{tag [Review]} {tag [PSP]}

MLB 08: The Show came out at the beginning of March, just as pre-season baseball began.  Although I enjoy watching sports, I would classify myself as a casual sports fan.  Consequently, I am merely a casual sports videogame fan: yes, I play from time to time, but mostly, they just collect dust in my collection.  So, when I saw this game on the horizon, I thought it best to send it to Lone.  Lone, you may remember, was one of the contributors to our article on Madden ‘07 roles.  He is also superbly qualified to review sports games as he often plays through multiple seasons in a given title, and is a huge sports fan.

Graphics: 85%
The graphics in MLB 08: The Show are definitely of a higher caliber, with smooth movement but like most PSP titles, it suffers from jagged lines.  The graphics are so good, that it’s a shame the developer couldn’t have spent a little extra time on the player creation screens.  For some reason, the graphics are literally blurry when creating your avatar.

 The designer really put some thought into the details of the game this time out.  For example, the ball is displayed enlarged when playing in field, increasing visibility greatly when trying to move your player to the ball.  The new “Rob HR” indicator is a real help too.  This meter shows how high the ball is when trying to snag a flyball at the wall; this is huge improvement over version past, where gamers will left to guess.

Controls: 90%
If you’ve played the PS3 version of The Show franchise, you enjoy the controls for this title: they are identical.  The controls are surprisingly responsive and simple, especially for a PSP title using the sometimes sloppy thumbpad.  Even sliding, and surprisingly even directional sliding (for take-outs and avoiding the tag) which requires pushing into the upper and lower corners, worked very well.  There is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to precise pitching, but with a little time you’ll be a regular Nolan Ryan.

Gameplay: 90%
Gameplay is what makes a game, and it is what really makes this one.  The game is a lot fun to play; it is nearly a duplicate of its PS3 older brother – a fact that really impressed me.  Those gamers familiar with MLB 07: The Show, will have an easy time transiting to this title: pitching and batting are the same.  The only real problem I have during normal gameplay is while fielding.  There is no throw meter to know how hard you are throwing, and I couldn't find a setting for it either.  Seems like a simple, but big oversight.

Some improvements have been made in the “Road to the Show” mode.  Although a unique way to play, in the past, you sometimes felt distanced from the action.  This time out, the mode makes you feel more involved; there are more details on the game situation, and more situations presented to you.  You can also move your player around before the pitch is thrown when on defense.  Additionally, when playing as a middle infielder (second base or shortstop), you are shown indicators on where to stand for the cutoff, and for when you need to cover second, including on stolen base attempts.

I don’t know if I missed it in play, but the PSP version doesn’t seem to have the third base coach as the PS3 version does, which is a little disappointing.

 One difference I really noticed about MLB 08: The Show is the difficulty of hitting.  Guessing where the pitch is going only gives you an idea of the area, not the precise location, which offers a bit more realistic play.  (I was batting .500 for my career in MLB 07.)

Additionally, MLB 08 offers more training options: you can now train for skills in more ways than ever before, allowing you to focus on specific skills.  It is easier to earn these skill points as well, as it is not a simple pass/fail, and you see the points you earn right as the plays happen.

Audio: 90%
The music is MLB’s standard fare of modern music, most of it pretty good.  A really nice feature is the ability to create your own playlists from music you have on a memory stick.

The sound effects are fine, but really just your standard realistic baseball sounds.  The announcer dialogue has improved and is a little less repetitive than in past versions.  And I mean, how can you not like Matt Vasgersian.

The only negative statement I have about audio is the lack of a sound (or even a visual cue) when guessing pitch type.  While guessing pitch direction gives a visual cue, type has no such indicator.  I found myself often pressing the button a second time, just to be sure it registered my selection.

Videos/Cutscenes: 80%
MLB 08: The Show doesn’t contain much in the way of cutscenes, but like any sports title, it has its share of quality offensive and defensive instant replays.

One very cool feature is the opening video sequence.  Each time you load the game, a random short video of good quality is shown.  The videos would highlight some player’s career or season milestone that occurred during the 2007 Major League Baseball season.

Summary: 87%
I liked MLB 08: The Show very much, can actually see playing through a season or career, which is rare for me and a PSP sports title.  The graphics are very good, the sound is solid and the gameplay and controls leave little to be desired.  It is really a great sports title.