PlayStation gamers and baseball fans alike can cheer again. Baseball season is quickly approaching, which means that Sony has released their annual baseball simulation game.
“MLB 13: The Show” has continued its dominance over the baseball gaming world with two aspects: visuals and gameplay.
The other viable baseball game on the market, “MLB 2k13” from 2k Sports, does not come close to what MLB 13 has to offer.
When you get a chance to play the game for the first time, the visual improvements stand out the most. The revamping of the menu layouts and additions to in-game presentations make it a realistic gaming experience.
The new presentation aspects include pre-game analysis and various wide shots of the crowd, which gives you the feeling that you are actually watching a real game. While sports games can never seem to get the details of the crowd correct, they made vast improvements with the sound of the crowd.
You can clearly hear certain realistic chants made throughout the game, especially during high pressure situations.
As far as the gameplay is concerned, MLB 13 has added a new learning curve for newer players. The all new “Beginner Mode” gives those that are new to the series a chance to adapt to the complex swing system.
The mode starts you on the lowest level to play on and adapts to your improvements the more you play the game. For example, when you first begin in the mode, pitcher will only throw fastballs as you get the timing down. As you continue and learn to play, pitchers will then begin to throw a variety of breaking balls to test your new skills.
This was an essential addition to this year’s version of the game considering many of the complaints regarding last year’s game was the lack of a way to actually learn the system.
Improvements were also made to both the Franchise and Road to the Show modes. Franchise mode made a few additions to truly make you feel like a general manager. The improvements include a new rating system, training system, and player development has become more effective. The most notable change is the ability to scout players.
It is much easier to scout and see whether a player has good potential or not, which was a frustrating aspect that was lacking from past games. So all A’s and Giants fans can become their own general manager and customize their team however they want.
Road to the Show received some new features as well. The mode has become more centered on your player and gives you more opportunities to develop. The in-game camera angles have been changed to give you a personal view of your player depending on your position.
The brand new mode in this year’s game is Postseason Mode. In past games, the only way to experience the playoff atmosphere is to play a full season in the Franchise mode. Well this year, that won’t be necessary.
The Postseason Mode gives fans direct access to the overall atmosphere of postseason baseball. The mode allows you to create your own playoff brackets and play with up to ten teams. Once your bracket is set, you get to see the new additions made to the in-game experience.
The pre-game additions include announcing of the lineups, wide shots of the crowd waving rally towels, and a shot of the national anthem.
During the game, it’s easy to notice the crowd has become much more involved. Between the chants and reactions to certain moments in the game, it’s a refreshing change. The mode is a great addition to the game and authentically replicates the postseason experience.
This year’s edition of “MLB: The Show” continues to prove that it is the best baseball video game on the market today. It adds a great sense of realism along with adding new aspects to help those new to the franchise.
