After hearing that MLB 2K7 was barely a retread for the current gen consoles (and since a Wii baseball game won't be coming out until later this year), rather than plunking down $600 for a Playstation 3, I decided to void my usual policy of renting before buying a new game series and picked up MLB '07: The Show for a cool $39.99.
Let it be said - if you're a baseball fan, who appreciates the subtleties and statistics and all that other junk, who likes realistic video game scores and a game that plays like a TV broadcast?
You're in luck.
MLB '07: The Show may just be the best baseball game I've ever played (next to RBI Baseball by Tengen for the NES, of course...who can forget DMtngly or DGdn?
). The graphics, while still current gen, defy the system and really seem to shine, even with some mediocre player face models. They're still better than the generic ones I saw in 2K7. Crowds are pretty bad, but hey, if you want to start hitting under 10 FPS's, then you can add in a fully interactive crowd. It's beyond the PS2's limits. Nonetheless, the gameplay is superb, everything from batting to pitching seems to really bring a lifelike feel.
What I like most of all though is the realism and presentation. Besides having signature animations, batter walkups and mannerisms (which 2K claims is a next-gen exclusive, yet Sony Sand Diego has pulled it off nicely on current-gen), there are instant replays, plays of the game (even without a hard-drive, which defies my brain capacity, since we've been told this is impossible by everyone from EA to 2K), and the stats overlays are great. The announcers are a bit dry and leave a bit to be desired, but I give them credit - their calls and analysis are spot-on and not glitch laden (i.e. Jeter catches a ball, and it actually says he did it...I know, a revolutionary concept).
Most impressive? Realistic scores. I've played a handful of games, and my scores were - 4 to 3, 5 to 2, 10-7, and 6-1. All with realistic levels of hits. Plus, the computer isn't a pushover - I love the difficulty, and the sliders make it even better.
Basically, if you've got a current-gen console, and can't splurge for a next-gen game, then MLB '07: The Show is your ticket to baseball nirvana this spring. I give it two thumbs up, and 5 out of 5.
Double-J's Individual RatingsGraphics - 4 out of 5
Gameplay - 5 out of 5
Presentation (Sound, Music, Etc.) - 5 out of 5
Controls - 4 out of 5
Overall - 5 out of 5 (not an average)
Pros:- Extremely realistic baseball simulation
- Great presentation and stats
- Realistic scores, attributes, and gameplay
Cons:- Not enough real prospects on rosters
- Slight framerate slowdown with wide-angle shots, especially in the outfield
- Online servers seem to be problematic at this point
