It’s a season of notable change in Major League Baseball. The Houston Astros are now in the American League — finally evening up the division sizes — and in addition to the many big free-agent signings around the game, the Blue Jays now look a whole lot like last year’s Marlins, thanks to a colossal offseason trade.
All of these shifts have been implemented in MLB 2K13, as you’d expect, but that’s about all that’s changed since last year’s mostly stellar iteration. Following years of arduously slow franchise improvement, Major League Baseball 2K12 (OXM rating: 8.0) delivered the series’ most refined and playable entry to date, paving the way for a potential NBA 2K–like dynasty run. Sadly, MLB 2K13 is no more than a lazy roster update that ushers in zero improvements. In fact, it’s shorter on features than its predecessor, despite it being a full-price release.
From the initial menu screen, it’s clear that little has changed over the course of a year beyond pasting in David Price as the cover star. The interface is essentially identical, the play modes are unchanged in execution, and the on-field action is precisely where it was last season. Even the Achievements are carbon-copied.
The analog-based batting system remains unchanged, but it’s always been a pretty good approach.Luckily for MLB 2K13, last year’s fundamentals were very sound. The analog-based pitching scheme — in which each pitch has a distinct movement to mimic — still feels fantastic, while the precise batting, base running, and fielding all help deliver a cohesive experience. It’s accessible enough to pick up and play with little in the way of a learning curve, yet sim junkies have plenty of opportunity to put their baseball know-how into action.
MLB 2K13 comes with the requisite array of familiar single-player modes, like the multi-season Franchise plus My Player, where you create a young prospect and focus only on his at-bats and play opportunities. But while the game still offers single online (and local) match-ups, online leagues have been cut without reason or explanation, draining some of the long-term appeal for multiplayer aficionados.
When it came down to tossing wicked 12-6 curve balls and swinging for the fences, we still enjoyed our time with MLB 2K13. But the issues from last year’s game — especially the lacking visuals and occasional glitches — only seem worse without iteration, and for annual fans of the franchise, this half-baked, feature-light release comes off as a minor-league effort at a major-league price.
As with last year, some player models look fairly realistic, while others have incorrect proportions or lack detail.PUBLISHER: 2K Sports • DEVELOPER: Visual Concepts • ESRB: Everyone • MULTIPLAYER: 2 on same screen or Xbox Live • ACHIEVEMENTS: Duplicated • COST: $60 • RELEASE DATE: March 5, 2013
+ Good core sim with great pitching controls.
- It’s essentially the same game as Major League Baseball 2K12, albeit with a roster update.
- Online leagues mysteriously missing.
? Will MLB 2K go out with a whimper like this?
jdh5153
March 20, 2013 at 9:01pm
I love baseball and have loved the MLB 2k series since the Dreamcast, so this is an incredibly depressing year. I wanted MLB 2k13 to be an awesome baseball experience, but as soon as I found out what I really was I knew there was no way I could justify paying more than $20 for this year's iteration.$60? No thank you. I'll continue playing 2k12 while my friends get to The Show, which at least had effort put into it this year.
