Major League Baseball 2K9

Major League Baseball 2K9 is likely to be the game to benefit from the E3 2005 pre-show, a fact bolstered by the news that 2K9 is currently in development at Visual Concepts. While there were plenty of other games that we knew about at this year's E3, such as MLB 2K5, the huge blow of MLB 2K9 is undoubtedly the sheer amount of quality here.

It looks like Visual Concepts is once again jumping on the bat with its new simulation-based baseball game. The recent ESPN NFL 2K5 game will feature seven new logos, and a number of new game modes. Both features will let you change teams on the fly, create an up-and-coming team with new players, and then work together to take your team to the MLB championship. The options have been expanded and expanded, and you can even create your own team and take it into the playoffs.

The graphics in 2K9 look absolutely gorgeous, and it looks like it's going to be a massive leap forward. The game will feature a vastly improved animation system, much like ESPN NFL 2K5, which has been based on the Sega Dreamcast version of the game. As in previous games in the series, the game will also feature a brand-new 3D engine that is more than capable of rendering players and objects in highly detailed environments. All the animation in the game is done using 2K's proprietary skeletal animation system, which consists of motion-captured facial animations with numerous techniques that will allow for a much more fluid animation.

The game's audio will be a big focus in 2K9. The producers have put together some new songs, which will help keep the action fast and fun. 2K9 will also have a slew of sound effects in the game. While we've seen some of them in previous 2K games, we couldn't help but wonder how they'll work in the game.

2K9 will also have some more polish in its visuals. One of the most noticeable improvements is the lighting, which is highly dynamic and has been implemented in some scenes. Character models in the game have received some interesting attention. You'll see a good deal of detail, thanks to the lighting and reflection routines used for some of the more advanced textures. Two other visual niceties will also be in the game. The new facial animations are done by members of the 2K Australia team, who used the motion-capture program used in WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth to lend the visuals. You'll notice that a good portion of these new faces feature new tattoos that come into play during certain moments. Also new to 2K9 are the slick animations that are brought to life in real time and to the game. You'll see your created wrestler move, change clothes, and move his or her body so he or she is moving on to the next stage of his or her journey. You'll even see the sickly digital mess of your favorite wrestler running through the streets of NYC or running through a park, among other areas.

Some of the moves are also being beefed up for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. In addition to making you more aware of what to do when you're trying to grab a belt, you'll be able to push your camera left and right in any direction you want. If you want to take a look at how the camera moves around the ring, you can do so by pressing a direction on the right analog stick and rotating the camera up and down. We're not sure if it will be possible to just simply shift and move your camera around as you're grappling it in real time, but at least you'll be able to do that when you're swinging from ropes or pulling off some big grabs or reversals.

There are no tag team matches or team-ups in The SmackDown! vs. Raw 2007, so you'll need to play your way through the game's Story mode to unlock stuff like special moves, created characters, and more. As far as new features go, the team has put together a robust creation tool that will let you create wrestlers and create dream matches of your dreams. You'll also be able to tweak your created wrestler's attire, including hair, eyes, and shoes, head, and facial hair. The face and body types are easily the coolest parts of The SmackDown! vs. Raw 2007. You'll be able to mold your wrestler's personality, your voice, and your nickname in a number of ways. If you want to be a true professional wrestler, you can do it in the story mode. In addition to shaping your superstar's personality, you can head into the various game modes to customize his appearance. The career mode will let you create a customized wrestler, start a career in a WWE, and work your way up to the top. The create-a-wrestler mode lets you create a virtual version of your own wrestler and work on your own path to become a WWE superstar.