MLB 13 The Show News Post

MLB 13 The Show Review (PS3)

12:56 PM - March 6, 2013 by RaychelSnr

Your opinion of MLB 13 The Show is going to depend, in large part, on what kind of consumer you are. If you embrace “the new” and thrive off of flashiness, or drool over revealed feature-sets, you are probably going to feel slightly disappointed with what The Show offers this year. Those feelings are completely understandable.

However, if you simply appreciate quality titles, regardless of how much they’ve changed, you will almost certainly come to see MLB 13 The Show as the best console baseball game to date.

I have.

Read More - MLB 13 The Show Review (PS3)

Game: MLB 13 The ShowReader Score: 9/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS Vita / PS3Votes for game: 36 - View All

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Member Comments

# 21 NAFBUC @ 03/07/13 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knight165


	Very good review. Fair points on all. (except I think that both commentary and fielding are an upgrade as well) Good read as well. Nice job! M.K. Knight165

I really enjoy the added challange of fielding this year. I can control my fielders as if it was a 'manual' setting option. The new pressure sensitive throwing (with no visual feeback) creates an upgraded realism factor. You can use the new throwing mech with analog, if you do not like the button throwing option.

# 22 tvman @ 03/07/13 10:00 AM

Looking at the quote below, is that all we can expect from the new ball physics that was so hyped, less GroundRule doubles? I thought it was supposed to add new hit variety as well?

"Sony also touted a tweaked physics engine; specifically removing too many ground rule doubles. I’m not sure I fully see the difference in this just yet. If you liked the way the ball acted last year, you’ll like how the ball behaves this year".

# 23 sink4ever @ 03/07/13 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvman


	Looking at the quote below, is that all we can expect from the new ball physics that was so hyped, less GroundRule doubles? I thought it was supposed to add new hit variety as well? "Sony also touted a tweaked physics engine; specifically removing too many ground rule doubles. I’m not sure I fully see the difference in this just yet. If you liked the way the ball acted last year, you’ll like how the ball behaves this year".

Have you read the Community Impressions thread? Improved ball physics/hit variety seems to be one of the most common things mentioned.

# 24 tvman @ 03/07/13 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sink4ever


	Have you read the Community Impressions thread? Improved ball physics/hit variety seems to be one of the most common things mentioned.

Yes I have but this is supposed to be an unbiased review and the impressions are quite often not.

# 25 CPRoark @ 03/07/13 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvman


	Yes I have but this is supposed to be an unbiased review and the impressions are quite often not.

I think I attributed the hit variety to the more open hitting engine; in other words, I saw better hits because I was making better contact. On the occasions where I saw choppers, slicing liners, etc,, I felt that it was because, while I made contact, I didn't make good contact. In my mind, those would have been a swing and a miss last year.

Hit variety is improved, but again, I'm not 100% sure if it's physics or the hitting engine (including push/pull tendencies). However, I don't think it is as drastic a change as last year.

# 26 Woodweaver @ 03/07/13 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CPRoark


	I think I attributed the hit variety to the more open hitting engine; in other words, I saw better hits because I was making better contact. On the occasions where I saw choppers, slicing liners, etc,, I felt that it was because, while I made contact, I didn't make good contact. In my mind, those would have been a swing and a miss last year. Hit variety is improved, but again, I'm not 100% sure if it's physics or the hitting engine (including push/pull tendencies). However, I don't think it is as drastic a change as last year.

Contact tweaks (ex. angle of incident, imparted spin, etc.) were part of the physics changes. So were the restitution and friction calculation tweaks when bouncing on different surfaces.

# 27 thaSLAB @ 03/07/13 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodweaver


	Contact tweaks (ex. angle of incident, imparted spin, etc.) were part of the physics changes. So were the restitution and friction calculation tweaks when bouncing on different surfaces.

Huge, just huge!

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvman


	Looking at the quote below, is that all we can expect from the new ball physics that was so hyped, less GroundRule doubles? I thought it was supposed to add new hit variety as well? "Sony also touted a tweaked physics engine; specifically removing too many ground rule doubles. I’m not sure I fully see the difference in this just yet. If you liked the way the ball acted last year, you’ll like how the ball behaves this year".

Woodweaver's quote explains it all. And it's far more than just less GRD's. There's more realistic bounces off the plate (no more 30-ft high choppers that look like pop-ups), no more excessive top spin causing the ball the have a curved, almost wind induced path. You'll see the ball die naturally in the grass (no more high grass bounces, not even in HRD), or off the padding; while having more energy when bouncing off warning tracks, and differently yet again off of cement. All these lend themselves to more hit variety. Like I said before, this was the first thing I brought in our first meeting with the devs for '13. Needles to say, they were already on it.

The ball physics model is finally nearly perfect, in my opinion. That's my non-biased, speaking as an engineer, opinion.

