MLB 09: The Show

Granted, to the non purist baseball fan, MLB 08 and 09 are very similar when you aren't looking into the details. For the hardcore fan, the new additions are more than worth the price of admission whether you are utilizing batting practice, adjusting your now expanded roster, or just enjoying new graphical touches such as post game highlight reels. MLB 09 The Show is a significant improvement over last years fantastic effort, and I can just wonder what the boys have up their sleeves for next season. I'm sure it'll be a hit.

I could go on and on about all the other fantastic features in MLB 09: The Show, like recording your favorite plays, or the animation of the players, etc. But the reality is that this is the best baseball game that I've played in recent memory. Take this from a fan of baseball, and of videogames as a whole: buy this. Even if you just kind of like baseball (and you have a Playstation 3), pick this up -- you won't regret it.

My gripes are so minor, I almost feel petty bringing them up. On a dropped third strike, the commentator will say the catcher tagged the runner, but he clearly never does. Some batters have unorthodox stances that can obscure part of the pitching meter. The six-axis motion control is clumsily implemented as an option for jumping and diving (Good luck with that!). When the action heats up, the crowd gets so loud you'll need to turn the volume down! But at its core, MLB 09's gameplay is pretty much airtight. I love how the season mode allows you to play seasons as short as 14 games! MLB 09: The Show is painful to install, but once you get that unpleasant business out of the way, sit back and enjoy the best baseball game on the market.

While not a lot has been changed drastically from last year’s game, MLB 09: The Show doesn’t mess with the great foundation and just focuses on fleshing everything out to go after the small things that can make good sports games great ones. Online play is the main weakness if the patch fails to fix the lag issues here that may make many gamers stick with the single-player content, which is thankfully immense. If you’ve got a PS3 and are looking a great baseball game, you’ll do yourself a great disservice if you don’t pick up MLB 09 this year.

Any way you slice it, though, MLB 09 The Show is tight, gorgeous and virtually bursting at the seams. It’s the crown jewel of this generation’s baseball games, proving that follow-ups can indeed meet (or beat) their superstar predecessors.

Much like the baseball season, fans are going to look back on this title as one of the best in recent memory. The experience it brings is rich and genuine, and -- as corny as this sounds -- it feels like you're right there in the ballpark. MLB 09: The Show will go down as a classic envisioning of American's favorite pastime.

MLB 09: The Show is more of a love letter to baseball than it is just another game. Of course, nothing will ever take the place of the real thing, but anyone with a serious fondness for the national pastime will find this an enthralling substitute.

Once again, Sony has published an amazing piece of software. MLB 09 The Show is the game that all other baseball games want to be. It's not perfect, but MLB 09 The Show is the best baseball simulation available on PSP.

Overall, MLB09: The Show is the best baseball video game that I have played to date. The simplified controls and interesting interactions remind me of the sport that I used to love. It’s not a perfect experience, but it’s getting closer. With more visual polish and tighter execution on the sound design, MLB09: The Show very well could have been one of the best sports games ever produced. Regardless, it is clear that the developers at Sony Computer Entertainment America have a love for the game of baseball and are doing their best to share it with the rest of us.

Overall, MLB 09: The Show is one of the best baseball games I’ve played in recent years. It has all your favorite players, stadiums, and teams, and you could not ask for more in a baseball video-game. If you are a baseball fan, or someone looking to get into baseball, I would definitely say give MLB ‘09: The Show a chance. I think it’ll be a HIT, pun intended.

A superior product to last year’s outing, which is actually saying a lot. Yes, there are a few glitches that can hamper the experience a bit, but generally this is a terrific game that plays well, is entertaining and challenging.

The Show has, once again, shown how it's one of the best and most consistent sports franchises out there, delivering solid baseball gameplay and an even deeper set of gameplay features. While there are some updates to fielding and some enhancements to Franchise, Road to the Show and Online, some of issues cropped up within the game and kept it from becoming truly phenomenal. However, as a intermediate step towards MLB 10: The Show, this is definitely a game that baseball fans should buy.

