"MLB The Show 18": More spectacle is not possible
Baseball is a cult sport in the USA, but barely worth a mention in our part of the world. More exciting, more authentic and more epic than ever, "MLB The Show 18" dares to make the virtual leap across the pond. And rightly so, because the sports simulation from Sony San Diego Studios is a home run.
On a sunny afternoon during my three-week tour of the western United States, I'm sitting on the second-top tier of the Dodger Stadium, gazing out into the distance. I can feel the fascination of this sport right down to my fingertips.
But it wasn't always like this: before that, I only knew this type of ball game from the telly - I could watch it for about five minutes at a time, then I had to change the channel. The rules were foreign to me and the broadcasts were therefore incomprehensible. I realised why baseball didn't enjoy the same popularity here in the East. A sport doomed to boredom - the introduction to the Wikipedia entry emphasises this. I thought it was impossible that a video game could ever change that.
But on that day, north of downtown Los Angeles, in the 56,000-seat stadium of the local Dodgers, everything is different. I know the rules, have familiarised myself with the sport and have learned to love it. Seconds before the first pitch, the tension is palpable, the atmosphere close to boiling point.
The first pitch: Strike! That's what the umpires say... the fans logically see it differently. James Loney, first baseman of the home team, is not fazed by this, throws a nasty look in the direction of the umpire, adjusts his jersey and hits the next ball out of the stadium.
The crowd goes wild, blue, white and red fireworks are set off and the muscular hitter celebrates frenetically as he rounds the bases.
Welcome to the show!
A rocky road
A brief history of "MLB The Show": I deliberately skipped the last two games in the MLB series (16 and 17). The improvements and upgrades in the 15 version compared to the previous year were simply too few. As a sports game aficionado, I suspected evil and feared the same fiasco as with EA's NHL series. So I gave myself a two-year break.
My supporter heart beats for the Boston Red Sox and since my first trip to the USA I have regularly followed their games or at least watched the recaps. The latest version of the baseball game was advertised on an online banner when I checked the scores. Everyone deserves a second chance, I thought. So come on, let's give it a try - the best decision of my life.
I realise that, as I haven't played the previous version, I can't objectively say how much the game has improved or changed since the last edition. However, I can certainly judge how the latest instalment plays and what has changed since 2015. Spoiler alert: a hell of a lot.
Identical, but much better
When it comes to game modes and content, "MLB The Show 18" is comparable to "FIFA 18": The most popular content is carried over, yet continuously improved and expanded. A first internal leap of joy, as the slump from 2014 and 2015 seems to have been overcome.
Classics such as the home run derby and Franchise Mode are still part of the repertoire. Home run derby, you ask? It's as simple as it sounds: get the ball out of the stadium as often as possible. In Franchise Mode, you take control of one of the 30 teams in Major League Baseball and (hopefully) lead them to the World Series title via the playoffs.
There is also the fun Retro Mode and the Ultimate Duel. In Retro Mode, you celebrate a baseball party with your friends, regardless of whether they are hearing the term for the first time or are absolute pros. The focus is on having fun - but even the strongest friendships can come to an abrupt end as a result. If you think "Mario Kart" is the game of life and death par excellence, you've never had to eat a grand slam in the last inning. Huh, grand what? You only understand the station? Imagine the stupid Princess Peach chasing a red tank up your arse three centimetres before the finish line while you slip on a banana peel.
Only the greatest survive in Ultimate Duel - survival of the fittest. Epic showdowns between rival teams, a contested playoff series where every out is celebrated or impossible comebacks make hearts beat faster and strain your nerves. Here you play in situations where everything is at stake. Go hard or go home, so to speak.
The Diamond Dynasty mode, which I have never played before, offers the opportunity to create your own team and compete against the legends of baseball. From the shirts to the logo to the colour of the soles, you can choose everything yourself and put together your dream team. This mode plays similarly to FIFA Ultimate: With success comes money and points. You can then use them to buy better players, nicer jerseys and bigger stadiums.
Great cinema: Road to the show
The real showpiece of the game is (and remains - because it was the same with "MLB The Show 15") the career mode with the resounding name "Road to the show". Here you create a player and work your way up from AA level via the AAA Minor League to the prestigious Major League. The principle is simple, the implementation is simply superb.
I already liked the career mode in the NHL series. FIFA's counterpart also impressed me. With "The Journey" and Alex Hunter, EA cemented the supposed leader's throne two years ago. "MLB The Show 18" not only scratches that concrete pedestal, but also impressively destroys it.
The dismantling begins with the player creation. I took no less than 40 minutes to create a player in my own image. Thanks to the fine-tuning options, which extend to the length and depth of the laugh lines in the mouth area, this is no problem at all. There is nothing that cannot be edited. You can even choose the appropriate voice output for your first name and surname so that the stadium announcer can announce you appropriately. "Next up: Raphael Knight [editor's note: unfortunately there's no Knecht to choose from, but Knight isn't too bad either], third baseman and leader in RBIs." Sounds much better than just having your shirt number called out. Chapeau, Sony!
