MLB ‘06: The Show: PSP Game Reviews


	Platform PSP Publisher Sony Computer Entertainment Developer SCEA Genr Sports Released Q1 2006 ESRB E (Everyone)

-Great graphics -Excellent gameplay -Commentary is more natural -Improved AI

-Pitching takes a while to get used to -A Couple modes were taken out -AI does have a couple minor issues

Review: MLB 2005 (PSP) Review: MLB Baseball 2005 (PlayStation 2)
Newsletter
Be notified of site updates. Sign-up for the Newsletter sent out twice weekly. Enter E-Mail Address Below: Subscribe \| Unsubscribe

MLB ‘06: The Show

Score: 8.6 / 10

There are millions of sports fans out there and it just so happens that many of them tend to be gamers. However, a lot of people today are too busy to play games at home and they might always find themselves to be on the go. MLB ’06: The Show received good press ratings on the PS2 and even though the PSP version is a dimmed down port, it offers very enjoyable gameplay and shouldn’t be overlooked by any PSP owners that are into the sport.

The gameplay feels more polished than it did in MLB’05 and by that I mean things seem to run a whole lot smoother and clicks at a good pace. One thing I found complicated was getting used to pitching since you have to select a pitch and aim an accurate throw with the aid of a meter. I got in synch with the sensitive analog after a while so there is just a bit of a learning curve involved. After a while, I even noticed some improvement with the way I pitched, which indicates it has a good learning curve for beginners such as me. I have not actually touched a baseball game since reviewing last year’s MLB’05 for the PSP. Batting is harder to get used to if you choose to use the analog stick to aim your swing. With the PSP’s not so great analog, I would strongly suggest keeping the settings on a button swing to hit the ball which really simplifies things. You can also try to guess a pitch and if you are right, you will be guaranteed a better hit. After I adjusted to the throwing and

Advertisement

- Sports Game Reviews
- Reviews of Games from Sony

pitching, I was able to settle down and start having fun with this game and to appreciate some of the improvements. I noticed before that the AI fielders could make some unrealistic faithful leaps and still be able to catch the ball. It is still present here, but it is not as bad and will not crack on your nerves as much as it did before. Physics when hitting the ball also seem to have improved which is why guessing a pitch can really be a benefit if your predictions are right.

Advertisement

There are a lot of small differences (good differences) that I noticed between this year’s MLB and last year's for the PSP (which I also reviewed). Small things do count and can add to the game’s overall presentation. One thing is that the character models show a lot more life than they did in last year’s version. What do I mean by showing more life? Players don’t have the exact same animations which makes one player completely unique from the other. An example would be the strut with which a batter walks up for a swing or displaying exuberance when hitting a homerun. However, the graphics department was not the only one that got an upgrade. The AI is also noticeably smarter than it was in last year’s game causing less frustration in the long run.

I’ve never played the console version of this game, but apparently the PSP version is missing a rivalry mode or the franchise mode. After doing some research, it is nothing to be distraught about since bringing the season mode anywhere you go in your pocket more than makes up for it. You still have the option to trade player contracts etc to keep you happy.

King of the Diamond mode is my favorite addition over last year’s MLB. It’s actually like a fast paced arcade styled mini-game and, call me crazy, but I have more fun playing King mode than any other mode (keep in mind I’m not the biggest baseball fan). A pitcher and a batter will square off while being timed (there are no fielders). Pitchers only have about 3 seconds to throw so it keeps everything up tempo. To put this into simple context, it is pitcher vs. batter.

Sound is phenomenal. The soundtrack is very good, sound effects are very crisp; like the sound of the bat cracking the ball, and the commentary is a huge improvement over many sports games and it feels realistic listening to sport’s jabber from the commentators instead of hearing them repeat the same things over and over again. The commentators’ phrases, when put together, do not sound near as robotic as in most sports games. Hard to believe, I know, but I guarantee that you will be happy with what you hear.

Graphically, this game is very impressive. The players are very detailed and have lots of nice animations. The players can even get their clothes all dirty. Everything looks and feels realistic and players will actually feel like they are in a baseball stadium.

If you are a fan of baseball and want to take it on the go, buying MLB ’06 the Show will do you good. This game is definitely worth your time and money.

J. Tonello

(May 13, 2006)