Ahhh….smell that freshly cut grass on the PS3…a true sign that spring is here.
There is nothing better than watching these little digital guys with big hearts (thanks Vince Vaughn) take the field.
That means that we are testing out Sony's (SCE San Diego Studios) MLB 10 The Show, only on the PlayStation 3.
You may have seen the commercials of TV with reigning American League MVP Joe Mauer, but does this version of The Show live up to the hype and moniker of being the 'most realistic baseball game?'
On looks alone, yes, this is one the most beautiful visual sports games for the PS3, especially when playing it in wonderful HD. The players look realistic, the stadiums look like you are actually there and the cinematics are terrific. What Sony has done is tried to get the overall experience of the ballpark into your TV, and they have been very successful.
Not only do the stadiums have the real sounds of the game, but they also have the little visual details of the real life ballpark. Imagine being at bat at Progressive Field here in Cleveland; you are intimidated by the 19-foot wall in left, but as you step into the box, you see people walking around on the walkway out in centerfield. That's pretty cool, but all around the majors you can see those added features that make baseball stadiums unique. Take for instance, Petco Park in San Diego; 747s can be seen in the distance flying in low as they make their approach to San Diego International Airport.
Not only do the stadiums have terrific detail, the players and the way they move throughout the game are almost as one would expect them in real life. From the crinkles in the jerseys to the manager hanging on the top rail of the dugout, you can see that developers at SCE San Diego Studio were going all-in on perfecting this visual experience. Add in the plethora of batting stances you see throughout the game and you know that it took some time to get them down to perfection.
Much like a real life telecast, the developers put replays in from a previous at-bat. So, if you hit a dinger in the third inning, while you stride to the plate in your next at bat, they will show the replay of the homerun, which is something new and well appreciated if you are going for authenticity.
A key introduction to this year's game is the role of the relief pitcher. Extra preparation is always needed in baseball and the addition of being able to throw warm up pitches after the manager has called a new pitcher in. Usually, after the manager has made his call to the bullpen at a critical part of the game, the first pitch you threw ended up 400ft away and you blew your lead. Now, you can take eight pitches to be acquainted with your reliever's motion and now have an advantage.