After that, you have to decide on an archetype. Are you Mister Reliable, who hits almost every thing in the field, or do you see yourself more in the role of the home run hitter, who has a lower batting average but packs out the big hits? The options here are limited, but that's not a bad thing. Depending on what you choose, you limit the upper limit of your abilities in the further course of your baseball career. A base runner, for example, will never be able to reach top values in power hitting, while a big batter will never become Speedy Gonzales, even with a lot of training.
You continuously improve your skills (until you reach the cap): If you hit a good shot, you receive plus points for contact and flight distance of the ball, deductions are made for strikeouts, for example, or if you fail at the decisive moment. You can also train and improve certain attributes or caps on rest days. In 2015, you could still assign the experience points you gained to any attribute you wanted to push. I like the current version better, it's more realistic.
Once you have moulded your character, the first test awaits: You can practise your batting in the batting cage before a short session in front of the scouts where you have to give the leather ball a good thrashing. Then you have to prove yourself on the field, i.e. in defence. Last but not least, you will be allowed to present yourself live in two exhibition matches. Then it's time for the draft and you'll find out which AA team you'll be playing for in your first at-bat. And then you're ready for the first of many big steps that will hopefully follow.
Baseball the way you love it
The guys and girls at Sony San Diego Studios have thought of everything. Rarely have I played a game where the developers have done their homework so carefully and made the most of the possibilities. Whether it's the first base coach shouting tips to you via the controller speaker or nerve-wracking vibrations that make you even more nervous when it's your turn to bat, your team is one run behind and the bases are full - "MLB The Show 18" manages to captivate you from the very first second and never lets you go.
The weather is actually only a minor matter, but it still played a major role for me. If you start an evening game before the sun goes down, you can watch the hot fireball slowly disappear behind the horizon and night falls. It's the same with the clouds: your first at-bat takes place under a cloudy sky, by the third or fourth time it's already drizzling and the extra innings come to an end in the rain. It's subtleties like these that make "MLB The Show 18" seem complete.
The game sets another milestone in terms of controls. As a base runner or fielder, you have various options to choose from. No matter what you choose: There is no simple solution. What makes the game so appealing is the mix. The mix between the simple, initial commands (you throw to home base with the X button, for example) and the subsequent, challenging execution (the throw only arrives quickly and precisely enough if you use the right analogue stick to manoeuvre your throwing sight into the catcher's target circle in time) is something you won't find anywhere else.
But life is no picnic in offence either: As a batter, you can choose whether you want to hit on contact (circle), with power (square) or normally (cross). Or you can decide to work with the sticks only. A combination of both elements is also possible. You can also guess the type of pitch, which gives you a bonus if you are right. And "MLB The Show 18" wouldn't be "MLB The Show 18" if there was no deduction if you were wrong. After all, just like in real life, the timing and confidence of the pitcher also have an influence on the success or failure of every hit.
(Almost) flawless
Analysing the errors in this game is just as challenging as mastering it. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack. In FIFA, the often monotonous and boring commentators are criticised. In "MLB The Show 18", I can't get enough of the mischief that Matt Vasgersian, Dan Plesac and Mark DeRosa get up to on their microphones. However, once you've played a few games and the season is drawing to a close, the three gentlemen occasionally get carried away with repetitive jokes.
Graphically, the sports simulation can't quite keep up with industry leaders such as "God of War" or "Uncharted". But that doesn't detract from the fun of the game. Because here too, the Sony developers have succeeded in creating an atmosphere that captivates you to such an extent that such details are barely noticeable. I paid explicit attention to this in the context of this review, but it didn't bother me. The gameplay and presentation, paired with a hefty dose of America, ensure that you notice minor bugs with a smile and forget about them straight away.
Whether the game is also suitable for complete beginners? Three years ago, I would have answered with a resounding "yes". "MLB The Show 18", on the other hand, sets the bar pretty high for beginners. But if you have the desire, time and the will to sink your teeth into it, the initial moments of frustration will pay off.
Conclusion: More than just baseball
If you haven't already bought a PS4 when Philipp suggested it in his "God of War" review, now is the time to do so. The title is exclusive to the PS4 and only available as a US version, as well as being optimised for the PS4 Pro. Even all those players who consistently resist sports simulations will not be able to get past "MLB The Show 18" without a guilty conscience.
It's a must-have for Americans anyway, but I highly recommend buying it for everyone else too. Hardly any other video game will immerse you so deeply in the action, make your unbridled will to win rise up inside you and make you despair in the event of an irregular strikeout. If you hit your first home run, you will proudly raise your clenched fist to the sky - whether you like it or not.
Good, better, baseball: "MLB The Show 18" is the best thing that could happen to this sport. You will feel and want to play baseball with every fibre of your body. Sony San Diego Studios has given a sport that is unjustly ignored in this country the stage it deserves. And a game that demands everything from you.
Thanks to this masterpiece, the boring image that has always weighed on the legendary US ball sport in Europe will be history by the time you play your first at-bat.
When I'm not stuffing my face with sweets, you'll catch me running around in the gym hall. I’m a passionate floorball player and coach. On rainy days, I tinker with my homebuilt PCs, robots or other gadgets. Music is always my trusted companion. I also enjoy tackling hilly terrain on my road bike and criss-crossing the country on my cross-country skis.