The gaming community doesn’t ask for much when it comes to games moving to next generation platforms. If a game is great on the old platform, a port with some updated graphics and rosters will do nicely. This was the hope with MLB 07 The Show, one of the most well received baseball games released for the PlayStation 2.
As an example, when playing as the Baltimore Orioles, the game tries to be witty with the banter and talk about the Orioles pitching coach, Leo Mazzone. You see, the more stressed Leo gets, the more he ‘rocks’ on the bench and MLB 07 does show Mazzone on the bench rocking. However, he’s always in the uniform of the team playing the Orioles rather than in an Oriole uniform.
Other obvious bugs include pass balls when no one is on base coming back on the field of play and then mysteriously disappearing for the next pitch; flags blowing from left to right field (yet the wind doesn’t seem to be a factor) and many other bugs really detract from the realism of the game. Looking at the back of the box, the game requires 2 GB of the PS3 hard drive, which seems like a pretty substantial install for a console game and implies the game wasn’t optimized for the PS3..
The Road to The Show mode is similar to the PS2 version – you create your player (sorry no EyeToy camera support) and your position, give him attributes that you select and start of in Spring Training trying to make an impression to stay in the Show. In the PS3 version, the commentators have a much larger name vocabulary, for example they’ll call the pitcher “Clarke.”
Making the Show in Spring Training is rather difficult and you’ll probably start off in the minor leagues. Unlike the PS2 version of the game, the intelligence of the players in the minors is very suspect. Some are just plain stupid – if you’re a pitcher in the Road to the Show mode you have no control over managing the team, which is fine. What isn’t fine is that the other players on your team don’t really seem to care if you’re losing. Fielders will take their sweet time moseying on over to catch a fly ball and if it drops in, oh well.
Add to this the same inane challenges that earn you points to develop your pitcher in RTTS, and you’ll get more frustrated. For example with runners on 1st and 3rd with 1 out, I was given this challenge “don’t walk the hitter to load the bases.” Instead of giving up a walk, I gave up a 3-run home run…however, since I didn’t walk him, the “goal succeeded.” On the other hand I’ve seen a goal that says “induce a ground ball” and if I strike the batter out, it says “goal succeeded.” Frankly, it doesn’t make any sense.
Most of the other modes from the PS2 game are here; however fans of the game should be forewarned that the fun mini-games like King of the Diamond are not here. Again, this gives the impression that the game was rushed out for the PS3.
