MLB 2K12 for Xbox Review - A Decent Alternative to The Show

As baseball fans eagerly await this year's installment of MLB: The Show, many have turned to its main competitor on Microsoft's console, MLB 2K12. As a long-time fan of the series myself, I'll provide an honest assessment of what you can expect from this latest offering.

On paper, there aren't any earth-shattering improvements over last year's game - and that holds true in practice as well. The core gameplay mechanics remain largely unchanged, which may be seen by some as both a blessing and a curse depending on your perspective.

From an aesthetics standpoint, MLB 2K12 doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel either. While not nearly as polished or detailed as its competitor from Sony's stable (The Show), it still manages to passable muster for what you'd expect from an annual sports title in this generation. The audio department fares slightly better with a decent soundtrack that should please fans of classic rock and hip-hop.

Graphically speaking, MLB 2K12 is serviceable but nothing more. While the game doesn't suffer from any outright visual gaffes or frame rate issues, it simply can't hold a candle to its PC counterpart in terms of overall presentation quality - which might be enough for some potential buyers to consider making the jump across platforms altogether.

When it comes down to it though, MLB 2K12 is an average offering at best that fails to really set itself apart from previous entries. If you're looking for a solid if unremarkable experience on Xbox Live Arcade without breaking the bank (since this game has seen some pretty substantial price drops since its release), then sure - give it a shot.

However, baseball enthusiasts would be wise to hold out until next year's version rolls around and hopefully brings with it more meaningful improvements that could finally challenge The Show for top billing in the world of virtual America's favorite pastime. Until then? MLB 2K12 remains an acceptable but hardly must-play choice - especially when compared directly against its superior competitor on Sony's console.

Rating: (out of )

Mlb 2k12 for xbox