MLB '10: The Show Review

[ps3ownz]

Whoever said its a dead heat this year, seriously, the show is still a long ways ahead of 2k, they are only just adding fatures copied directly from the show and are still behind the show still plays a better game of ball.

New pitching is a must though, and I mean both 2k and the show, 2k's is not any better at the moment.

[jyoung]

Gamespot gave this a similar review (8.0), so I think people are finally starting to get a little weary of The Show putting out virtually the same game for the last couple of years, especially with regards to the frequent bugs and online issues.

Yes it's still way better than 2K baseball, and yes, it's still a great game overall, but I think The Show is starting to slip out of the elite standard that the series set a few years ago.

[SBartlett]

I thought the review was fair, honest, and critical - just as it should be. I agree that while the game is great in many aspects, the gameplay could use more fine tuning in terms of updating the interfaces for pitching, fielding, and maybe even hitting although the physics from a pitching and hitting standpoint are still on point. Keep the physics - redo the interface to be more engaging.

[budsticky]

Re: MLB '10: The Show Review

Gamespot gave this a similar review (8.0), so I think people are finally starting to get a little weary of The Show putting out virtually the same game for the last couple of years, especially with regards to the frequent bugs and online issues.

Yes it's still way better than 2K baseball, and yes, it's still a great game overall, but I think The Show is starting to slip out of the elite standard that the series set a few years ago.

I see what you're saying, and I even predicted that The Show would get mostly 8.0 to 8.5 type reviews before it was released. Why? Because their main new feature was the catcher being able to call the game in RTTS. This is something only baseball geeks will care about.

The mainstream video game press (and I'm not including OS in that category) feeds off of flashy new features. Many people spoke of Madden getting good scores this year and relating that game's quality to that of The Show. Well, Madden had Pro-Tak. On the surface it isn't a big feature, but it has a fancy name and it's something regular reviewers can grab on to. Think about the hit stick. Big deal, you can tackle using the R stick. But EA gave it a catchy name and marketed the crap out of it. Of course EA also has a ton of money to throw around to hype these things up.

Maybe SCEA should have called the catcher thing Catch-O-Matic 2010 or something like that. I'm being sarcastic, but I think you all get the point.

[BigZell20]

Re: MLB '10: The Show Review

Maybe SCEA should have called the catcher thing Catch-O-Matic 2010 or something like that. I'm being sarcastic, but I think you all get the point.

CATCH-TAK!!!!!!

[FreezeTime]

Re: MLB '10: The Show Review

So the load times are still long? UGH! Are they just as long in 10 as they are in 09? Why can't the devs make the load times shorter?

[CarolinaBlue704]

Re: MLB '10: The Show Review

Madden 10 gets a 9.While MLB 10 gets an 8.5?

I'm sorry OS,but you guys missed the ball on this one.This is what I expect from mainstream gaming sites.Not a site like OS that is dedicated to sports gaming.

[brinks]

Re: MLB '10: The Show Review

What I find funny about sports game reviews is the games are always compared to last year's versions and that's it. Madden 10 is better than Madden 09. MLB 10 isn't much of a jump from MLB 09.

I haven't played a baseball game since MLB 2K7. I don't care about MLB 09 vs MLB 10. All I care about is MLB 10 as a PS3 game in 2010. How good is the game in the life of the PS3? We need reviewers that don't assume we've played last year's iteration. This game stands alone for me. Review it that way. Or at least present that point of view.

[jyoung]

I don't think this site is ever going to live down giving Madden 10 a 9.0

It seems to come up in just about every review thread regardless of the game or genre.

[Clarityman]

Re: MLB '10: The Show Review

Madden 10 gets a 9.While MLB 10 gets an 8.5?

I'm sorry OS,but you guys missed the ball on this one.This is what I expect from mainstream gaming sites.Not a site like OS that is dedicated to sports gaming.

Can't argue with this at all.

[travis72]

Re: MLB '10: The Show Review

Madden 10 gets a 9.While MLB 10 gets an 8.5?

I'm sorry OS,but you guys missed the ball on this one.This is what I expect from mainstream gaming sites.Not a site like OS that is dedicated to sports gaming.

For one they should have never given madden that high of score. At this stage with the bugs MLB is a 8.5 IMO while Madden never should have be given more than a 7.5. Actually no EA game sports game (basketball or football) should be given more than that considering there motto to fixing issues is wait till next year.

[lewski19]

I am sure I will get ripped for saying this, but this game is not anywhere close to MVP 05, this game is slightly better than last year's game, which was good. It has a couple glaring errors that were present last year and still have not been addressed.

