MLB Power Pros 2008

MLB Power Pros 2008 is the sequel to MLB Power Pros. It is a baseball video game developed by Konami for Nintendo's Wii and the Sony PlayStation 2 video game consoles, as well as the Nintendo DS handheld, and is part of the traditionally Japan-only Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū series of video games. The game was released on July 29th, 2008, and published by 2K Sports. The game retains the same look, feel, and gameplay as its predecessor, but features updated rosters, new modes (such as MLB Life), new features (in-game bullpen control), among others.

Success Mode

Similar to the popular mode in the original Power Pros, success mode starts your player off on the AA Green Apples. With dozens of new characters introduced and similar play style, this game mode can get any gamer hooked. The player is also given various option to choose during the week, from hitting the gym to ninja training to enjoying a hot dog at your buddy's place. The goal in the game is to work on your baseball skills and perform well, increasing scout evaluation and moving up throuh the ranks until you hit the major leagues. From there the game mode ends, but your player's life can then be picked up again in the newly introduced MLB Life mode.

MLB Life

The new mode on MLB Power Pro 2008 is about carrying on a career as a professional player (for the purposes of this section, "users" are those playing the video game, whereas "players" are the in-game characters); this player can be one of three things. First, the player may already be in the majors or triple A. Second, users can create a player and customize his skills. Third, users can use a created player from success mode; this player has made it to the major league level.

During a game instead of pitching and batting the whole game, users will field, bat, and run the bases as the individual player, and control other players on the bases. (This requires the user to enable the option of manual base running.) When the user plays as a pitcher, he or she will pitch only when the player is on the mound; fielding is computer-controlled.

When controlling a player, users will have a day planner every day. Most days there will be a period of time were users can choose what to do, called Free Time. Some would be hobbies like golf, driving, darts and reading. Another option is to rest, where players gain vitality and (in some cases) lower fatigue. There is also practice alone. That is when users will work on skills. Finally, there is Chat option, where players can talk to fellow baseball players, agents, managers, ladies, and others.

After 20 years or if players are showing age and have put up the significant statistics, the player's time to retire will come. After notifying the manager, a retirement date will be set. Once the player has played that day, their number may be retired. At that point, the player will have finished MLB life on MLB Power Pros 2008.

Cover

The cover features 8 then-MLB stars: Chien-Ming Wang, Chase Utley, Roy Halladay, Magglio Ordóñez, Jimmy Rollins, Prince Fielder, Derrek Lee, Francisco Rodríguez, Takashi Saito, and Josh Beckett.

Reception

Reviews for the Wii version game were mostly positive, earning it a 79 out of a possible 100 on Metacritic. Bozon of IGN praised it as a sequel, stating that while it was "nearly identical" to the first MLB Power Pros, the new features it did add worked well to the overall improvement of the series. GameSpot's Chris Watters noted the genuine complexities underneath cartoonish presentation, though also made a point of its similarities to the preceding release.

However, the Playstation 2 version did not garner as high of scores, displaying a score of 67 on Metacritic, 12 points lower than its Wii counterpart. Ben Dutka of PSXExtreme called elements of the game "passable," but then highlighted its overwhelming depth (an aspect of the game some critics lauded) and simplistic graphics as hindrances of the total experience.