'Major League Baseball' a great stand-in

Inconsistent Cubs? Sub-par Sox? Fret not! A reality where Aramis Ramirez never makes an error, Jim Thome always slugs it over the wall and Cubs import Kosuke Fukudome knocks in game-winning doubles on command is at your fingertips in 2K Sports' "Major League Baseball 2K8."

Yes, both Chicago teams have started well in 2008, but whatever slumps the squads may encounter can be forgotten with a few rounds of 2K's title, which emphasizes engaging gameplay over gimmicks. Presentation problems and bugs are worth a strike or two, but greatly improved pitching and batting controls elevate "2K8" well out of the infield.

An analog-based template makes offense and defense dynamic -- instead of tapping a button to produce a power swing or a slider, you'll need to execute on the fly with your controller's pair of minijoysticks. At the plate, you'll pull the stick backward to take a step as the pitcher releases, then tap it forward to follow-through with your lumber. You'll also use the left stick to lean balls to either side of the field, and players can peek at pitches with "batters eye," a halo that varies in size depending on the player's skill that can spy throw location and speed.

Pretty straightforward stuff, in other words. But where hitting keeps it simple, pitching tacks on a tad more nuance. Here, swinging the analog stick in a set of directions produces different throws. Punch it to the right, then curl it in a half-circle, and you'll toss a curve. Downward, then diagonally up does a two-seam fastball. Up then down equals a change-up. Each pitcher has a separate repertoire, and you'll need to time the commands in unison with an expanding, retracting colored ring.

These control styles work well because they're economical and intuitive but have enough of a learning curve so die-hard players can master them. This sense of increased control carries a real sense of satisfaction with it when it comes to pressure pitching situations -- catching A-Rod looking on a sick slider never felt better.

The baseball is brilliant, but "2K8's" presentation is an odd omelette. A mish-mash of good and bad design, the results are visuals that don't feel congruent in the least. Conveying the cool atmosphere of an October playoff evening isn't easy, but bland facial modeling, basic-looking ballparks and average audio don't help. The quality level just doesn't seem even. Silky, rippling jersey textures look great but clash with low-res grass that resembles patchy plaid. Animations are articulate, but a shaky framerate doesn't make them seem as smooth. Slow-mo replays and 3-D stat overlays are sharp, but the developer's menus are in dire need of a redesign after almost a half decade.

Recycled commentary from last season doesn't help the cause, and quirks like the song "Cleveland Rocks" getting cranked up again and again in arenas outside Ohio limit the immersion. Atop this, "2K8" suffers from some unfortunate freezing issues. Pre-game fanfare and gameplay randomly lock up, and while the developer's dropped a patch to solve the issue (and reduce latency online), we still encountered a handful of freezes on our copy.

A portion of these technical missteps should be assuaged by 2K's deep customization options. The developer has always prided itself on giving gamers the tools to tweak gameplay to their heart's content, and this is the case in "MLB 2K8." Adjusting hitting power, broken bat frequency, infielders' reaction speed and base stealing success is a snap, and having room to tailor yourself a free-swinging or realistic experience is a treat.

2K Sports continues to deliver a product that emphasizes gameplay over bells and whistles, and it's an applause-worthy approach -- to a point. The new pitching controls are a blast, and keep all 162 games feeling fresh and engaging; underwhelming presentation does not. "2K8" lacks the atmosphere that the sport deserves, but if you're keener on substance than style and can ignore some technical quirks, it's a great stand-in for the real thing.

"Major League Baseball 2K8"

Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii

Developer: 2K Sports

Publisher: 2K Sports

Genre: Sports

Rating: 2.5 / 4

Fun: Intuitive, engaging pitching controls; hitting is simple and satisfying; deep customization; card collection adds replayability.

Unfun: Uneven presentation doesn't establish atmosphere; middling visuals and audio; infrequent freezes.