The Best Gameplay of 2017? MLB The Show 17

[Steve_OS]

When it comes to sports games, they can offer all of the options or modes in...

Written By: Kevin Scott

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[nemesis04]

Re: The Best Gameplay of 2017? MLB The Show 17

I don't play the other sports titles but if the Show 17 was the best gameplay wise those games must be really roughl. To me gameplay went backwards last year offline and especially online. To give credit though, there were individual gameplay aspects that improved but as a sewn together package I found it unbalanced and disjointed.

You mentioned Madden and its patches but the Show was patch city last year. In having interacted with the design team in the past I am hopeful they will try hard to pull it together tighter for 18.

[underdog13]

Re: The Best Gameplay of 2017? MLB The Show 17

Yeah I gotta agree with Nemesis. There was some nice improvements to gameplay, but it didn't feel well balanced at all. Must have been a weak year for sport videogames in the gameplay department.

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[HypoLuxa13]

Re: The Best Gameplay of 2017? MLB The Show 17

Yeah I gotta agree with Nemesis. There was some nice improvements to gameplay, but it didn't feel well balanced at all. Must have been a weak year for sport videogames in the gameplay department.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

See, now I disagree with you both. MLB 17 took noticeable steps forward in gameplay and IMO, is the best playing baseball game ever. The ball physics, especially after they were toned down in a patch, were huge to the realism of the gameplay. The hit variety is still making me say "That was cool!" almost every time I play, even though I've played hundreds of hours in the game at this point. Animations were much improved for both infielders and outfielders - defense is the most fluid, realistic and natural it has ever been. Stolen bases are much more realistic.

So I'm the opposite, I found that there just a few individual gameplay aspects that were not up to par still, not that there were just a few improved.

Passed ball & wild pitch logic was annoying. CPU bullpen usage may have been somewhat improved but not where it needs to be eventually (though bullpen logic has to be a major pain in the neck to program!). Average fielders making All Star defensive plays happened to often. Camera in RttS is still annoying and wonky at times. But these are truly individual issues to me, and do very little to detract from the overall gameplay enjoyment.

[countryboy]

Re: The Best Gameplay of 2017? MLB The Show 17

I agree with nemesis and underdog. While I can appreciate the new improvements to gameplay in '17, the game, as underdog mentioned, just didn't feel balanced. The wild pitch and passed ball issue was troublesome, as was the catcher lobbing throws to the bases after a ball in the dirt. Couple that with a few other minor annoyances I had (ie batter handedness instead of position on batter walkup) and it was just too much for me to find the same level of enjoyment as I did in '16, and years previous.

As I've stated before, my thoughts on '17 are that the dev team took a big swing looking to knock the ball out of the park, but ended up hooking it just foul.

With that said, I am very much anxious to see what '18 has in store and I truly believe that it will be, imo, the best baseball game to date.

[geisterhome]

The Show is really a mixed bag nowadays, some things it does very well and at times it feels like it can compete with any game  out there but in other aspects it's almost stuck at last gen level and certain things haven't been touched for years. I guess the dev team is small and that' s how it's gotta be.

[Factzzz]

Re: The Best Gameplay of 2017? MLB The Show 17

I think relative to other sports games, the Show might've had the best gameplay. It's definitely not too far of a stretch to say that. Some people don't play other sports games so they don't get to see all of the problems in other titles, but the Show has consistently delivered the best gameplay experience in my opinion. FIFA is the only other sports game that i would consider.

[Jbstoner43]

The Show has been the dominate sports title for a very long time. The minor issues that it has is very minuscule . With a few slider adjustments, the game plays PERFECT. There will always be complainers regarding this game, but those people will never be satisfied.  Like I said, EA is no longer relevant in the sports market. The only thing EA is focused on is the graphics, they could careless about the actual gameplay. 

[TheWarmWind]

Re: The Best Gameplay of 2017? MLB The Show 17

I'm not at all surprised by this. Fact of the matter is, despite its flaws, you can really let yourself sink into The Show and actually feel like you're playing baseball.

I don't play a lot of other sports games, but I used to be really into the NHL series. I had to stop. No matter what I did, no matter how much I fiddled with sliders, I always was disappointing with the end results. I never felt like I was playing hockey.

That's always been the best thing about The Show. It just FEELS right to play. Hopefully they keep improving things for 18.

[N51_rob]

Its the damnedest thing with this game.  As the gameplay has improved and gotten better and better I get bored with the titles faster and faster.  The Show is IMO one of if not the best sports simulation titles out there, but I find myself losing interest in it faster and faster.  Can't put my finger on it...weird I know.

[Americas Team]

I dont play the show so its Nba2K18 for me.

[Americas Team]

I dont play the show so its Nba2K18 for me, Nba 2K18 is the best offline sports game ever made imo.

[HypoLuxa13]

Re: The Best Gameplay of 2017? MLB The Show 17

Its the damnedest thing with this game.* As the gameplay has improved and gotten better and better I get bored with the titles faster and faster.* The Show is IMO one of if not the best sports simulation titles out there, but I find myself losing interest in it faster and faster.* Can't put my finger on it...weird I know.

Outgrowing gaming maybe?

Though I play The Show a ton every year, I don't play Madden anymore, rarely play NHL series, and NBA 2K is an every-other year purchase pretty much. Beyond that, I play a RPG's a little, and some occasional strategy games. But not much in the way of shooters, platformers, action/adventure, etc. Partially because I don't have much time anymore, partially because I don't get the enjoyment I used to get from gaming - sports games and The Show included. 15 years ago, even 10 years ago, gaming was my primary hobby. Now it is probably 3rd or 4th on my list of leisure activities.

[Caulfield]

Re: The Best Gameplay of 2017? MLB The Show 17

SDS, you deserve this. But dont let it g to your head.
Keep growing, keep improving and keep on keeping on.

[bubba4]

The Show has always been an ALMOST great game for a long time. But something is just a little off. My main issue with SDS is that they are a first party developer. In my mind, when you are first party you have access to all that Sony can grant you as far as the PS4 goes. But they just haven't pushed the envelope like other first party titles have. They have been making some nice improvements, but imo they feel minor. As I play each iteration of the game, something inside of me feels like they have brought over too many old assets from previous generations. That's probably why 4k performs so poorly.
I think SDS needs to take 2 or more years off and come with something that's worthy of this generation and the next. As it is now, The Show is ho-hum to me. It's a very good game, buy I know they can be better.