Game: MLB 10: The Show (PSP)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: SCE San Diego Studio
Genre: Sports Simulation
Price: $29.99
Verdict: The flawless simulation that we have come to expect, minus the incentive to upgrade.
Pros: Everything that you know and love about “The Show” is back again.
Cons: Nothing new is brought to the table, resulting in a stale release.
Just in time to wrap up Major League Baseball’s Midseason classic, it seems like the perfect time to put MLB 10: The Show for PSP under the microscope. Much like its predecessor on both the portable and console platforms, the title was dealing with little competition from the insurgent MLB 2K franchises. The Show had consistently hit it out of the park, never allowing the competition to come even close. So the question is has 2K made up ground, or are we once again looking at a race that truly only has one horse worth betting on?
Let’s look at the simple facts: the PlayStation Portable has far more pixels on screen than the Nintendo DS, leading to a far superior product in the graphical arena than could be produced on any other mobile device with buttons. Though this may be a simplistic analysis, it is important to emphasize the drastic difference in visuals that the PSP can provide. Fortunately for MLB 10: The Show fans, Sony once again puts all of them to use with full beautiful splendor. Never has the game looked so good; unfortunately it is not the dramatic improvement that a years worth of development could justify. Don’t misinterpret that criticism as saying that the game “looks bad,” because that is far from true. The problem is that in the console space, absurd levels of improvements can be made over the span of a single season; this does not seem to be the case for the PSP installment of The Show.
Everything that you loved from last season’s game is back with a vengeance. Sadly, there is nothing new or innovative to sweeten the pot. Even the new “Catcher Calling the Game” functionality of the console counterpart is absent, leaving year-in-year-out fans wondering what the true incentive is for making the upgrade. Truthfully, there is very little that would make purchasers of MLB 09 want to upgrade, because at its core, this is nothing more than a glorified roster update that is being sold as a new game.
While that may sound overly critical (and justifiably so), there are a few new additions that might make the game worth dropping your hard earned ducats on. First off, the Home Run Derby functionality that has been notably absent from past iterations has made a triumphant return. The feature, missing in action since MLB 06, sneaks back onto the handheld in an implementation that may make portable veterans to the franchise suffer from a chronic case of déjà vu. Sure, it may not be exactly the same as what was found in the same game four years ago, but it would be difficult to distinguish any significant difference. Those that are hardcore baseball enthusiasts however may find this to be a redeeming factor.
The one thing that can sell this game year in and year out is the “Road to the Show” mode. As has been stated in numerous reviews of the game in past years, this is where you get to design your player from the ground up and build them from a Minor League nobody playing for the Pawtucket Whats-their-nuts into a serious Major League prospect. If you can manage to find time to train your rookie between his stints shelving groceries at the local Wal-Mart, there is the potential to build a future MLB Hall of Famer. The real trick is finding time to do so, but lucky for all of you, the game is portable. Without hesitation, the simulation aspects of this game bring the console experience to the palm of your hand. If you don’t own prior versions of the game, this is reason enough to invest your money, but for those that have ridden this ride before, there is little new to incentivize the switch, especially if last season’s character is already kicking ass in the Majors.
As always, the three headed beast known as Matt Vasgersian, Rex Hudler and Dave Campbell are back to offer their ever informative analysis of the game. The problem is that no matter how much they improve on the play-by-play dialog system, I am still stuck listening to the voice over tracks that were recorded for MLB games many moons ago. Once again, do not interpret this as “the play-by-play is bad,” because that is not the case at all, it is just repetitive for those that have been religiously following the franchise. It is either time to get the trio into the sound booth to record more “original” quips, or it might be worth looking into renovating the squad behind the microphone.
Probably the most frustrating factor of the entire game is the way that pixels are used. Sure, it might make sense to show the second basemen twitching towards second base when a potential double play ball is pitched, but nothing can excuse a ball that is 2×2 pixels. After coming off of the blistering clarity of The Show on console, this was damn near impossible to see, let alone accurately react to. Realism may be the aim here, but when it can potentially hamper gameplay it may be worth taking a step back to re-evaluate your motives. Plus, to add one more insult to injury, where the hell are the umpires? Just like all of the portable predecessors, the burly blue judges are notably absent. Again, it’s not that this is a game-changing exclusion, but for a simulation that hangs its hat on realism, hearing the disembodied voice of an umpire calling you out on strikes seems less effective than seeing the “punch-out” firsthand.
Though the game is very solid and is by far the most competent baseball simulation on the market, there is very little to distinguish the difference between the last two entries in the franchise. Those that have MLB 09 may want to pass on this year’s installment, but if you haven’t yet indulged in The Show on PSP, what the hell are you waiting for? When you factor in that the game’s price is now reduced on the PSN to only thirty dollars, you really have no excuse for missing out on the fun.
GrE Grade: B
Popularity: unranked [?]
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