Still, despite those faults, MLB 09: The Show on the PSP is the second best baseball title of the year, losing only to The Show on the PS3. I don't know if that's more of a sign of how sub-par 2K's offering this year was or a real testament to the handheld developers of The Show, but there's no arguing with the end result, no matter the cause.

Based on the performance of the PS2 version of Major League Baseball 2K9, MLB 09: The Show is the default choice for PS2 baseball fans this year. Even if the 2K series had improved this year, Sony's version of the game would still be considered the better title.

For such an all-star season last year, The Show is more about maintaining what worked so well with 2008's edition than rocking the world with massive changes. The lack of changes is the only Achilles heel. There are some areas that could be further developed on, but the final product, as it stands, is a home run.

Still, the backbone of baseball, the reason why no steroid or betting scandal could ever fully destroy the game's place in the hearts of millions, is the battle between hitter and pitcher. Nothing comes easy in MLB 09: The Show, which is the way fans want it. Baseball isn't just sunshine, Cracker Jack and juiced-up behemoths cranking balls into the second deck. It's about patience, hope, suffering and triumph. It's about a game that's an everyday companion from March until the end of October. SCEA has made enough visual tweaks to keep its already-authentic representation of baseball atop the heap for another year. With a few more tweaks to the Franchise mode and an expansion to the surprisingly enjoyable new practice mode, I see no reason why this baseball series won't sit on top for the foreseeable future.

While the Show on the PSP is still an engaging and enjoyable game, it's not as much of a must have as it has been in previous years. Some of the changes feel like they weaken elements of the game, like those made to the fielding, while many of the older issues, like the camera problems, haven't been addressed in at least two years. While there is a lot more depth thanks to the Franchise mode, there are so few changes that this is almost a repeat of last year's game.

MLB 09: The Show has proven to be a fun experience on both the PSP and the PS2. If I had to chose between the two for whatever reason, I personally would go with the PSP just for the simple convenience of it. It may not control quite as good as the PS2, but as a casual baseball fan, the portable style just suits my taste better for very quick, spontaneous moments of play. Regardless of which version I played, I thought the AI and overall programming was reasonably sound, although in saying that keep in mind I'm not an avid baseball video game player so I may be more forgiving than most. Still, if you're looking for a solid MLB title this year, I would recommend giving The Show a serious look.

While the Show on the PS2 is still an engaging and enjoyable game, it's definitely been overshadowed by the other versions on Sony's other systems. The visuals are getting a bit worn, and some of the changes feel like they weaken elements of the game, like those made to the fielding. While there is a lot more depth thanks to the Franchise mode, there are so few changes that this is almost a repeat of last year's game.

Regardless of which version I played, I thought the AI and overall programming was reasonably sound, although in saying that keep in mind I'm not an avid baseball video game player so I may be more forgiving than most. Still, if you're looking for a solid MLB title this year, I would recommend giving The Show a serious look.

Despite some flaws, I really enjoyed MLB '09: The Show on the PSP. The pickings are slim for baseball fans with a PSP, and I think that some healthy competition would give the developers a slight push to change a couple of nagging aspects that show up year after year, but it's definitely not a bad baseball title. Go in with your expectations curbed a bit, and realize that this isn't identical to the The Show on PS3, and I don't think you'll be disappointed. If you're new to baseball games, this title is surprisingly accessible to new players, so don't be afraid to give it a try.

MLB 09 doesn’t set new grounds, but it does a serviceable job not screwing everything up. Last year’s version was somewhat better, so it’s unfortunate that this year’s iteration took a step back.

Like so many storied professionals, age is finally catching up to the series. It’s time to rebuild, Sony. Let go of the past, and focus on the future. If you can do one tenth of what you did with The Show on the PlayStation 3 with the portable version, you could have a juggernaut of a franchise. There are so many comparisons I could draw here like comparing the game to Brady Anderson, Brett Boone, Dontrelle Willis, or countless others who’ve overachieved one year only to come crashing back to reality the next, but instead I’ll just say that for the first time in a long time, MLB: The Show is not a must buy. That’s just a shame.

Sony's made enjoyable baseball games for its PSP and MLB 09: The Show is no exception. However, we're a little surprised that the company failed to reach the next level. As it stands, it's an entertaining but all too familiar Show.