"Slowly but surely, MLB: The Show has tweaked this, improved that and added a little polish there to become a pretty damned good baseball game. It still has its rough edges, but when you look at the total package, you're looking at a pretty good all-round baseball title, not just a pretty good handheld baseball title. The game allows an insane amount of player customization, now letting you pick the songs that play while your batter strides up to the plate, and even custom taunts to annoy other players with. The game is a pretty good balance of statistical sim and button-timing action; I especially like how guessing the pitch rewards those who pick-up predicatable pitcher patterns (alliteration over). So what are those rough edges? Menu organization can be clearer; at times it's not clear what will take you to a menu and what will launch the game. Also, some camera angles still need to be worked on close plays, like the base-running. Yet there is a lot that stand out about MLB 09, like the crowds that rise when you hit the ball (a simple yet beautiful touch) and the excellent colour commentary that's like listening to the ball game on the radio on a hot summer afternoon."
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Jason's Score:
8.5
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