Graphically, the game isn’t bad for a PlayStation 2, however if you’ve been playing most games on next-generation consoles, you’ll definitely notice a downgrade in the quality, especially with the horrid looking crowds. Animations look pretty fluid and slides, batting follow through and catching balls on the fly all look very realistic. The in-game statistics and box scores are very easy to read even on smaller televisions.
In addition to the franchise and RTTS modes, there are seven other modes you can play: exhibition, a manager (coach only) mode, a rivalry mode which is fun if you prefer same console competition with a friend, the traditional career mode, home run derby mode and King of The Diamond mode, which is a lot like those old baseball arcade games – you have a certain amount of time to hit targets on the field for runs. Striking out gives you a time penalty while hitting various targets lets you add time. It’s a fun little diversion!
The online mode is one of the deepest in a sports game I’ve seen to date. Finally leagues are supported – not only are they supported you can customize them as much as you would like – including slider support. I’ve been playing the game on my PlayStation 3 and you can use the wireless connection pretty well – I will say that on occasion I’ve had a lock up when the screen shows “displaying license agreement” but I haven’t had a problem with an actual online game. A very nice feature of the online play is that even if you aren’t playing in a league you can upload/download other people’s slider settings, which is much easier than setting each one from a printout downloaded from a website. The sliders are geared to either arcade or simulation and the community can vote to determine how good or bad the sliders are. Kudos to Sony for including this feature. In the month I have had the game, we’ve already seen 2 roster updates and not only that, they actually tell you the changes to the roster. Fantastic! They even have an option to send feedback if you see an incorrect roster.
The audio of the game is great – although there aren’t as many wise-ass remarks as there are in 2K7, there are some fans that will get on you. The play by play is better than I expected but not perfect and it can be repetitive. The audio soundtrack is upbeat and suits the game nicely.
So far we’re pretty high on MLB 07 : The Show. There are only a few drawbacks to the game: first, the trade issue which I brought up earlier. Quite often you’ll see empty transaction screens throughout the season. No one seems to be willing to trade. Second, control can sometimes be an issue. Traditionally the buttons have represented the bases to throw to – circle for first, X for home, etc. However, when you’re in the field (as a pitcher specifically) these controls are reversed – there’s nothing more frustrating than hitting X to throw to home and instead you end up throwing the ball to second. There is a learning curve involved but it’s not that big of a deal once you get used to it.
Overall MLB 07: The Show is a complete joy to play and one of the best baseball games I’ve played in quite some time. While supplies last, your $39.99 purchase also gets you a free New Era baseball cap which is a $15-20 value, so you really get your money’s worth with this title. I highly recommend it.
