Boy, things got downright hostile in the last year with sports franchises, didn't they? EA Sports struck hard and took the NFL license for exclusive use, and then 2K Sports swooped in and struck a major deal with the Major League Baseball associations to make theirs the only baseball game in town. Then EA struck back by taking the ESPN license that had found such a cushy home in Sega's sports product, and, well, the battle lines were drawn. 2K scored a big victory with last year's high-quality Major League Baseball 2K5, but would they repeat this year, without having to worry about major-league competition from EA?

Well, yes and no. Yes, 2K6 features some great new touches that put some refreshing touches on the gameplay to make you feel like you're that much closer to the turf in Yankee Stadium, but no as is skips out a little bit on some of the beautiful presentation that made the first game so much damn fun. It's like a power hitter that developed a bit better on his swing (without the use of steroids) and then hustles a little bit trying to move his way to the base. Something's a bit sluggish in the performance, even if the majority of the job is done.

One of the big additions to Major League Baseball 2K6 is called Inside Edge. It's a feature that was actually plays a role into how realistically each team is portrayed. See, Kush Games based a bunch of info off of scouting reports and statistic-based data into player performance, so those who were developed as power hitters are in fact power hitters, while others pack a bit more energy in their base-stealing and so on. It sounds a bit technical, but you can really tell how well it implements itself into the gameplay. You'll also find yourself more prone to injuries trying to run yourself to a base, and can even get accurate control over manager functions, like running out to the field and protesting a bad call, risking an ejection. Sadly, you can't pull a Don Zimmer and try to knock down the ump...at least, not yet.

That's the cool thing I like, risk. Most sports games follow the nip-and-tuck set of rules that really fail to let you feel life outside the boundaries, but with Inside Edge, you actually set yourself up for your own consequences. Sometimes there's great reward, and sometimes not. But your performance is well weighed and ties in with the new gameplay touches rather well. Not only has pitching been touched up upon with great improvement and that struggle to keep it going over the plate, but you also get advised on the best pitches to use, which comes in handy for getting the side retired. Granted, you can follow your own path, and again walk that fine line of risk. Having the option is terrific.

Batting also takes a cue for the better. You might recall that EA Sports tried to introduce analog batting in their own game, the NCAA-licensed affair they released earlier this year. 2K6 follows a similar cue, but has bat motions nailed down for the better, meaning that you actually feel the bat controls like you're supposed to, and can execute better hits on the fly. It feels rather refreshing, and if it's not your speed, 2K Sports was gracious enough to include the option to use the original push-button scheme. More games should do that, have the classic touch and yet offer something new along the way, instead of forcing it to the surface and burying what worked to begin with.

Fielding and base-running is still as great as always, although the game sometimes ends up doing the same thing over and over in terms of action. You're expecting some power hits, and suddenly you end up with two pop-flys. Then a third. All easily caught. And sometimes the fielders make an unnecessary error, missing out on a catch that could've easily been relayed to first base for the easy out. That's the occasional AI hiccup for you, being a speed bump in an otherwise smooth layer of pavement that is solid computer thinking.

The game features a number of modes to play around with. The General Manager mode is still the best of the bunch, introducing you to a series of events and players that allow you to build your own legacy, right down to the simple in-and-outs of draft day. The number of arcade and tournament modes are staggering, and will keep you playing all day. Online play has also been included, complete with roster updated and statistical updates that come in handy for those who keep track of these sort of things.

But online play does run into a slight problem here. It's cut and dry. For instance, a lot of the in-between TV presentation fluff that shows transition from one player to another have been skipped. No major fireworks after a home run, no player introductions, just moving from one guy to the other. This hurts the game a little bit, as it makes the presentation for online matches a bit condensed.

In fact, presentation itself takes a hit, even offline. The lack of an ESPN license shows through the holes of this product, as most of the fancy TV cut-aways and replays lack the pizzazz to keep you fully entertained. Players still animate beautifully, and the angles in which you watch your pitching, swinging, and fielding are all still present and accounted for, but, again, you can see where corners were cut and wince because of it. I know 2K Sports didn't have access to a full-on sports network, but would it have been so bad to keep what was included and revolve it around your own?

Also, the commentary takes a hit from last year. The team of Jon Miller and Joe Morgan (oddly, still from ESPN...I think) are on hand to provide play-by-play, and they're pretty on target with keeping up with the plays and past events in the game, but they seem to have a lack of general emotion here. It's like they're reading off script cards, they know it, and continue to do it anyway. It's a blemish in an otherwise well-sounding product, complete with organ music, cheering crowds, and the PA guy letting loose with his comments and music cutaways.

I admit it, last year's Major League Baseball 2K5: World Series Edition completely spoiled me, and I'm not even a big baseball fan. I loved the World Series scenarios thrown on top of the awesome game that was last year's defining moment for 2K Sports, and this year...well, it feels like a trip backward. It's like the guy that gets cocky enough to stand on second base, then takes a few steps out only to get nailed by the hidden ball trick. You feel something off in the vibe, even with the great stuff he still packs.

Major League Baseball 2K6, however, is the only major MLB title we have for the Xbox (PS2 owners also have Sony's impressive MLB '06: The Show), and it's still a damn fine game. The gameplay touches and improvements in realism make it that much more delectable, and the general manager and online modes still entertain. It just needed a little more push in presentation and detail to keep it definitive, like last year's. Oh, well, 2K's got the license for a while, and as Steinbrenner says, "There's always next year."