MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

[canes21]

Re: MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

I don't think any game can ever keep the commentary fresh over the course of a full season. It's just not possible.

Repetition is inevitable. People are blown away with the new commentary, and that is great. But there is no way it holds up over the course of 162 games. You hear repetition sometimes after 10 games or less. It's just the nature of the beast.

If the announcers come in and refresh lines and banter as year goes on, that is one way to combat it to a certain extent.

I always wished they would just go back to one announcer doing play by play and concentrating on how players are performing during the game as well as the season. It would greatly eliminate repetitive lines, and allow the game to sound more realistic and breathe a bit without constant back and forth.


Sent from my IN2019 using Tapatalk

My philosophy has always been these games should strive to have a ton of generic lines that can be stitched together. The unique lines are great, but hearing that a guy is a throwback every time someone doesn't wear batting gloves gets old.

Instead, if their name, age, stats on the season and/or day were referenced, then it doesn't stick out.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[eric7064]

Re: MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

I don't think any game can ever keep the commentary fresh over the course of a full season. It's just not possible.

Repetition is inevitable. People are blown away with the new commentary, and that is great. But there is no way it holds up over the course of 162 games. You hear repetition sometimes after 10 games or less. It's just the nature of the beast.

If the announcers come in and refresh lines and banter as year goes on, that is one way to combat it to a certain extent.

I always wished they would just go back to one announcer doing play by play and concentrating on how players are performing during the game as well as the season. It would greatly eliminate repetitive lines, and allow the game to sound more realistic and breathe a bit without constant back and forth.


Sent from my IN2019 using Tapatalk

10 games?! I started hearing massive repeated lines as early as the 2nd, 3rd, 4th games.

Every time Madrigal is up for the Cubs I have to hear how dangerous he is to other teams because he does not strike out. EVERY TIME.

[Firestorm]

Re: MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

Remember back in the days when you could only have the simple play call and turn off the other announcers? That's all I need, just change who the announcer is every year or two.

[eric7064]

Re: MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

Remember back in the days when you could only have the simple play call and turn off the other announcers? That's all I need, just change who the announcer is every year or two.

I have said this for YEARS in regards to commentary in sports games.

Hire a couple broadcasting nobodies. Have them record for hours upon hours. They can spend alot more time in the studio than the real life busy broadcasters that the sports games are intent on hiring. Yet, we still see in every sports game the repeated lines after awhile.

I would be totally fine with a broadcaster that was dedicated for the Show. Even if they were not a voice that people recognized. But every year they would be able to come in add to the lines.

I am sure easier said than done, but I am surprised a sports game has not tried this yet to keep the commentary good and fresh.

[countryboy]

Re: MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

I'm loving how big the ballparks are playing and the hit variety that is opened up accordingly.

Also nice to see that mediocre fielders, especially outfielders, aren't consistently making diving catches. In fact, I'd venture to say that I've seen more booted diving catch attempts in my short time with '22 versus all of '21.

Very welcome addition/fix/improvement

[canes21]

Re: MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

I have said this for YEARS in regards to commentary in sports games.



Hire a couple broadcasting nobodies. Have them record for hours upon hours. They can spend alot more time in the studio than the real life busy broadcasters that the sports games are intent on hiring. Yet, we still see in every sports game the repeated lines after awhile.



I would be totally fine with a broadcaster that was dedicated for the Show. Even if they were not a voice that people recognized. But every year they would be able to come in add to the lines.



I am sure easier said than done, but I am surprised a sports game has not tried this yet to keep the commentary good and fresh.

NFL 2k used voice actors for their commentary. It did get repetitive, but that was also 20 years ago. That game still has better presentation than many modern sports games, but I think with where we are today in the gaming world, going the voice actor route would allow them to go wild with how much they could record annually.

Hopefully with that time they wouldn't be recording long stories that get repetitive and would use it to really have a large variety of generic lines that could be stitched together.

What do you think gets old quicker?

"Here's Matt Olson up to bat. He sure has a lot to live up to replacing Freddie Freeman, but he just needs to be Matt Olson and not try too much."

