MLB 2K7 (Xbox 360)

If you're too lazy to take yourself out to the ballgame, rush out to grab MLB 2K7, as it sparkles as the first true next-gen baseball game to hit the market. From a detail standpoint -- and fans know authentic baseball is in the details -- this is shockingly awesome (and proves why EA's well-regarded MVP series can never compete without a big-league license). The player likenesses are uncanny from a facial standpoint, but that's not the half of it. Where this goes above, beyond, and beyond that, is the way Derrek Lee's pants go to his heels, Tom Glavine lives on the outer half of the plate with each pitch, Pedro Martinez wears a jacket when he lucks onto first base, Jimmy Rollins has a two-toned mitt, Juan Pierre runs with batting gloves clenched in his fists, Nomar Garciaparra goes all OCD before each at-bat, Ichiro sports shades while patrolling the outfield, and C.C. Sabathia is fat. We just named a handful of players, but those types of details are woven into every player -- the level of care is inspiring. In fact, the attention to detail is so hypnotizing, it's tough to immediately spot the game's deficiencies. The only graphical hang-ups are the merely satisfactory stadiums and the humdrum and inattentive crowds.

The pitching, while limited compared to MVP 07's system, is passable but lacks any real innovation. You'll pick a spot to throw to, a pitch to throw, then hold the button to wind up (making a big, ugly yellow circle appear). Let go of the button and the ugly circle shrinks so you can time your button press to toss an accurate pitch. It's basic stuff. Beyond the mechanics, your pitchers have psyches that can be rattled. When your hurler's composure breaks down -- say the bases are loaded -- the pitch meter will shake and rattle, making it a challenge to place the ball where you want. A mound visit can calm things down, but it still calls attention to big situations. It's a bonus that your catcher calls the game, meaning if you're not sure what you want throw, he'll give you a pitch type and a location, which is very cool.

The defensive play, like the pitching, doesn't break any new ground. Sometimes it's even a Manny Ramirez–like adventure, as you'll overrun balls in the outfield and fly balls will bang off of your glove. It's great that the wind will force players to move around to make the catch, but there are a surprising number of lunkhead plays. Whatever adventure you uncover while catching a ball, you won't find any of it in throwing. While MVP 07 uses the right analog to toss the ball around, here it's just a button press -- and nothing else (even holding it longer doesn't make an impact). In effect, it's not up to you to make an accurate or inaccurate throw; it's based on a mathematical equation somewhere in the game's code. It saps the drama out of tag-ups from third and double plays.

When it comes time to score some runs, the hitting plays it safe, mimicking its competitor by using the right analog stick. You pull back during the delivery, then let go for a contact swing or push up to try to hit one to the moon. While the strikeout-to-contact ratio is balanced -- if you have any discipline at all -- the ball still comes in too fast to allow you to distinguish if it's a strike or not. So oftentimes, your mind has to be made up before the ball comes out of the pitcher's hand. Also, the offense is way too home run–centric. If you want to emulate the 1985 Cardinals and small-ball your way to the playoffs, you'll find that home runs are a touch too easy to come by. Plus, if you kick the difficulty up a notch from the default, your A.I. opponent goes all human-growth-hormone on you. You'll be afraid to throw a strike.

As for extras, online is slickly done, the announcing by Jon Miller and Joe Morgan is professionally executed, and the franchise mode puts you in complete control of the team (including dollars and cents). The menus are boring, and when you're going through a season there's so much information on the screen it's plain sloppy. Though it does keep you up on what's going on around both leagues, so there's a trade-off.

In the end, this game's stunning details should keep you engaged all summer long. But the lack of overall gameplay innovation keeps this from making the All-Star team.