MLB The Show 22 Review
"Welcoming the Switch"
Campaign
This is the second year that MLB The Show continues to expand, with Nintendo Switch being added to the roster of options. This is also the second year that I’ve been able to cover the game on Xbox Series X with it once again debuting with Xbox Game Pass. That is in combination with being able to take a look at the Playstation 5 version.
There aren’t really too many intensive upgrades this time around, it’s very straight forward in terms of changes. The big focus here is on crossplay, cross-progression and cross-saves across the console experiences. Past that we have a refined commentary that I thought was fairly well done and the addition of one hundred and fifty legends.
There are as always a wealth of modes to experience that cover most elements of the sport, though I’ll briefly discuss a fresher addition which is a stadium creator. You’re able to create whatever sort of wild field setup you want with over a thousand unique pieces. You can also download what others have made, or share what you’ve created as well to others.
Other traditional customization elements return as well, with a minor addition here or there such as with the custom athletes you can make if you choose to. When it comes to modes you get everything you would typically expect from the franchise. There’s a quickplay Exhibition, also Live Exhibition option too if you want rosters to be current.
Then you have online competitions to go head to head. We also have the new online coop mode to play together in a fresh way. Past that is franchise, then there’s the Road to the Show, March to October and of course Diamond Dynasty. Most of these should be fairly self-explanatory for those familiar with the sport. They cover the various seasonal options within MLB baseball and allow you to run, and or engage with them in many ways.
For Diamond Dynasty, that one is slightly different since it’s the card based option that will allow tons of customization options to make the extra type of team you want to. There are also some more casual modes that are present within the game. That includes Home Run Derby and a throwback classic version too which is similar to RBI Baseball if you’re familiar with that. Basically streamlined controls and play that’s more traditional.
Gameplay
This is the second year in a row where while the game does look quite great and authentic, it continues to lack that next generation shine. It essentially looks visually the extra same as last year. I was hoping for some sort of deeper upgrade, but alas perhaps with the Nintendo Switch addition they haven’t the resources to really move this forward visually which is disappointing.
I would note that it might be nice to have a higher level of detail in the crowd right behind the tight camera angles of batting versus pitching. The weathering mechanics could also be more detailed, alongside those fun little spots are backdrop elements which come across as being lower in quality and that sort of takes you out of things a tad.
I hope I’m not going too hard on the visuals, it does look great and it performs very well on both of the platforms. Both consoles also load up the game incredibly fast, it’s probably just a second or under and you’re into a game once teams are picked.
You get a wide range of options for choosing teams, and the stadium you play in. It has everything from the custom made options, to the entire current roster of team branded fields and even some classic ones too which is nice for sure. There’s also the benefit of cross-play which can be turned off if you desire, but you’ll likely want to setup the cross options for future experiences.
Other than that the console versions are essentially the exact same. I will note the Playstation 5 version has subtle extra DualSense rumble at times and that it supports their 3D Sound tech which is expected. The game in general plays quite well too being a realistic simulation of the sport. It has many difficulty options, like a ton and tutorial solutions if you’re getting into it for the first time.
There are many helpful statistics it provides while you play as well, so I imagine once again it’ll be easy for newer players to hop in without any sort of issues in doing so. That would likely be the case again since the Nintendo Switch is being added this time around alongside other Xbox players probably getting into if they missed out on the debut release the year prior.
The Conclusion
MLB The Show 22 is another entry in the series, expanding the platforms further while also providing a similar experience to the previous year. I do wish they would have pushed the visual front a tad further, but it still looks great and presents the game in an aesthetically pleasing way. It captures the various teams, stadiums and styles of the sport in a realistic way in order to provide a proper simulation.
It also has a bit of fun with the customization options that are present, whether that’s with your regular athletes or when you go to create a place of your own which is really cool to have available. It’s a bit light in terms of new adjustments to the game, but it does provide a plethora of ways to get into the franchise. This is also the second year in a row where I’m feeling things are starting to stagnate a tad.
It’s definitely an interesting experience whether you’re really into the sport of baseball, or may be wanting to check out the series for the first time since this will be embracing yet another new audience. I was decently happy with this year’s entry, it’s fun and expansive covering the modes of the game. Just keep in mind that you won’t see a massive leap in technology as they certainly play it extremely safe with this year’s release.
Read our RBI Baseball 20 Review
View our MLB The Show Hub
MLB The Show 22 Review on Xbox Series X and Playstation 5
Review Code Provided by SIEC
Rating Overall: 7.8
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