2K13, never allowing you to get engrossed in the sport. And they happen all the time


The Verdict

Even on its own, ignoring that it's a carbon-copy of last year's version, MLB 2K13 is a disappointing baseball game. The hard truth of the matter is that there is a rival game out there that schools 2K13 on every conceivable level. MLB 2K13, by comparison, is an embarrassing use of the MLB license, feeling more like a half-assed attempt to rake in a few bucks off fans who haven't read reviews than any real attempt to make a fun baseball game.


Major League Baseball 2K13 on Xbox 360

4.5 Bad
Stay away from this feeble attempt. If you want to play a baseball game, MLB 13: The Show is a much better choice.