XboxAddict
Sign In Join

STAFF REVIEW of MLB The Show 22 (Xbox One)


Monday, April 18, 2022.
by Heather Webster

MLB The Show 22 Box art Hello baseball fans, it's that time of year again! Spring is in the air and so are the baseballs, which also means it's time for a new installment to a long-loved sport in the video game world. The 17th installment of MLB The Show brings some sweet improvements to the game like a new pinpoint pitching system, cross-platform and cross-play progression and other really cool features. This year's cover star is the newest legend in baseball, Shohei Ohtani, well deserved for such a young star in the sport.

There have been many improvements to MLB The Show 22 that really make this game a homerun. The new pinpoint pitching system is really cool for people who really like a challenge. People like myself who don't have a long history of playing MLB video games might prefer the classic or pulse pitch though, because all you need to do is choose your pitch and time your press to the circle for optimal pitching. I absolutely love that there are multiple options available for virtually every aspect of the game, giving you the choice of difficulty or involvement in the game from simple controls with single button input or dynamic difficulty that will continue to monitor your play and level of ability. For example, if you foul all the time it will lower your difficulty automatically, whereas if you homerun every hit it will adjust to a more difficult level to increase your challenge.

Then there are precision controls which is the pinpoint pitching system, new to this year's version. This mode may be the most challenging of the bunch. After selecting your pitch and location, you initiate the pitch with Right Stick down and must follow a gesture presented on-screen as closely as possible. Further, you must perform the gesture as close to the speed shown on-screen. Every pitch has a unique gesture, with breaking pitches tending to have more difficult gestures to copy. It's a really unique style of play that is challenging, but gives some rewards for those willing to adapt.



Playing any of the field positions is also simple and rather fun to play. I found that I would get the rush of chasing a Pop Fly or diving to catch the Line Drive that I used to get playing real ball, only now I won't hurt at the end of the day from all that physical activity. However, this takes a lot of practice to figure out some of the specifics, like knowing what to press to pass to specific bases for an out. I feel I could use maybe a little better explanation of how to do these, but otherwise it is just like playing a real ball game and I love it.

I must say, even though I need to work on my skills more, one of the highlights of this game for me has been the different challenge modes included, like the Challenge of the Week where you must bat to the best of your abilities for the best score on the online leaderboards. I have also really enjoyed the Home Run Derby where the challenge is to hit as many homeruns as you can in four minutes.

As is with most online gaming these days, this game is no different,so you must have an internet connection as well as platform-specific online subscriptions and link it to the game's account. With this comes the addition of cross-play and cross-platform progression, which is also now available on Switch. I also tried online play with a friend where you can host a room or join one and play either 2v2 or 3v3 against other online players. I had a ton of fun playing online with my friend because of the fact that we played on the same team against other player teams from potentially anywhere in the world. However, I also had a harder time adjusting to this mode because it seemed like the controls were a bit different, but really I just wasn't paying enough attention to the screen to follow what I needed to do.


The new Stadium Creator exclusive for Xbox X|S and PS5 is very in-depth with what you can create. You pick the type of field, the pattern on the grass, type of stadium seat color as well as the stands themselves, name it, and finally say when it was built. This totally gives you the ability to build your own family stadium. When I first looked at the creator I was very intimidated, because most creators I have experienced have been difficult to maneuver and understand without a lot of time spent trying to figure it out, but with MLB The Show 22 I found it very well explained in the tutorials and the manipulations were also easy to understand.

This year they have also upgraded the Franchise Mode with improvements to the Trade Logic system, contract tweaks, offseason Free Agency adjustments, better Roster Logic, and a more accurate and Ohtani-like expansion of using 2-way players.

Diamond Dynasty or as I am calling it, NFT Dynasty, is where you play, collect and build on your fantasy team and bring them to life. Collect new cards for every login when you open the game, buy, sell or trade on the games market. I've seen a few cards listed on there for more than 130K in-game funds, which is crazy. There is also a new Mini Seasons mode, where each season you face new challenges against a new set of competition. Card collecting can be addicting and begin a slippery slope as soon as you open your wallet, so be careful.

As a casual fan, I really enjoy that I can play a basic level game and still have a competitive edge as opposed to some games where you can only play against similar skill levels. A real bonus for me in MLB The Show 22 is how much control you as the player have in how you wish to play the game.


