The game aesthetics are the best ever. More video variance than ever before. And, as so many have mentioned, the soundtrack is killing it.

The network errors are surely a problem, but nothing out of the ordinary for sure. I can live with some downtime now and then.

But, what bums me about this game (and every variation before) is the artificial experience of it. There is just no consistency to any of the strike-zone animation.

It's the strike zone bat/ball animation that dictates the entire game. And, it's just false.

I swear, watching the results the AI paints inside the box is like watching the results on a slot machine. We (the player) are basically expected to believe the audio (hard crack, crisp strike, dull thud, etc.) actually corresponds to the animation the AI paints on the screen. From this audio feedback we're expected to believe that's actually how we hit the ball pitched.

When, in fact, it's all programmed to artificially create a result. And, depending on what random outcome the AI is feeling at the time, that's what we see and hear and are just expected to believe true physics dictate.

You only have to play the game for a couple hours to see glaring discrepencies in the physics. Pitched balls that unnaturally change trajectory. I've seen fastballs dropping down below the zone that just stop their trajectory to simulate a strike. Just countless flaws and obvious manipulation by the AI.

Just feel like I'm watching the game at times and not participating. And, I'm pretty successful I suppose. 20-2 in RS. Destroy in Conquest and such. But, that doesn't make it all good. Actually sort of cheapens the experience knowing that my success is at the expense of some other player that is getting hustled by the AI.

Oh well..it is what it is I suppose.