MLB The Show 18 Review

Another trip around the sun means another installment of SIE San Diego’s lauded baseball simulation franchise MLB The Show. Last year saw the release of MLB The Show 18. This edition looked to build off the steady improvements added to the prolific series over the PlayStation 4’s lifespan.

The result is a game that falls into some of the trappings that annualized sports games tend to struggle with. MLB The Show 18 rests too much on the laurels of past entries. It fails to innovate modes and features that would entice yearly buyers to put down the money for another go. New players, however, will find the most comprehensive video game donning the MLB license at the time of its release. You could spend dozens of hours batting, pitching, and managing through all MLB The Show 18 has to offer.

Gameplay

From its wonderfully cheesy opening cinematic, it’s clear. MLB The Show 18 is made by people with the love of baseball running through their veins. Shots of children dreaming about becoming the next Clayton Kershaw or Kris Bryant don’t convince you of the game’s authenticity? Then, getting a feel for the tight controls will surely make you come around.

The game transports you right into the action of the starting plate through the responsive controls. You can choose the easily digestible directional style or go for the precise nuance of analogue control. Likewise, pitching has a satisfying degree of organic feedback. The pulsating rumblings of the controller cued me into the best possible execution of timing and aiming.

I just wish that this information was presented in a dedicated tutorial mode. Instead, force fed explanations in-game come off as nagging interruptions rather than helpful guides. This won’t be an issue for MLB The Show aficionados. However, new players may feel stranded and overwhelmed by the game’s half-hearted attempt to welcome them in.