MLB The Show 19 is video game therapy. There’s something about the slow and strategic flow, combined with the game’s level of sound quality that puts you in a soothing baseball trance: next thing you know, five hours have passed and you forgot to eat dinner. Like the real sport, playing through a game is a nine-inning mental chess match, and every time you hit a checkmate, it’s the best feeling ever. Sony’s baseball franchise doesn’t have much competition in the field these days, but instead of simply throwing a predictable fastball down the middle each year, it continues to change things up and perfect the series more and more with each entry.
The sights and sounds of America’s pastime this game brings to the table are astounding. With every crack of the bat, every roar of the crowd, I was met with a pavlovian response of tremendous excitement and a craving for sunflower seeds. (Just standard, salty sunflower seeds- I like to pretend the other flavors don’t exist.) The game’s visuals are no different. Each team’s ballpark features the iconic scenery each is known for, and every player is perfectly realized down to his batting routine and running style. For me, sounds and visual quality always comes second to gameplay in sports games, but MLB The Show 19 demonstrates how they can enhance the experience when it is done with enough care.
There’s a game mode for all types of baseball fans in MLB The Show 19. If you have the desire (and the time) to play through a 162 game season, go for it, but take some water breaks in between. For players wanting a snappier, more streamlined experience, I recommended Road To The Show. In this mode, you take a created player on a journey from the minors to the majors and get an idea of what it takes to make the big leagues. Games are shorter, as you only play when your player is up-to-bat or involved in a defensive play, making for a more digestible pick-up and play experience. If you’re looking for a more arcadey experience, Homerun Derby and Retro Mode are ideal and take far less effort.
New modes have been added in this game as well, the most notable being “MLB Moments”. This feature scratches the nostalgia itch and lets you recreate legendary plays and showdowns from some of baseball’s best. Situations date back to the days of “The Great Bambino” Babe Ruth himself, to bigger moments of recent years. When introducing the moment, archived footage comes on screen, helping the gamer understand the relevance and impact the moment had on the sport’s history. While this isn't the first time a sports game has attempted a mode like this, MLB The Show 19 just does it better and with more care.
The game’s control options are just as vast as its selection of gameplay modes. There’s a layout for any desired play style. From one-button commands to more advanced pitching and fielding styles, customizing to the right system can be crucial to your success. It’s a little daunting at first to choose, but the game’s opening tutorial does a great job at explaining each one so that you can find the best scheme for you before you hop into a game.
My baseball career didn’t last long as a kid, but MLB The Show 19 makes me wish I stuck with it. It’s a beautiful sport and as a video game in 2019 it translates as well as it ever has. When you hear gamers talk about sports games, it’s usually NBA 2K or Fifa that gets mentioned first, but MLB The Show 19 runs circles around them when it comes to the extra finishing touches. I’d go to bat for it over any current sports game on the market.
Review code provided by publisher
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