MLB 13: The Show Live Quick Review - CPRoark's Blog

CPRoark's Blog

MLB 13: The Show Live Quick Review

Posted on April 19, 2013 at 12:44 PM.

We are about three weeks into the launch of MLB 13's newest mode, The Show Live, and what was once a potentially awesome mode has turned into somewhat of a disappointment.

This mode, which is supposed to allow you to play or replay any game on the MLB schedule, is full of strange bugs and unfortunate limitations.

At the most basic level, The Show Live will allow you to choose to play any game from the 2013 season. Technically, rosters should be close to what was set during that game (or what is projected for the future).

However, because the game locks you into the official rosters (as nearly all online games do), roster issues have been numerous. If real players aren't on the official rosters--for contractual reasons or late updates--you may see some odd players filling that spot or "TBD" on the line-up card. You can read more about these problems in our The Show Live thread.

Additionally, statistics and records are only occasionally right. Live scores are nice, but often well-delayed. I'm guessing both of these issues are related to the MLB data feeds The Show uses; however, for a mode that relies on this information, it's extra-important to get it right.

In-game, you'll see a number of small touches that showcase the timeliness of your game. Sadly, most are repeated from franchise mode, so don't expect big surprises. I did manage to hit Chase Ultey's 200th homer in one game, and I liked that an infographic showed him sitting on 199. But, again, you'll see that in franchise mode too.

That said, I actually think this is an area that will shine as the season wears on. It will be interesting to see if you can hit a team or individual milestone in the same game that it happened in real life.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like real-life weather is included, and some users report issue with time of day.

I sincerely hope that development team working on The Show continues to improve this mode, as I think it is full of promise. Even in its current state, I tend to go there over exhibition games. I like the ability to replay completed games, then compare with the actual results.

As of right now, though, it is a bit of a let down.