Or

"And here comes Olson. So far he has a .257 average, has 13 HRs, and 38 RBIs on the year. He's also reached base safely 11 games in a row now."

And along the same lines.

"Matt Olson up now. He's 1 for 3 on the day after getting a single his last time up. On the year he has a .259 average with 13 long balls and has driven in 38."

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[countryboy]

Re: MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

I will say this, as you progress through franchise mode, the commentary opens up a bit.

Not to the level that anyone has suggested here, but it does help to a degree.

[Lil Worm]

Re: MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

"A Wrong Made Right”
MLB The Show 22 PS5 Review

Baseball is a timeless game. I think all of us here who are baseball fans have always known that no matter what is going on in the world or with our lives, Spring always comes around and baseball returns. I think the same could be said for the MLB Show series too. Like clockwork, each and every February we would anticipate with glee what was going to be new with the forth coming newest version of the game. Looking for any morsel of news, press releases, teasers, fact sheets, new features etc etc etc. This had gone on for me for some 15 odd years. After MLB 20, I was at this point of what can they do next? We had it all. Year to Year saves, Sounds of the Show, a massive library of incredible roster creations by many of amazing and talented roster and cap makers here at Operation Sports. So what can go wrong as a new console was coming in the PS5 and MLB 21 was making the jump to the Next Generation.

Apparently.....a lot.

Without going into revisionist history there were some (not all of us) who simply felt MLB 21 was a huge whiff. Something the series had not seen in my eyes since I started playing. Yes some games had some issues (MLB 12 year one of ball physics 1.0, Sounds of the Show having a one year hiatus, various little bugs and annoyances with catcher play, lazy OF’s, some questionable tags, clunky manual fielding etc etc etc etc) but the one thing.....the most important thing we could always count on was the gameplay. Oh my the gameplay was always so good despite the warts. No matter what we were able to find joy in playing console baseball....at the highest level in sports video game history. SDS had a stellar track record of always no matter what....delivering a rewarding experience.

Until MLB 21.

Not only did we have a new console....we had a few new consoles. XBOX One, XBOX X.....The Show was no longer a Playstation Exclusive. So what did that mean? Well it meant on the next gen batch of consoles we no longer will have a beloved cult following feature known as Sounds of the Show. It also meant another beloved cult following feature was also removed in "Year to Year Saves". A Revolutionary feature that allowed us to carry forward our Franchise/Franchise's and Road To Show Player Universe to the latest version of the game. Not only that....here at Operation Sports we have a hardcore group of the true “Content Creators” known as our classic roster community and the legend himself Bacon who is the creator of the Bacon Fictional Roster Universe. There are dozens and dozens and dozens of rosters we all enjoy every year on the Show that with Y2Y (and the one and done feature of roster importing) made it possible to keep them alive and the ability to port them game to game saving 100’s and 100’s of man hours.

Gone.....vapor.....end of an era. Tough pills to swallow for some of us.

Ok.....so were dealt some serious haymakers out of the gate on this move to the new systems. But.....it is The Show and the gameplay would make us forget this and we could overcome it...
Until MLB 21.


So coming into the new cycle.....I was pessimistic for the first time in my entire life about this game, this development team, the vision...all of it. And honestly....how could I be positive after the gut punch and IMO failure of gameplay on several levels we got with the last cycle. So hey....that’s ok....that’s life....it’s just a video game. I have MLB 20 and I love that game with a passion and I am good.

I went into the Tech Test....hoping....praying that things can get better. And coming out of the tech test I had some signs that hey.....I think they heard some of us on a few things (hitting, check swings, hit variety) but the tech test was bare bones and was unfinished. So I simply did not know.

I was fully prepared to play MLB 20 (still am BTW as it is still legendary for reasons I don’t need to get into....but those of us who still play it gloat about it everyday) for another year at a minimum.

Then we were sprung with a surprise from my lovely wife and great son. So here we go.....let’s give this a shot.

MLB 22 (PS5) is without a single shred of doubt the greatest console baseball game ever made

Yes.....you read that right.


Gameplay - The game is completely refined in every way.

