MLB 2K8 baseball honors Green Cathedrals

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), May, 2008

Way back when, our national pastime was played in a host of wonderful old ballyards: Chicago's Comisky Park, Cincinnati's Crosley Field, Pittsburgh's Forbes Field, Brooklyn's Ebbets Field, Philadelphia's Shibe Park and Baker Bowl, New York's Polo Grounds... the list goes on and on. Then came the late 1960s and early 1970s and the era of the multiplex stadium--venues that were shared by the diametrically opposed games of baseball and football. What a shame that those terrific parks were razed to make room for a group of cement monstrosities that, for all intents and purposes, looked exactly alike. Seriously, a fan had no idea if he or she was in St. Louis, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, etc., for not only were they almost exact replicas of each other, most of them were enclosed, cutting off all views of each city's distinctive skyline.

In the last decade or so, however, there has been a return to the game's architectural roots on the major and minor league level. Snug, homey stadiums with reduced capacity and excellent sightlines that bring fans close to the action have been springing up all over the country. The return of Green Cathedrals in Baltimore, San Francisco, Houston, Cleveland, Washington, D.C., etc., has been a revelation. Retro minor league parks, too, are all the rage. Right here in and around New York we have three beauties on Long Island and Staten Island as well as in Brooklyn.

Such intimacy in ballparks usually has to be experienced firsthand, and 2K Sports makes no pretension otherwise. However, Take-Two Inter active Software, Inc's Major League Baseball 2K8--while revolutionizing player control in its latest installment of the popular franchise with brand new pitching, fielding, baserunning, and a completely overhauled batting interface--brings fans closer to the action than ever before by featuring authentic major and minor league stadiums that have been redesigned for accuracy, complete with the details and specific architectural quirks of each ballpark and city. Other in-game features include a wholly unique trading card system to reward special achievements, robust minor league system that includes 90 playable teams, and all-new Signature Style animation. Some other new features and added content include:

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

* Total Pitch Control--players can emulate the realistic motion of pitching a baseball. Speed and accuracy are achieved by matching specific gestures and release with the right analog stick, simulating the arm and wrist action involved in throwing that particular type of pitch.

* Swing Stick 2.0--improved batting controls offer players unparalleled ball-to-bat contact that is determined by timing, direction, and pitch location for a greater variety of realistic hits (including grounders, bloopers, dribblers, gappers, and long home runs) using the right analog stick.

* All-New Baserunning--simplified controls allow users to select players easily with the left analog stick and guide them toward specified bases with ease.

* Precision Throw Control--provides unprecedented throw accuracy using the right analog stick, bringing a new level of realism to playing defense.

* Full Minor Leagues--fens are treated to 90 playable authentic minor league teams, along with 18 stadiums in franchise and exhibition modes.

* Jon and Joe Return--the popular duo of Jon Miller and Hall of Famer Joe Morgan are back in the booth for another season of commentary.

* 2K Trading Cards--earn them, share them, trade them, and then take a card-based team online to compete. Unlock and open trading card packs for the most in-depth trading card system ever, taking the Major League Baseball 2K community to a new level.

MLB 2K8 is rated E for everyone and is available in Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and 2, and Wii. For more information, visit www.take2games.com.