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Day One: Initial Impressions
Day Two: Initial Online Impressions

After spending the past half week with MLB 11: The Show, here is list of “small” things that I’ve come to appreciate -- and a few that have become an annoyance.

The Small Things, Both Good and Bad

First, I love the lighting in this game. Day games look like day games, even when it is overcast and the lights are on. I also like the shadows creeping across the batter's box and how they really have a slight affect on picking up the pitch. Night games look fantastic as well.

The new weather effects are also wonderful. Rain looks good without being overdone. I have not seen any specific weather-related animations yet, but to be truthful, I have not been playing in the rain a ton. I did, however, get to hear some commentary related to the weather.

Visually, the new broadcast angles are fantastic. This addition is the true definition of a small but meaningful change. The new angles make each game feel slightly different, and if you are familiar with that team's broadcast, more realistic.

I mentioned in my initial impressions that I did not think fielding had changed that much. In a lot of ways, I still don't think it feels tremendously different. That said, I am seeing some differential between top-notch fielders and those players known primarily for their bats. Catchers, specifically, seem to play more to their attributes, as I've seen more misplays on bad pitches from poor catchers. Better outfielders seem to play the wall more effectively, and arm accuracy and range ratings are certainly more evident in the infield. I still like the throwing meter, but I have had a few too many misplays trying to turn double plays -- sometimes my flips strangely sail into the outfield.

I love the training activities because they are all specific to one aspect of the game. More than just hitting, you'll work on things like contact and pitch recognition. These are simple elements, but I can see them really helping my game.

I've mentioned the stale commentary in the past, but at least it's not bad commentary. It is usually topical, interesting, specific and on point. However, the team will occasionally make a blunder, like calling a ball foul even though it is eventually tracked down by a fielder with room to spare. Nevertheless, only Dave Campbell, of the three, really annoys me.

The loading times are annoying, especially in the Road to the Show mode. I'll talk more about this mode later, but just know for now that to play one at bat in a game could take, from start to finish, almost 10 minutes. Maybe that does not seem that bad, but consider the at bat might only represent 2-3 minutes of that time.

Lastly, I am still not enjoying the online modes, nor can I see the Weekly Challenge becoming a major part of my playtime.

Final Thoughts

I think it is telling that I have been making this the game I "squeeze" in when I only have a couple minutes to spare. I know that may seem odd to say about a baseball game, but I'm just having that much fun with this version of The Show; I really just enjoy logging a couple of innings whenever I can. In a way, it is kind of like a gripping novel: You want to dig in for chapters at a time, but even a page or two hits the spot.

To me, that's the best praise a video game can receive.