First Gameplay Video for MLB 2K10 Surfaces

Game Informer got a nine-minute gameplay exclusive for MLB 2K10 that you can see at the link. IGN has the embeddable vid – an introduction to the game’s new “My Player” mode – so we’re running that on the jump.

When you’re done with that, head on over to Game Informer for nine minutes of a Cubs-Mets contest at the Friendly Confines. This gives you a good look at the new batting eye, and while the perspective may seem a little unfamiliar at first, when you get the hang of it, it improves your decision time. Note also the information flow – direction, pitch type, etc. This is all set up to help you make a decision when the pitch is thrown, not before it.

This still looks like a strong improvement over MLB 2K9. But I don’t like the fact that the situational info is always batter specific. At first it might provide useful advice – for example, Ryan Theriot has poor power against lefthanded pitchers, so don’t try to kill it. But after that, it’s not much use to me to know what Theriot does with two-ball counts, I’m more looking for what Oliver Perez does in that situation. That said, pitch location and type (fastball, breaking, change) will be tipped independent of that, according to your eye rating. But it seems like, when you’re batting, some kind of information should rotate to tell you about your opposition in the matchup. I’ll be looking for this when I review the game.

Finally, I don’t mean to be peevish here but those uniform backs just look bad. It’s the same typeface on the nametape for every team, which, never mind many teams have different ones, it’s not even consistent with any in existence. I’m holding my breath to see what the Phillies, with that quasi-Arial Rounded typeface, look like. When I saw this a month ago I sort of blew it off but the more I see it the more it grates. 2K Sports fixed the uniform cap logos and that’s good, but I really like to pitch in career modes. And I just don’t want to see “GOOD” like that that for nine innings solid. This assures me I’ll be picking teams that have no name tape on the home uniform back. Which I guess is, what, the Red Sox, Giants and Yankees?

Major League Baseball 2K10 Gameplay Trailer [Game Informer]