With the seamless performance, it is really easy to lose yourself in the moment with targeted 60FPS gameplay and 4K resolution. I was really impressed with the graphics put into the development because I turned on the game for the first time I seriously felt like I was on the field batting against some of the best ball players out there with how realistic the presentation was.

There is something to be said about the attention to detail put into the creation of the likeness between the game and the actual human player. I got very excited when I discovered that I could bat as babe Ruth himself. The sound quality is equal to the graphics, as the crack of the bat hitting the ball outta the park, to the umpire hollering 'You're Out!", down to the soundtrack that is well compiled. I love the commentating that follows your activity on the field, as it really brought me to feel like I was watching a live game and sometimes even playing in one at times.

My overall opinion is really just asking myself why I didn't play the MLB The Show franchise more throughout the years. I can only imagine what kind of difference has been made with each iteration. This year for sure has made me a new fan, and I plan to continue to check out the franchise as the years go on. I found I want to log in every day to see what new cards I was getting and to see if I could improve my skills more and more, and they have. I will definitely play this homerun more throughout the year.

**MLB The Show 22 was provided by the publisher and reviewed on an Xbox Series S**




Overall: 9.0 / 10
Gameplay: 10.0 / 10
Visuals: 9.0 / 10
Sound: 9.0 / 10

Comments

Site Statistics

Registered Members: 81,168
Forum Posts: 725,969
Xbox One Titles: 6,502
Xbox 360 Titles: 1,086
Xbox 360 Kinect Titles: 95
Xbox 360 Arcade Titles: 586
Original Xbox Titles: 987
Staff Reviews: 2,612
Member Reviews: 10,339
News Articles: 16,557
Screenshots: 39,558
Xbox 360 Achievements: 45,112
Xbox 360 Faceplates: 2,016
Cheat Codes: 1,706

Latest News

Bulwark: Evolution Out Now on Consoles

Bulwark: Evolution Out Now on ConsolesThis major free update, which has already been successfully launched on Steam, brings a new layer of depth, strategy, and innovative gameplay mechanics to the immersive world of Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles.

Thrustmaster Unveils T.Flight Hotas One

Thrustmaster Unveils T.Flight Hotas OneThrustmaster’s best-seller is back with a new look featuring the official license of Microsoft Flight Simulator. This complete, precise and easy-to-use hands- on throttle and stick (HOTAS) is the ideal companion for Microsoft Flight Sim 2024


See News Archives

Community Forum Activity

KeyWe Giveaway!
Post by Variation-XBA
0 Replies, 28570 Views

2021: XBA is still here
Post by shrew king
40 Replies, 275771 Views

Watch Dogs: Legion
Post by Nato King
0 Replies, 128869 Views

Xbox Series X or S
Post by Nato King
5 Replies, 147182 Views

Spellbreak Grand Magus Pack (3) and Starter Pack (7) Giveaway!
Post by Variation-XBA
0 Replies, 133480 Views

I pay $ 1000! I search the Element 54 Canadian launch Team signaturen Faceplate
Post by Smill
0 Replies, 157597 Views

Xbox one no signal
Post by debrartin
0 Replies, 146571 Views

do you remember?
Post by SnoochyBoochy
3 Replies, 220427 Views

i haz xbox
Post by SnoochyBoochy
0 Replies, 177334 Views

Claiming the first thread of 2020
Post by Kraft
7 Replies, 269037 Views

Important! I pay $ 1000! I search the Sweden launch and the Element 54 Faceplate
Post by Smill
3 Replies, 151909 Views

Squad Up
Post by samslophead
0 Replies, 261916 Views

TERA Skinned Xbox One X Giveaway!
Post by Variation-XBA
0 Replies, 181377 Views

Starfield Release expectations?
Post by DJ tx
4 Replies, 314458 Views

Issue with Xbox live on Xbox home
Post by rcmpayne
0 Replies, 169942 Views

© 2000-2024 XboxAddict.com - All rights reserved. All trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
Xbox is a registered trademark of Microsoft. XboxAddict.com is not affiliated with Microsoft.

Made in Canada
Site Design by Cameron Graphics