Ranking MLB The Show

[Madden08PCgmr]

Re: Ranking MLB The Show

I'll stand up for 21, I think it gets a bad rap mostly beacuse of the removal of Y2Y saves. Totally get that, and totally sympathize as well.

21 still has a the massive name archive, and I prefer the old announcing crew and presentation.

22 had some improved glove work, but plenty of features went backward with the new crew... the beyond stupid Rawling glove colors?!!

... we need a pc release, and an external roster editor. I'm checked out on this series until 1 or both of those things are realized.

[Unlucky 13]

Re: Ranking MLB The Show

First I'll say that I'm exclusively an offline, single player franchise guy. Always have been, always will be. Its the only mode. I honestly don't think that the franchise/GM aspects of these last few games are all that different as to have a big discussion about it, honestly. I want a lot more, at least going back to what we had in the PS3 days.



For gameplay, its easy. 20 was the first baseball video game I've ever played where I was able to regularly take walks. It was fantastic, and was in large part due to the umpires not calling every checked swing by the player a strike, and basically treating the human and CPU on equal terms in this regard. I was so, so happy. For me, possibly the biggest positive step in gameplay that any game has every made in any sport.



When I then bought 21 (The worst of this group) and found that they had completely taken this away again, I ended up giving up on it after a few months and going back to 20. The only time I have ever done that in 35 or so years of playing baseball video games.



Thankfully, 22 was a bit better at allowing me to take walks again, with sliders set in my favor, and 23 is another step in the right direction.



So 20, 23, 22, 21.

[LowerWolf]

Re: Ranking MLB The Show

I'm the exact opposite of most people on here. I LOVE 21. Playing every pitch of every game, I put two and a half seasons in on it, and I may go back to it at some point. I thought 20 was a disappointment with too much offense.

Never played 22 and I haven't put a lot of time in on 23 since I'm burned out on sports games at the moment.

[Unlucky 13]

Re: Ranking MLB The Show

I'm the exact opposite of most people on here. I LOVE 21. Playing every pitch of every game, I put two and a half seasons in on it, and I may go back to it at some point. I thought 20 was a disappointment with too much offense.

Never played 22 and I haven't put a lot of time in on 23 since I'm burned out on sports games at the moment.

The difference probably falls into how good you yourself are at hitting and/or taking walks. I'm very much not good, nor have I ever been or ever will be, and need all of the help that I can get.

[Armor and Sword]

Ranking MLB The Show

The difference probably falls into how good you yourself are at hitting and/or taking walks. I'm very much not good, nor have I ever been or ever will be, and need all of the help that I can get.

It was more than that for me with 21.

Hitting never ever felt right.

On 20 I truly feel like I have the bat in my hand, the bat sounds are amazing and when you groove one….to this day that perfect barrel sound has been unmatched.

The color scheme, the score
Bugs, the UI all took major steps backwards for me on 21. It just lost that MLB Soul for me.

I thought 22 was a nice return to form but the more I played….the more it became the current 3 outcome game we have today…..which is not my thing….I play classic baseball and classic rosters constantly so 20 is the GOAT for that alone.

The hitting engine on 20 has been unmatched for me personally.


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[CgyFlames]

Re: Ranking MLB The Show

23, 22, 21, 20. And before that 19, 18, 17. The game does get incrementally better each year. If you really look into the reason anyone in this thread hasn’t ranked them in chronological order, it’s a personal bias for or against a certain game.

[Armor and Sword]

Re: Ranking MLB The Show

23, 22, 21, 20. And before that 19, 18, 17. The game does get incrementally better each year. If you really look into the reason anyone in this thread hasn’t ranked them in chronological order, it’s a personal bias for or against a certain game.

Come on…..utter BS man.

It’s personal opinions….not bias. It’s totally subjective.


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[Unlucky 13]

Re: Ranking MLB The Show

Come on…..utter BS man.

It’s personal opinions….not bias. It’s totally subjective.


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And isn't that the entire point of this forum, and more specifically this thread?



And even more to the point, I think that almost anyone who specializes in franchise modes in sports games would agree that in the big picture, most of them actually do not get better year after year as an absolute rule. That was probably true 95% of the time through the end of the PS2 era, but once online play started to take over and games started making cuts to franchise mode and altering game play so that it worked the way that they wanted in person vs person instead of single player, that really wasn't the case any more.

[Armor and Sword]

Ranking MLB The Show

And isn't that the entire point of this forum, and more specifically this thread?



And even more to the point, I think that almost anyone who specializes in franchise modes in sports games would agree that in the big picture, most of them actually do not get better year after year as an absolute rule. That was probably true 95% of the time through the end of the PS2 era, but once online play started to take over and games started making cuts to franchise mode and altering game play so that it worked the way that they wanted in person vs person instead of single player, that really wasn't the case any more.

1000%

If someone loves MLB 21 (my least favorite by far) and is having a great time…dude by all means!!! Enjoy it! There is no wrong answer here. The OP asked for ranks….I find it interesting reading what people love, dislike about the different versions of this game and it’s history.