# 28 Armor and Sword @ 03/07/13 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvman


	Looking at the quote below, is that all we can expect from the new ball physics that was so hyped, less GroundRule doubles? I thought it was supposed to add new hit variety as well? "Sony also touted a tweaked physics engine; specifically removing too many ground rule doubles. I’m not sure I fully see the difference in this just yet. If you liked the way the ball acted last year, you’ll like how the ball behaves this year".

Play a good 40-50 games then tell me what you think. Baseball is such a random game with literally 100's of outcomes. I have played 12 non stop and still see new things pop up in regards to play outcomes, and yes even hit variety

# 29 CPRoark @ 03/07/13 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armor & Sword


	Play a good 40-50 games then tell me what you think. Baseball is such a random game with literally 100's of outcomes. I have played 12 non stop and still see new things pop up in regards to play outcomes, and yes even hit variety

Agreed. That's exactly what makes reviewing this particular game so tough...the devs have fine-tuned soooo much, that it's hard to see it all in the span of a weekend, while also trying to evaluate the new features and keep it some what succinct.

I think the fact that the physics aren't readily noticeable is a testament to how realistic they are: things just happen like they should.

# 30 bronxbombers21325 @ 03/07/13 10:13 PM

Until they can get this stuttering problem fixed, I give the game a 0. It is unplayable.

# 31 Brandwin @ 03/07/13 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NAFBUC


	I really enjoy the added challange of fielding this year. I can control my fielders as if it was a 'manual' setting option. The new pressure sensitive throwing (with no visual feeback) creates an upgraded realism factor. You can use the new throwing mech with analog, if you do not like the button throwing option.

What option is this?

# 32 mike24forever @ 03/08/13 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DookieMowf


	What option is this?

I think it's the first person view that you can play in Road to the Show.

# 33 Mscott7 @ 03/08/13 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JukeMove22


	So no mention of the off-line cpu pitch stutter?. That should be noted and added to score value.

I have had the same issue it makes it impossible to hit!

# 34 Bruinboy @ 03/08/13 07:52 PM

This is my third year with The Show. Each year it gets better. I absolutely love RTTS this year. I always play it almost exclusively until OSFM rosters come out and then play 50/50 with Franchise and RTTS. Ball physics are amazing. Fieliding in RTTS, at least in the outfield, has become a challenge. Getting the stuttering occasionally. As long as it doesn't appear when I have two strikes I can live with it for now.

Developers need to be congratulated. I play this game and Tiger Woods, but I play the show twice as much as TW. Kudos.

# 35 TheSwamp @ 03/08/13 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruinboy


	This is my third year with The Show. Each year it gets better. I absolutely love RTTS this year. I always play it almost exclusively until OSFM rosters come out and then play 50/50 with Franchise and RTTS. Ball physics are amazing. Fieliding in RTTS, at least in the outfield, has become a challenge. Getting the stuttering occasionally. As long as it doesn't appear when I have two strikes I can live with it for now. Developers need to be congratulated. I play this game and Tiger Woods, but I play the show twice as much as TW. Kudos.

Gotta get me a ps3.

# 36 Nexgenrulz @ 03/09/13 06:28 AM

Is it just me or does the ball in the PS3 version seem bigger this year? Not sure if this is the right place to ask but just wondering if anyone else has noticed this.

# 37 bxcjm @ 03/09/13 05:33 PM

How do i sign free agents?

# 38 Knight165 @ 03/09/13 06:34 PM

During season...
There is a FREE AGENTS option from the front menus...

In the off season...
Go to the schedule....pick a day and hit X...
Go to MANAGE CONTRACTS and the FA screen will come up.

M.K.
Knight165

# 39 nomo17k @ 03/10/13 09:45 PM

Overall a fair review, but I have to disagree that ball physics and fielding play variety have seen only minor, incremental improvements.... it doesn't really matter now that the game is available and accessible to everyone so that they can just see for themselves, but as someone who watches a **** load of CPU games before actually playing the game myself, these gameplay improvements are something that pop out quite immediately. I wish more "expert" reviews like this one pay attention to subtle but very important aspect of a simulation game.

Likely I'm very biased for these areas of game play since that's where I always want to see improvements, but I feel those areas deserve much better recognition this year from professional reviewers... the law of diminished return for the game, but I feel that really is the reason why the game stands out as a good representation of real life counterpart.

I love the vastly improved "poor" hit variety and the corresponding fielding plays that gracefully handles the added intricacies on the field!

# 40 thaSLAB @ 03/11/13 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bakan723


	Last one I got was 10. Sad to hear that fielding is the same. I'll get a new one once they implement a fully manual fielding system. Fielding is very important to me and I can't stand it when the cpu automatically goes after balls for me when my player is highlighted. Feels like I'm not really playing the game. smh

Fielding is definitely not the same.

-- Sent from the Future...

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