First, the baserunning is quite possibly the worst in video game baseball history. To many runners get picked off -whether trying to steal or not, and by righties and lefties. It is insane that in a three game series Carl Crawford was picked off 6 of the 8 times he got on base (only 3 of the 6 was I actually trying to steal and 2 of them I did not even have any extra lead, also I never take more than one step bc the computer then just throws over till you stop).

The number of times runners get picked off is just stupid, and it leads in to the other flaw in the running game. The other flaw is that runners stealing can slide and be half way over the base and will be called out. This error drives me nuts, it is almost as bad as the useless check swing system that seems to be a complete coin-flip. I get that people get thrown out stealing, but usually if they are lying on second base when the ball gets there they are safe.

The other baserunning problem is balls down the line. You can hit a ball into the corner and get thrown out going for a double with all but the absolute fastest runners. It seems to be a result largely of that fact that every computer controlled right and left fielder plays the ball off the wall or down the line perfectly, yet also still manages to cover the gap perfectly as well, not sure how that's possible, and then also has an incredibly accurate arm.

Balls into the corner are doubles, balls down the line are usually doubles in general, unless the of is way over toward the line, or in the case of MLB The Show maybe all computer of's are Bugs Bunny.

The other major flaw is in the in-game fast forward where the computer team is amazingly adept at 6 and 7 run innings. In playing 20 games using fast forward for all my pitching (playing with Atlanta's staff with Cliff Lee instead of Kawakami, so a pretty good staff) the computer scored 6 or 7 runs in an inning 11 times. Somebody might wanna research how many times major league teams scored that many runs in an inning last year, bc I am betting it was nowhere near the rate of one every other game. If you are not willing to program the statistics to correctly handle fast forward then do not have it in the game.

Sadly, stuff like this ruins many games for me. I get frustrated with an inability to play a pressure style for fear of getting picked off or thrown out going for a double, or disheartened when my staff gives up 7 runs every couple innings, and there is no reason to finish the game.

I know that these games are never going to be perfect, but these seem like pretty basic problems. The baserunning and pickoffs especially. The saddest part is that if they had just left the sliders from the 2008 game in the game where we could adjust everything to our liking most of these could be fixed for me. I could slow down there outfielders, etc. Unfortunately, last year, SCEA decided that they would tell us how to play the game and drastically limited our choices. I cannot afford to fix the universal sliders, my only option, to these parameters bc the cpu already gets its doubles, stolen bases, and never gets picked off so it would just further hurt my cause.

I think it's a okay to good game, but for it to be great the basics have to be done better.

Also, on a side note, could somebody please tell me why every time you hit a ground ball foul to the stands some idiot falls onto the field. I know it happens, and I like the attempt to create more fan interaction, but not every time please.

[CarolinaBlue704]

Re: MLB '10: The Show Review

For one they should have never given madden that high of score. At this stage with the bugs MLB is a 8.5 IMO while Madden never should have be given more than a 7.5. Actually no EA game sports game (basketball or football) should be given more than that considering there motto to fixing issues is wait till next year.

Which is exactly why I said OS dropped the ball.They fell into the Madden hype,and I expect more than that from OS.

I have no problem with OS giving The Show 10 an 8.5,although I don't agree with the reviewers reasons for doing so.In my opinion,bugs are the only thing holding The Show 10 back.

How any reviewer can knock a game for lacking innovation is beyond me.It's 2010,innovation in video games is basically dead.And I don't expect that to change until technology gets better.The closet thing I've seen to innovation on "next gen" consoles,is Little Big Planet.But even that games concept has been done before.

Fact is,The Show 10 is the closet I've ever seen a sports title to perfection.But yet it gets knocked for lacking innovation?And the commentary being stale? Sports gamers these days are so spoiled....To each his own.

[SDwinder]

Based on on-field gameplay, I give it a 9.5 for all the obvious reasons. Anyone that cannot see the improvements in 10 vs 09 for gameplay is really missing the boat. The presentation with the TV cams alone is fantastic. I am seeing new realistic animations and gameplay outcomes that are absolutely the best in a baseball game ever! I have always loved the pitcher/batter interface. The batting is as good as it gets. I hate the Swingstick in other games. I really despised the Pitching interface in the 2K games with the ridiculous Meatball, but 2K10's pitching works very well this year and would like to see that implemented in The Show for 2011.

I think the commentary is very good. I am hearing things I never heard the last two years. Unfortunately, I am hearing some glaring bugs once in a while too.

If I was a franchise or sim only guy, I would probably be upset with all the issues, but my main focus is the gameplay on the field. It has never been done better in any baseball game, and is MUCH better than the last two years of The Show. Don't be fooled by those who don't get it. This is a fantastic playing baseball game on the field.

[texasgmr]

Great job! Nice review.