MLB 08: The Show returns following much of the same formula that made last year’s title such a fan favorite. Most of the features are back with slight tweaks here and there and the game’s Road to the Show feature remains top notch. You can view Gamespot’s preview to check out some of the new features Sony added for 08.
One of the greatest aspects of MLB 08 is the way in which the game is presented. The commentary is quite possibly the best I have ever heard in a sports title and the game’s ability to integrate robust features and analysis into a simple control scheme make for a fun experience, even if you’re not a hardcore baseball fan.
Today, SportsGamer looks specifically at the batting and pitching mechanics in the MLB 08…
Batting
Sony opted to stay with button-based batting controls (X for contact, square for power) despite the trend by other baseball titles to go analog. Although a bit archaic at this point, the controls are responsive and the learning curve for timing the swing is relatively short. The same can be said for aiming the swing. As you would expect, the batter has the option to direct his swing with the left analog stick or simply swing without it to aim dead center. Both timing and location are generally forgiving; as long as the swing is reasonably close, the batter should be able to foul off pitches until he gets something quality to hit.
One reason that the learning curve is so short is the multitude of menus and displays that MLB 08 gives the batter access to; most accessible directly from the plate without accessing the start menu. The first, accessed by clicking the left analog stick down after a pitch, tells the batter if his timing or aim was off and the general location of the pitch. This is helpful early on but it will become obvious after a few games why the batter missed a specific pitch anyway.
Another display that aids the batter is the pitcher’s confidence menu. This indicates the pitcher’s current confidence is his various pitches. Because confidence is a good barometer of a pitcher’s control of each pitch, pitchers are more likely to choose pitches that they have higher confidence in. Alone, this makes the guessing game slightly easier for the batter. When paired up the MLB 08’s Guess Pitch feature, this information can level the playing field for the batter.
By holding down the R2 button, the batter can attempt to guess the type and location of the next pitch. The batter will see the location of every pitch so far in the at bat and its result (ball, strike, or foul). The batter can then choose the type of pitch and one of 8 locations on the plate (low, low/outside, outside, etc.). If the batter chooses either the type of pitch and/or the location correctly, an indicator will reveal this to the batter just prior to the pitch. In addition, guessing correctly will result in a boost to the batter’s power rating for the upcoming swing. At the very least, even if the guess was wrong, the batter now knows what not to expect at the plate.
If this wasn’t enough, the select button offers the batter yet another helpful tool in the form of a player analysis tool. Through this the batter can see the frequency at which each pitch has been used thus far, the location spread of each type of pitch, and even pick up on tendencies by viewing how the pitcher attacked him in the past. Although you may not want to pause the game before each at bat, hardcore enthusiasts will be pleased and the tool has a great deal of utility in Road to the Show mode.
Pitching
Many of the pitching features from MLB 07 are back in this year’s version.
Catchers call games based on individual strengths and weaknesses of each pitcher and analyze tendencies of the batters. Pitchers can choose to listen to the catcher’s recommendations or forego the advice entirely. As with batters, pitchers can bring up the same player analysis tool with the select button. Doing so will show the pitcher the batter’s hot and cold zones, his batting average and slugging percentages from different parts of the plate, and even what pitches have worked against him in the past. This makes calling your own game much easier.
Each pitcher has up to five of the 18 different pitch types (Four-Seam Fastball, Two-Seam Fastball, Cut Fastball, Split-Fingered Fastball, Curveball, Slider, Sinker, Slurve, Change-Up, Circle Change, Knuckleball, Palmball, Forkball, Knuckle-Curve, Screwball, 10-4 Curve, 12-6 Curve & Gyro) at his disposal. Depending on the pitcher’s attributes, certain pitches will naturally be stronger than others. In addition to this though, the pitcher has a confidence level specific to each pitch that can fluctuate throughout the game based on how effective it has been. If a pitcher has had a high strike to ball ratio with a certain pitch, his confidence in that pitch will naturally be very high. Likewise, if the pitcher misses the corner of the plate consistently, his confidence will drop. A drop in confidence will make it difficult for the pitcher to pinpoint the release marker of a particular pitch (it becomes hazy on the pitch meter).
One other twist of this is that while success with one pitch will increase the corresponding confidence, it will slightly decrease the pitcher’s confidence in all of his other pitches. This creates a balance where the pitcher must decide between sticking with what has been effective all game and trying to develop another less effective pitch.
Confidence is only one aspect of the metered pitching system that Sony has dubbed Release Point Pitching. Every pitch has a slightly different release point which the pitcher must time properly in order to throw accurate strikes. The release point even varies from pitcher to pitcher based on their arm motion. Although that may sound complicated, it really isn’t very difficult to adjust to the new release points on the fly as a line on the meter clearly shows the ideal location (assuming adequate confidence). Where it does get difficult is when there are runners on base. Each pitcher has a clutch rating which, if low, can drastically increase the speed at which the pitch meter moves with runners on. This makes it difficult for the pitcher to paint the corners when he has gotten himself into trouble.
Umpire personalities have also made the transition to MLB 08. As before, pitchers must adjust their pitch locations based on how a specific umpire is calling the game. A pitcher could be consistently painting the outside corner of the bag but if the umpire isn’t giving him the call, he must adjust. The pitcher can impact this ambiguous strike zone by slowly working his pitches out to the extremes of the umpire’s strike zone. If consistent, pitchers will be rewarded with a large strike zone in later innings.
MLB 08 doesn’t try to change a working formula. Both batting and pitching, while simple for novice’s to pick up, are complimented with statistical breakdowns and on-demand displays to satisfy the hardcore baseball fan. The result is a game with as much depth as you have stomach for. Again, be sure to check out Gamespot’s preview to see if MLB 08 is your baseball title of choice this season.
