MLB 2006 caters to both sim and arcade fans by providing plenty of
adjustable difficulty settings. You can let the game do the adjusting of
individual settings by simply choosing to play at rookie, veteran, or all-star
levels, or you can custom tweak each one by using a system of sliders. The
game performs well at either end of the spectrum, providing easy-to-pick-up,
high-scoring arcade baseball on one end to a realistic simulation on the other
with stats and scores that mimic the real thing.
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| The player models are realistic in MLB 2006. |
You can jump right into the game and set a match-up between any two teams
at any of the pro ball parks or play the game’s deeper season, franchise,
career, or manager modes. The season mode will let you control a team through
the 2005 Major League schedule, complete with All-Star game and playoffs. In
this and all modes, you can choose to simulate all or part of the season, and
even skip innings in individual games. The franchise mode adds the challenge
of building and maintaining a winning ball club. You have to manage the usual
general manager tasks of trades, contract negotiations, and the like, but MLB
2006 also gives you control over a large number of back office tasks as well.
You can set ticket prices, guide your team’s marketing strategy, and even play
with the seat configuration at your ballpark. All of your actions will work
together to affect fan support, team morale, and of course the bottom line.
The career mode is an interesting one in that you create a new player from
scratch and take on that player’s persona during his baseball career. You have
a good degree of control over your player’s look and can even use an EyeToy to
take your picture and put your face on the player. You then distribute your
initial skill points into a number of batting, pitching, and fielding skills
and select a Major League organization. You then are taken to spring training
with the team and given a chance to demonstrate your skills during Cactus or
Grapefruit League games. At first you won’t get a lot of playing time, but
you’ll get your shot to impress the coaches and win a closer look during the
exhibition season. As spring training continues you’ll earn more points to
spend to further improve your player’s stats. If you do really well and can
fill a hole on the team’s roster you’ll earn a spot in the big leagues, but
you’ll more likely need to spend some time at the AA or AAA level first. Here
is where your performance will determine whether you get an invite to the Big
Dance or languish in obscurity as a career minor leaguer. If your on-field
performance is not enough to draw attention, you can make use of special
“interactions” that include demands for trades or more playing time, chats
with the manager or your teammates, or even a chance to plead your case
directly to the press. You don’t have to worry about the prospect of playing
your way through several minor league seasons if you’d rather not – the game
will let you simulate everything between your appearances or even between your
at-bats. You can power through a season, only taking control when you step to
the plate. This mode has an addicting quality to it – you feel more a part of
the game when it is your own career that you’re managing, I suppose.
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