Hitting - People.....the hitting engine we knew and love on MLB 20 is back.....and back with a vengeance and even better than it ever was. Variety, ball spins, ball physics, the bat sounds.....oh sweet lord the bat sounds are back and better than ever. Check Swings.....far more balanced and make sense. I am getting a great ratio of successful to non successful check swings and the they make a lot more sense. Are there the occasional “come on moments” when I barely move? Yes. But there are also some moments again when I moved more than I should and I get a no swing appeal. So SDS.....I applaud you immensely for listening to some of us in your hardcore offline simulation community and bringing balance back to the force.

Fielding - MLB 21 had some positives....one of them was the improved fielding animations....well they are even better on MLB 22. Outfielders finally....finally circle balls and come up aggressively ready to fire!!!! IT IS A THING OF BEAUTY. Also they will take bad routes based on ratings. Perfect/Perfect throws are amazing for guys with rocket arms. Also you will see ratings truly play out more than ever between guys who are elite, good, average and below average. Double plays are a thing of beauty and also I love how they balanced them and lowered the frequency of them.....they were too many in years past.

Pitching - It is better than ever. HOF Default Classic Pitching (no ball marker no controller vibration) is sublime. Guys can suddenly lose the strike zone this year. More walks, more strikeouts, more chased pitches out of the zone.

Presentation - So the only stream I watched was this one......and I was very impressed with it. Still....gameplay is the #1 and #2 thing on my list of why I play a sports game but folks....and I am sure all of you agree.....presentation was in a massive need of an overhaul and WE GOT IT!!!!! Boog and Singleton are incredible. It sounds like a classic radio broadcast that allows the game to breathe. I love the dead space between pitches that allows us to hear the ball park, the organs, and fans. My god.....it’s majestic. There banter is not overdone, feels so conversational and natural. Boog oozes baseball with his delivery. I never minded Matty V. Boog is simply better. The new themes are brilliantly done. The two unique scorebugs are amazing, the new franchise ticker is an amazing add for Franchise lovers like myself who play every game. I love the regional theme so much....it feels like a Bally Sports broadcast. Where as The Show theme totally feels like Fox baseball now. It is so well done and thought out.

Audio - The audio team at SDS have completely outdone themselves this year. Playing on the PS5 with the Sony Pulse 3D audio headphones......it is like I died and went to baseball heaven. The crack of the bat, the different glove sounds for different pitches and throws, the base/bag mic at first base and hearing the thump of a runners foot hitting first base and then the ball popping the glove....it is next gen stuff here. Also the ball park sounds at different location are meticulousy recreated so well. Chants, crowd swells, crowd reactions!!!! My goodness this is baseball at it’s best. From the lull of a quiet crowd....to an all of a sudden eruption of joy....the emotional roller coaster that SDS has recreated with this new updated and revamped audio package is nothing short of incredible!

Franchise Mode - Ok......let’s get this out of the way. We all know Franchise Mode has been a much maligned mode around these parts. I get it. I really do. But I have always been able to get this mode to work for me. With 30 team control I have been able to create some amazing franchise universes and have had simply a marvelous time with this game. I realize a lot of folks don’t have the time or the energy or both to fiddle faddle with 30 team control like I do. But....you can do as little or as much as you want but keep your flexibility to right any perceived wrongs you see. I highly encourage you guys to visit my slider thread and read the 30 team manifesto. It could inspire you and give you ideas or you can simply use 30 team control just to keep lineup integrity in tact for each team (after the initial set up it is easy...very easy to manage with little time sink). So back to Franchise mode.....nothing really has changed. The simplified the budget screen, made it possible to have Othani (and any potential two way player) DH and then pitch on his scheduled turn....but he cannot be the #1 starter in the rotation. Contract Logic was worked on as well as market size decisions and budgets. Other than that it is the same franchise mode I have played for years and years. And for me.....that is ok. Do I want more? Yeah we need improved scouting (meaning a larger scouting department and far more prospects) a larger scale draft which means we really need expanded rosters. I am hoping we at least in the future get a full minor league system as well as international signing period. Also a better injury system. But other than that I think the game has a very functional franchise mode for players who enjoy playing most of their games. If you are a deep sim guy who plays few games and simulates seasons.....this is not your game. It simply is not. I feel it is not designed with that kind of player in mind. Which leads me to this. We got a huge franchise addition this year. The new presentation goes hand in hand for me personally with Franchise mode. I spend 95% of my time on the diamond. The new presentation is immersing me more than ever.