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[Funkycorm]

Re: Ranking MLB The Show

23, 22, 21, 20. And before that 19, 18, 17. The game does get incrementally better each year. If you really look into the reason anyone in this thread hasn’t ranked them in chronological order, it’s a personal bias for or against a certain game.

It is a totally subjective question. Based on gameplay and franchise experience. My franchise experience with 20, 19, and 18 are all better than my franchise experience with 21, 22, and 23.

I will say I like the new scouting and drafting in 23 but as far as franchise experience and gameplay, my original order stands. I would even put it at 20, 19, 18, 23, 17, 22, 21 based on the ones you added.

My favorite final fantasy is 9 even though there are ones that come out after it. The newest iteration in a series does not automatically assume it is better.

It's all subjective to the individual. And of course it has some bias, it is a personal opinion. I like the Guardians better than the Braves even though I moved from Ohio to Georgia. Is that opinion wrong or biased? No it's a personal opinion...

Biased..... Lol.....

[hockeyyt988]

Ranking MLB The Show

I would rank 22 20 23 21.

Like many, I’m a sucker for immersion. I don’t have a ps5 (waiting for it to come to PC) and really, I have a PC just for sports games cause it’s a billion times better with mods as many know.

That said, it takes me awhile to get even going with a mlb game cause I gotta set up custom sounds, etc. I don’t have as much time to gsme with two kids now so I’m noticing if I don’t see enough franchise/ gameplay adjustments and/or there is too many red flag issues like the blue circle thing, I just go back to year before.

This year, with sots taking awhile to get support and erasing with patches + blue circle issue, I haven’t even tried to be honest. The only reason I put it above 21 is cause for the only time in 15 years, didn’t buy the game day one. That’s cause i was having a blast wirh 20 and didn’t want to set everything up again and lose my franchise. I did get it on sale during off-season but said “why’d I do that” cause 20 was fantastic.

22 though was a gem for me. I figured skipping 21, this would make sense to get and glad I did. The gameplay felt right, franchise was fun, new commentary got better with time, it was solid.

I want to get into 23 but it’s too much of an investment to play the way I like and I just simply can’t get past some of the clean screen hiccups right now.

Great thread too, I love reading others’ thoughts on the game.


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[JoshC1977]

Re: Ranking MLB The Show

23, 22, 21, 20. And before that 19, 18, 17. The game does get incrementally better each year. If you really look into the reason anyone in this thread hasn’t ranked them in chronological order, it’s a personal bias for or against a certain game.

On the whole, each game does show some iterative improvement, I don't necessarily disagree with that.

However, SDS has not linearly built upon every aspect of the game. Some aspects of the game have been removed (Y2Y saves, SOTS, HR/9 in-game impacts, etc.) while others are quite different (commentary team, scouting/draft system, menu screen formats, etc.). Also, each game has a different balancing (some more offense-heavy, some more pitching-heavy, etc.)

This is why every single one of us have biases towards certain titles in the series (including yourself - considering the next game in the series to be better is in of itself a bias). Nothing wrong with that either.

[Heisman]

Re: Ranking MLB The Show

Haven’t played 23 yet and I didn’t play 21 because of the no night games glitch with certain teams.

I have no idea how people could even play 21 with that glitch. Dodgers, Giants, Red Sox don’t have night games every other year and they never fixed it.. Ridiculous and SDS should be ashamed of that effort.

I’ve always had more fun with even numbered years anyway going back to mlb 18. So I would rank them 22, 20, 18. 18 and 20 are really close, but I’m still playing 22 today. Having a blast!!

[hockeyyt988]

Re: Ranking MLB The Show

On the whole, each game does show some iterative improvement, I don't necessarily disagree with that.



However, SDS has not linearly built upon every aspect of the game. Some aspects of the game have been removed (Y2Y saves, SOTS, HR/9 in-game impacts, etc.) while others are quite different (commentary team, scouting/draft system, menu screen formats, etc.). Also, each game has a different balancing (some more offense-heavy, some more pitching-heavy, etc.)



This is why every single one of us have biases towards certain titles in the series (including yourself - considering the next game in the series to be better is in of itself a bias). Nothing wrong with that either.

Great points. The other 100% subjective thing is fun value.

Most comments I’m noticing, the one common thread to their choice in best game was the “fun factor”.

Maybe it was a franchise they got deep into coupled with gameplay they enjoyed.

End of the day, that’s what we all want is for the game to be fun and there is no right or wrong answer with that.


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[Madden08PCgmr]

Re: Ranking MLB The Show

It is a totally subjective question. Based on gameplay and franchise experience. My franchise experience with 20, 19, and 18 are all better than my franchise experience with 21, 22, and 23.

Totally with you on 18-20.

Gameplay does improve with every version, props to SDS for that. This is the best sports game between the lines, its not even close.

Franchise is awful though. Lifeless. The walking dead. I usually get through the season, export players and build the following years roster. Its basically season mode for me.