MLB ‘19 The Show review
Last Updated on by Daniel Lawrence
Sports video games make up for shortcomings in other areas with great gameplay. Perhaps the best example in the genre is MLB The Show.
Having played MLB The Show 19 for four days, I can reaffirm something I said last year and have been saying for some time, this series offers the most realistic gameplay of any sports video game available. The Show 18 was guilty of some fielding missteps, as well as some slightly inconsistent results in terms of bat-on-ball physics. Nonetheless, the gameplay was still quite enjoyable.
I enjoyed MLB The Show 19 even more than last year. The fielders have thousands of new animations, and every piece of action runs more smoothly than before. From a gameplay standpoint, there aren’t a lot of new additions, but from a structural standpoint, there aren’t any issues to be fixed. Someone who has not yet experienced the game for themselves will have a difficult time explaining how good it is.
Because of this, I’m cutting the show a little less slack in some areas, but I’ll get to that shortly.
Graphics
The graphics aren’t eye-popping, but if you’ve played the series for a while, you’ll see some small improvements. Some players, such as Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs, have accurate renders, but some, such as Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox, are still bizarrely inaccurate.
There was no mention of enhanced player models in pre-release coverage, but the players do seem more detailed. No matter what the cause, I am able to notice the improvement in lighting and texture.
Categories
Show 19 introduces some nice new modes. Show 19 introduces some nice new modes. The simulation is similar to the Critical Situations feature the series introduced two years ago.
There are four categories of teams in the majors: favorites, contenders, underdogs, and long shots. Regardless of which team you select, your goal is to lead them to victory in the World Series. But you don’t play all the games. In fact, you only play parts of the games when you’re asked to at key points during the season.
In contrast to Critical Situations and other simulation-based features, what you do in key moments influences the results of your simulated games. When you’re dropped into a close game in the 6th inning, you’re expected to win your opening day matchup. The more you win, the more likely you’ll ignite a winning streak, but the more you lose, the more likely your team will lose.
Other moments will be prompted to be played throughout the season. The challenges will range from player-locked to full team control. It doesn’t get boring since there’s a lot of variety. I love how MTO, with the help of some convenient graphics between games and new sideline reporter Heidi Watney, keeps you informed throughout your journey.
Before and during games, Watney tells the season’s story, which adds to the immersion. The difficulty you choose will determine the price you’ll receive, which is mainly related to Diamond Dynasty. After your season is over, you can change it into a full-fledged franchise mode.
Moments are another big new feature. This mode, which has even more direct ties to DD, allows you to relive the most memorable moments from the careers of baseball legends like Babe Ruth and Willie Mays, or from teams like the 2016 Chicago Cubs.
Though I like the concept of this feature, I did not get all I wanted. The DD rewards that come from completing these moments are very nice, and more rewards will be added as the season goes on. The DD rewards that come from completing these moments are very nice, and more rewards will be added as the season goes on. Despite this, the presentation didn’t do enough to transport me back to some of the more iconic moments.
Although there is some nice real-life footage and a black-and-white filter, the rosters and fields are generic. This might seem like a small thing, but if included, it would have elevated the Moments mode to an entirely new level.
The show is still a strong addition to the Show series as it is, and I look forward to seeing it expanded going forward.
As I have mentioned, the constant improvement of this mode from year to year has been impressive, and the connections it has with other modes are equally impressive. Currently, it’s my opinion that it’s the best collector mode available in sports video games. In addition to the 30 legends in this year’s game, there are multiple versions of many of these legends, such as Rickey Henderson, Willie Mays, and others.
Additionally, Moments adds another layer with post-release content and rewards that keep you interested. In addition, the guide and pace in DD are excellent.
New Features
While I enjoy NBA 2K’s MyTeam mode, I think it forces players to play some of the most undesirable aspects of the model in order to get some of the most desired cards. That’s refreshing about DD. Furthermore, DD remains the least expensive collector mode in the genre. The game can be played without spending extra money, and you can build a good team.
In DD, Battle Royale and Ranked Seasons remain my favorites, but Conquest has some new layers (I’m not a fan), and there are moments as well. Due to the fact that I played DD on a separate server for reviewers, I didn’t experience horrible latency.
Even if it’s not a problem this year, that could still slow down the experience. Otherwise, Sony San Diego Studios has prepared something for The Show and DD fans that they will enjoy.
The Negatives
It’s time to give some criticism to this review, which has largely been positive. I understand Sony’s reluctance to pursue a linear story. Gamers can get tired of being pigeonholed into a lot of predetermined experiences pretty quickly.
That being said, we need to spice things up a little bit. This year, Sony wanted to spice things up with a new personality trait system that could influence conversations and relationships in the minors and major leagues.
In my opinion, it doesn’t seem to have a significant impact or add the necessary flavor to a mode that is outdated by the standards of the genre. Some of the new interactive training minigames are fun, and the missions are a nice touch, but something is still missing. RTTS should be epic, but it’s not.
You can still have fun with RTTS because you still get to play MLB The Show 19 on the field and at the plate, relying on its primary strength, which is the gameplay. Unfortunately, everything in between has been dragged down. Unfortunately, everything in between has been dragged down.
I would much rather use Player Lock than fumble through a mode that hasn’t held my attention. Although I’ve said this for years, maybe not quite so vehemently.
I now come to the franchise mode of The Show. Despite its importance, the feature is arguably the least upgraded in the series. The major improvements from last year were the phased approach to the season and the newly designed interface, which was primarily a cosmetic update.
Among the biggest changes in franchising, this year will be accurate contracts and financial structuring. Even though I’m a franchise fanatic, if that’s the biggest new feature, the mode should have more to offer this year.
Currently, the show does not support creating ballparks, relocating or rebranding teams, or expanding. However, NBA 2K’s MyLeague and MyGM do. NBA 2K has offered the MyLeague feature online for the past three versions (though this year was a disaster), but The Show does not have an online franchise mode.
I find that this mode has largely remained the same for years.
Several other minor issues remain. There is no continuity in the commentary. There is little to no conversation value in the three-man booth. It also doesn’t help that it rains. There are no rainouts or doubleheaders, so I’m not sure why they’re even included since they have no real bearing on gameplay.
Playing the show is a blast, and that saves the modes that do not measure up to their peers’ interpretations.
- Platform: PlayStation 4
- Developer: Sony San Diego Studios
- Publisher: Sony
- Released: March 26th, 2017
Conclusion
For better or worse, the MLB The Show review is something I write every year.
A positive aspect of the game is that it has the same stellar gameplay as last year, but it is even better this time around. As Sony tweaks lighting and textures, the visuals continue to improve slowly and steadily. In any sports video game, Diamond Dynasty has become the best collector mode.
There haven’t been many improvements to the franchise mode and Road to the Show, which are integral parts of the Show experience. While both modes were already fun, how long could Sony keep delivering such small improvements to key modes? for at least another year.
