Home
OS Scores Explained MLB 15 The Show Overview (PS3)
Pros
Visuals are sharper and the gameplay is smoother, plus game modes are tweaked and refined.
Cons
Online connection is inconsistent, lag can be frustrating, and commentary makes you wish your TV volume went below mute.
Bottom Line
MLB 15 The Show is yet another title in a series that provides Playstation users with a wonderful and enjoyable series of baseball games.
7
out of 10
MLB 15 The Show REVIEW

MLB 15 The Show Review (PS3)

For the past few years, the motto for MLB The Show has been "baseball is better." This year, the Sony team has certainly made baseball gaming even better than it was last year; not just for new-gen users, but for PS3 users as well. With all the focus being on the PS4 edition, the PS3 has been largely overlooked. However, that does not mean it has been ignored by SCEA.

Gameplay

The gameplay in MLB 15 The Show is great, which is no surprise. What is a surprise, though, is that even on PS3 it is quite a bit better than it was in last year's title. The addition of directional hitting has given the user more hitting control, along with a bit of added difficulty when using the new feature. User fielding is smoother and more seamless than it has been in the past, and it gives the on-field action a more fluid and authentic feel. Additionally, enjoyable features like quick counts and dynamic difficulties are still in the game this year.

There is one major flaw with core gameplay, and that is a lagging and freezing issue. This issue occurs throughout all modes and can be extremely frustrating. There is not a certain point where the lag occurs most often, but having the game lag right before you release a pitch and subsequently giving up a walk will not make you a happy camper. The freezing issue occurs most often immediately following the games, which is likely due to post-game auto saves. Again, it is extremely frustrating when you finish a great game just to have to shut off your system and start all over. These issues will likely be addressed in a patch, but until then they are huge flaws in an otherwise incredible gameplay experience.

Presentation & Graphics

The broadcast graphics have been updated from last year and look good, but other than that there is not much to say about presentation. The commentary is bland and boring, as usual. Graphics, however, are quite a bit sharper than last year. The ballpark environments looks improved with better shadows and weather conditions, and a new seating variation in the stadiums that keeps most of the upper decks empty and fills the lower seats, just like in actual stadiums.

Offline Game Modes

The offline modes are as plentiful and as fun as ever. While both Franchise mode and Road to the Show (RttS) remain largely unchanged, they are still refined. Plus, we are able to continue our saved games from last year's edition allows us to carry on the legacies we have already started both on the field and in the front office. For RttS, items acquired in The Show Store can be used to improve your player's abilities, even though the gear is not seen in-game on this system.

Online

The online portion of this game is much like the rest of the game: a refined version of last year's title. MLB 15 The Show features Online Franchise, Online Exhibitions, Diamond Dynasty, and all the usual works from last year's game. Notice the pattern yet? Diamond Dynasty is great for those of you who are ultimate team gurus, and Online Franchises are a chance for players to top their friends (or fellow OS users) for World Series titles. The online connectivity has been inconsistent for me thus far, but overall not a bad experience. I have seen a few instances of lag just like in offline game modes, but not very often.

Final Thoughts

With the PS4 becoming the main focus in this series, SCEA could have slapped a roster update on MLB 14 The Show, and called it a day. But much to the relief of current PS3 users, they actually put time and effort into the last-gen version of MLB 15 The Show and gave us a game that we can enjoy even more than we enjoyed last year's. The lag and freezing can be a real pain, no doubt, however a patch should be in the works to address these issues.

If you haven't bought a PlayStation 4 yet, this game is a no-brainer for purchase. It is an improvement from last year and it is hauling a price tag of just $40.

Learning Curve- The biggest adjustment is learning how to use directional hitting. Other than that, it is very similar to last year. Using dynamic difficulty will make the game easy to learn and adjust to in general.

Control Scheme- MLB 15 The Show offers a ton of control options in all different aspects of the game. With some experimentation you are sure to find a scheme that suits you.

Audio- Taking advantage of Sounds of the Show will greatly improve what you hear in-game, but other than that the audio portion of the game is the same as it has been in the past.

Visuals- Aside from occasional lag, this game is visually stunning.

Online-The modes are fun to play and deep, but connection can be inconsistent.

Lasting Appeal- This game continues the great reputation that SCEA carries with this series. It is a fun and realistic game with tons of modes for users to immerse themselves in all year long.

Score: 7 (Good)


MLB 15 The Show Videos
Member Comments
# 21 Review @ 04/30/15 09:51 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by JackinaPrius
This game sucks... Well, if youve never played it before youre gonna love it... But if youre someone who has been playing it for years, youre gonna be pissed. ZERO major improvements or corrections from past versions... Even the patch that was done recently didnt correct the things it claimed to. i.e. McCutcheon's hair... TOTAL disappointment. They put no effort into the PS3 version.

Did they at least update Trout's face from 14? It looks like Harper and a few other guys got an update.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
# 22 murphyHOF @ 05/03/15 11:35 PM
Don't know if this particular topic has been hit in the thread already, but here goes..

To start, my last MLBTS was '11, so I am pretty happy with the gameplay and graphical presentation in '15 compared to '11 and don't want to sound like a whiner. But....my big beef is still with the broken Fast Forward mode, because I choose to only hit in season mode, and sim when my team is in the field. I don't know why SCEA could not add a "next at-bat" to the choices and allow the game to sim one batter at a time. I am about 20 games into my season and i can point to at least 3 games I have lost the lead because of the shortcomings of FF mode, namely A.I. subbing cold pitchers not even up in my bullpen and not being able to sub pitchers myself mid-inning to get better matchups. Sad thing is that I think FF has been like this from the start of the franchise.

It's broken, SCEA. If you continue to develop MLBTS on PS3, please fix this. I can't be the only one out here tired of this.
 
# 23 geisterhome @ 05/08/15 04:53 PM
Wondering to whom those new PS3 verions of game like The Show appeal to which are still being released.

I'd assume that probably casual gamers are those who haven't bought a PS4 yet, but wouldn't those be just fine with a much less pricey The Show 13 or 14? The other group might be those who don't want, or can't spend much money on gaming. But also for them it would make little sense to buy the brand new and expensive newest version of The Show.
 
# 24 Will I Am @ 05/08/15 06:24 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by geisterhome
Wondering to whom those new PS3 verions of game like The Show appeal to which are still being released.

I'd assume that probably casual gamers are those who haven't bought a PS4 yet, but wouldn't those be just fine with a much less pricey The Show 13 or 14? The other group might be those who don't want, or can't spend much money on gaming. But also for them it would make little sense to buy the brand new and expensive newest version of The Show.
Or it could be those who are waiting to see "real" improvements in the game, not just some slightly higher rez version.
 
# 25 Knight165 @ 05/08/15 10:17 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Will I Am
Or it could be those who are waiting to see "real" improvements in the game, not just some slightly higher rez version.
What's the last version you played?

M.K.
Knight165
 
# 26 geisterhome @ 05/09/15 04:01 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Will I Am
Or it could be those who are waiting to see "real" improvements in the game, not just some slightly higher rez version.
There are for sure way bigger improvements in the PS 4 versions than in the PS 3 ones nowadays. So if progress is what you are after to keep buying The Show on PS 3 doesn't make much sense as they are just minor tweaks made a every year from here on out. Still you are paying the full price.
 

« Previous 12Next »

Post A Comment
Only OS members can post comments
Please login or register to post a comment.