System: PS3, PS2, PSP
Dev: Sony
Pub: Sony
Release: May 15, 2007
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Review by Jonathan Marx

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Review Rating Legend
1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
2.5 - 2.9 = Average
3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
3.5 - 3.9 = Good
4.0 - 4.4 = Great
4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
5.0 = The Best

Graphics are well done. Your favorite big leaguers look great in sparkling high definition. Stadiums are an absolute thing of beauty. You really will enjoy how the game looks. The camera angles are amazing, and you'll feel like you're watching an actual game. Unfortunately, I think the game could have looked even better; I expect more from the PS3 in all future titles.

There is one detail in particular that has to be corrected in all sport games sometime in this generation of consoles: the repetition of fan sprites. The members of the crowd are fairly detailed, but they are repeated over and over again, and it is very obvious. It may seem like a small detail, but the details are what Sony has sold us on, and I'm not going to let it go. I want to be transported to the park, not reminded of my living room. This is a first party game, so Sony has no excuse for cutting corners. Their first party titles must be an absolute exhibition of what their fledgling console can produce. The graphics are very good, but it's back to the drawing board as far as I'm concerned.

Sound effects and voiceover work are sterling. The announcing crew does a very good job, and its flow and composition is spot on. The unfortunate music selection really let me down, however. It's not that I thought the music was bad per se, it was just inappropriate. Sony turned their MLB franchise into a marketing platform for new heavy-rock, and it completely clashes with the game; it really is painful to listen to. Obviously, Sony has a target demographic they are marketing to, but it sure would have been nice not to have had to fumble with the remote control, frantically looking for the mute button. Whatever happened to the whimsy and delight of the ballpark organ?

Controls are awesome. You won't find much of anything to complain about here. Batting, pitching, and fielding are all easy and intuitive; location and timing are all masterfully incorporated and flawlessly executed; menu navigation was also quite nice; team management was ever so easy; getting my bullpen warmed up was simplistic. Making pitcher changes at the right time is crucial, as your starters will tend to get both fatigued and streaky. Taking the long, slow walk to the mound is not only simplistic but essential.

Overall, MLB 07: The Show is a great game. If you are a baseball fan or a sports fan looking for a solid baseball game for your library, go ahead and pick up this title from Sony; you won't be disappointed. If you're not really into sports or don't quite understand the complexities and nuances of the game, then you won't really appreciate what Sony's MLB 07: The Show has to offer. Gameplay and authenticity are what set this game apart, both of which were also included in the PS2 version. Disappointingly, the graphics are very good but not excellent; as a result, I can't recommend the PS3 version over that of the PS2. The graphic update and the few extra features aren't enough to make the extra investment worthwhile, unless you want to take advantage of the added online elements. If I were you, I would save the money and pick up the last generation's version.

By Jonathan Marx
CCC Freelance Writer

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