Visuals - This is so hotly debated here......but for me...on the PS5 this game is gorgeous. The lighting is so incredible. But the ballparks......the cathedrals of baseball are brilliant. The sheer difference in them this year is stark. They are huge. The OF feels.....BIG. They nailed it this cycle. Let’s talk about the new camera angles. The fan Cam is super cool. But the HR’s? My oh my!!!! I love em. I get the HR cam, sometimes I get the no doubt pull back cam which looks different this year and in a good way.....the fan cam on some HR replays as you see it going into the seats from the fan perspective.....WOW!!!! The game feels so fresh. A revamp in this department is evident! Equipment, uniforms all pop. And how about player mannerisms. I will give one example. Gerrit Cole on the Yankees.....they nailed his mannerisms on the bump....I love it. The little things. This game has and always will be about.....the little things. Even the ball boys were finally updated and don’t look like little people with beards....which has been creepy for years LOL.


Other Modes:

March To October - In all fairness....I have not yet played one minute of MTO. But I plan on it in the future. I have tried this mode every cycle (except 21) it has been in the game and it never has been able to hold my attention. But I want to see whats new.

Road To The Show - I used to play RTTS quite a bit back on the PS3 generation and the PS4 generation thru MLB 18. I did not like where they took this mode on 21.....I will check it out again though and see if it is playable again.

Diamond Dynasty - Simply put....I love collecting cards and the only way I get cards are thru packs, and earning them from playing franchise. That’s it. Stubs I earn from just playing franchise will be used to purchase packs and rip them open....other than that I don’t play the mode. Not my thing.

Postseason Mode - Love this mode. Especially for classic rosters so hopefully we get a few this cycle.


Conclusion:

This game has been a huge turnaround for me coming off the disappointment of 21. I have long been a passionate Show supporter but we took a 1 year hiatus and had planned on another in 2022 but fortunately we got a gift from my love ones and what a gift it turned out to be.

MLB 22 has fully restored my faith that SDS does care about us. They really do. They have made a baseball game for the ages. For offline players this is a full return to form in terms of the game having a heart and soul again. It feels alive, vibrant, colorful, it feels like.......baseball.

The future looks bright again. But if this were the last baseball game I ever played.....I would be completely satisfied. And I said the same thing about 20 (and still think that of 20 as I will continue to play my classic baseball on that game for as long as live). SDS really bounced back. A great comeback story.

I know a lot of you who felt they never went away.....and enjoyed 21 as much as 20....and thats cool. But for me this is a massive turnaround as I felt they wronged a hardcore segment of their pioneer fanbase like myself and some other long time OS members. And I know I speak for some of you when I say what happened last cycle felt terrible. I was not happy....then of course we got over it pretty quickly and just kept playing what we loved. Because....hey it is after all just a video game.

But with MLB 22 we have gotten something so very special. And IMO a baseball video game for the ages.

This is a Next Gen baseball game.....aboslutely....hands down and no doubt about it.

This is not the same game. It is now a new baseball game for a new era of consoles. MLB The Show is back and better than ever.

My hope moving forward is they bring back Y2Y saves, roster importing and Sounds of the Show. Those features honestly would have made this game....perfect.


9.5 out of 10


Be well.....and have fun with it!!!

I love it brother!!!! Between you and CB....well you guys just have me absolutely have me BUSTING AT THE SEEMS to get this game downloaded, and playing baseball!!!

I made the switch from PS4 to the Series X due to I accidentally got my hands on a next gen system. So for baseball The Show 21 was my only option to play on next gen, and while I love 20 still to this day....I fell in love with 21. I was setting this one out due to being so into my 21 franchise, but no longer. Tonight people I will start my download!!!

