It's the top of the sixth, bases loaded, and you're down by one with two men out. You're only facing Johan Santana, who has set you down twice on strikes today. You wait for his signature change-up low in the zone, and hope you can smash one somewhere and get lucky, and drive in a pair. The catcher gives the sign and Santana begins his wind-up. That change-up, it never comes. In its place is a fastball, inside corner. Didn't see it coming, strike three, and you walk back to the dugout, angry at the lost chance. Granted, it's only the sixth - but you still feel your chances in the game fading away. This is what makes real baseball exciting and it is why MLB 09: The Show is the best sports game yet.
It's all on you boy!
The visuals and sounds of the game are outstanding, and can make you feel as if you are watching Sunday Night Baseball on TV. Every blade of grass fades as the ball skips up the middle, and in the batter's box each grain of sand that should be in the air is as you prepare to hit. You feel the magnificence and splendor of the ballparks as you feel them in real life. The crowd harms you on the road, and makes you feel like a king at home. Watching a player's frustration after you punch them out looking to end an inning or if you fail to come through helps you realize the consequences of a lost at bat. The game's announcers repeat a little bit, but the accuracy of their dialogue is impeccable.
No better feeling - in real life or the game.
The basic gameplay may end up being a little difficult to some, but once you spend some time with it, it is fluid and realistic. Batting is just pressing a button with timing, but you can guess on a pitch being a certain type or in a certain location. You feel how incredible batting is when you get the hang of it, which takes a couple hours or games. You feel different and have a changed approach when you're facing Santana opposed to Joe-who-just-came-up-from-the-minor-leagues. Pitching is done with a meter and button presses, and is very good. The pitchers have their real life pitches and accuracy/inaccuracy with each as they would in a real game. Fielding is also metered and fielders move nicely and smoothly. There are more carroms and movement on the ball this year and it makes each routine play important and adds more to the spectacular dives and jumps you can perform in the outfield or infield.
Customize everything about pre-exsisting or custom made players.
There are tons of gameplay modes and distractions to keep you playing all season. Season and franchise modes are like most other sports games and add a few extra tweaks like call ups and 40 man rosters, as well as adding stadium facility upgrades and performance analysis from players, coaches, and fans. The games are the main attraction in these, as they should be. Road to the Show is the sports game RPG, as you will hear, and it sucks you in from the first pitch. It takes a while to be called up to the majors, so some dedication will be needed to become the star of your favorite team. You feel the experience of being a minor leaguer and the pressure to live up to your call-up in the majors. It's a great mode, but needs lots of dedication. Some extra batting and pitching practices are added and help to fine tune your baseball skills in many ways. The online is okay at best, so single player's where it's at in this game. Online games are laggy and don't immerse you as well into the experience. Live roster updates are great, though, and happen weekly so far. They appear to be in depth and accurate (as of May 23, 2009), and add even more realism to the game.
Outta the park! Overall, this game is incredible. The word simulation is the basis of the game and there has been no better example of it in a sports game so far. The game is fun, yet real. Challenging, yet rewarding when you get that hit, strike that guy out, or make that play. The game is a great improvement over the past few, which have been great in any case. If you like baseball, or sports in general, and own a PS3, you should definitely take a few hacks in MLB 09: The Show, the best sports game on the system and probably, ever. And hey, it's the top of the sixth, bases loaded, and you're down one, with two strikes and two outs, what are you going to do?
MLB 09 The Show(PlayStation 3) by pacodg on March 07, 2009
By James Walker • March 2, 2009 [Edit] ”Baseball? It’s just a game - as simple as a ball and a bat. Yet, as complex as the American spirit it symbolizes. It’s a sport, business - and sometimes even religion.” Ernie Harwell I have been a fan of baseball, and specifically the Detroit Tigers, since before I picked up my first SEGA Genesis controller. Around this time of year I turn into a giddy little school child as I anxiously await opening day around the league. Thankfully, whil...
MLB 09 The Show(PlayStation 3) by sgthalka on March 22, 2009
Starting with 2006's re-branding (and re-invention) of Sony's baseball series as "The Show", developer San Diego Studios has steadily evolved a rock-solid core gameplay model to the stupidly high level of excellence it's at now. I honestly couldn't imagine how SCEA could elevate the series after playing last year's MLB 08. Sure, some oddities could be fixed, some new details could be added to online or franchise modes, but the game was already at such a high level, I expected the franchise to s...
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