For many baseball fans, the end of the World Series simply signals the beginning of the offseason, a period arguably as exciting and tumultuous as the regular season. It's also when we start getting our first glimpse of what the next iteration of MLB: The Show may bring us come next spring.

Before we jump ahead to next season, however, let's take a quick look back at MLB 15: The Show.

What Worked

We say it every year, but the MLB: The Show series is one of gradual improvement. Each year, small but meaningful changes enhance what was already there; we simply trust that every version will be a bit better.

MLB 15 kept this trend going as seemingly minor additions, like a realistic lighting engine and more varied skin tones, helped make a great looking game look better. I don't think there's a more visually appealing package in all of sports games.

I really enjoyed other small enhancements too, like the sponsor system and customizable licensed equipment. The daily radio show was a step in the right direction presentation-wise, as were changes to the in-game user interface.

Larger enhancements came through as well with better trade logic and more stable online play. The revamped Diamond Dynasty was also interesting, even if the mode remains the one I play the least. More errors and routes in the outfield also changed how you played defense.

Thanks to these changes, this year's version of The Show became its best. In fact, it's easy to make the claim that MLB 15: The Show is one of the greatest baseball games of all time.

 

 

What Didn't Work

If there is one downside to the wealth of small changes, it's that The Show can start to feel the same, year after year. Sure, it looks better and plays better, but ultimately it's the series' own reliability that can make it feel a bit stagnant.

That said, I think 2015 was probably one of the largest jumps in terms of overall improvement; however, it still had its share of issues. Commentary remains really dry and repetitive -- this area used to be a strength. Presentation, too, feels a little static and rote, with the same cutscenes and statistics shown with regularity. Even animations can get predictable with enough gameplay.

And, in a rare example of SCEA taking something out, we lost the ability to load on analog swings.

 

 

Where The Show Needs to Go

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to see The Show go the way of other games, making up and removing features simply to add bullet points on the back of the box. I appreciate the "slow burn" of this series, it can just get a little dry year after year.

So where do I think The Show could shake things up without breaking things up? Well, the commentary is an obvious place to start. I think it's time to get Matt Vasgersian some new partners, or even bring in a completely different team. I would also ramp up the TV-style presentation, which the developers seem to have been moving away from over the past few years.

Franchise and Road to the Show are stellar but certainly could use an injection of fun. Allow us to relocate or create an expansion team (my favorite mode from the old All-Star series). Move the training system to the forefront, either with drills and an XP system, or with dynamic goals in-game. Bring back the crazy promotions and sponsorships, even if in a small way -- I'm not sure I need to set ticket prices, etc. Enhance the offseason with more tension placed on signing the big free agents.

In fact, Franchise and RttS could use an entire presentation makeover, creating something that looks less like a spreadsheet. I'm not sure if that's done through content, like more radio or even TV shows, or through a graphic redesign -- perhaps both. Remember the old days when each team had a newspaper? I would love to see those small touches brought back.

 

 

Final Thoughts

The Show remains my favorite series in sports video games, and the title that occupies most of my time. It's the only title that sticks around with me long enough to be traded in for its newer edition. 2015 did not upend any of those opinions.

Whatever happens, 2016 should bring us the latest in a long line of great playing baseball video games. And without true competition, that remains more important than ever.