[Jeffrey Smith]

Re: MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

NFL 2k used voice actors for their commentary. It did get repetitive, but that was also 20 years ago. That game still has better presentation than many modern sports games, but I think with where we are today in the gaming world, going the voice actor route would allow them to go wild with how much they could record annually.

Hopefully with that time they wouldn't be recording long stories that get repetitive and would use it to really have a large variety of generic lines that could be stitched together.

What do you think gets old quicker?

"Here's Matt Olson up to bat. He sure has a lot to live up to replacing Freddie Freeman, but he just needs to be Matt Olson and not try too much."

Or

"And here comes Olson. So far he has a .257 average, has 13 HRs, and 38 RBIs on the year. He's also reached base safely 11 games in a row now."

And along the same lines.

"Matt Olson up now. He's 1 for 3 on the day after getting a single his last time up. On the year he has a .259 average with 13 long balls and has driven in 38."

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Exactly this.


They should have stat specific lines not player specific.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[eric7064]

Re: MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

I will say this, as you progress through franchise mode, the commentary opens up a bit.

Not to the level that anyone has suggested here, but it does help to a degree.

How deep into it? I know you play every game, and were in spring for awhile. I am at the end of April and am still struggling to keep the commentary on.

[countryboy]

Re: MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

How deep into it? I know you play every game, and were in spring for awhile. I am at the end of April and am still struggling to keep the commentary on.

I'm in mid-April and I've heard a few references in regards to players/teams play during the early part of the season.

Like I said its nothing like people are talking about here, but they will at least break up the continued repeated lines

[LastActionHero]

MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

From a real park in comparison, there is just something super off about the way the lighting and the grass interact and the actual tone, density, and color of the grass, dirt, and many details in the stadiums. It feels a bit empty as it always did on PS4. Hard to put down in words, but the realism of visuals just isn't there, and it hasn't taken a big step in a long time. Baby steps yes, but I'm just not excited to look at this game anymore, and worse I revile the look of the field in this game. Been that way for 5+ years. It looks like a 1080p game upscaled to 4K with poor detail and lighting is basically what I am getting at.

I feel you man, the look and feel of the field has been bothering me as well for quite some time now but since we’re in the 2nd release on the ps5 and not much has changed since the ps4 I have low expectations moving forward.

Maybe just maybe they are working behind the scenes on a big graphical overhaul that spans over a 2-3 year timeframe that they might implement next year [emoji1694]

[ctguy2021]

Re: MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

How deep into it? I know you play every game, and were in spring for awhile. I am at the end of April and am still struggling to keep the commentary on.

What has been touted as one of, if not THE, greatest strengths of this year's edition most likely will wear out it's welcome in a few weeks.

Don't get me wrong, I love the changes they made with announcing, but there is no way to succeed with this long term..over the course of a season. Not until they go to player and season/career stat presentation. Nothing else will stay fresh from an anecdote point of view longer term.


Sent from my IN2019 using Tapatalk

[JayhawkerStL]

Re: MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

I just limit how much I play the full broadcast mode. I don’t even do hybrid. If you play on the quick mode, the % of PBP versus color tilts much more in PBP’s favor.

Sometimes if it is a big game, I will go full broadcast and just go with it. It’s not about it being all brand new, it’s more about it just being a slower paced game, with more chatter.

But as far as I’m concerned, the quality is as good as what 2K is known for putting out. The real question is whether they really do add in content as the season goes along, and if that works as well as they hope.

But even in 2K, the commentary is still best for just NBA Today games, and it was that way in MLB 2K, as well. That way they can feed some new stuff in, and you are not getting it all the time. Play Now and franchise play puts a lot more pressure on commentary, for sure.

[Archie56]

Re: MLB The Show 22 - (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) Impressions

One thing I have noticed, is that on EVERY single no doubt home run I've hit, it triggers the home run cam, which I hate. Last year it would only trigger some of the time. Anybody else getting the same thing? With all the hate that the home run cam gets, it would be very odd for SDS to make it happen everytime you hit a no doubter

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk