MLB The Show 21: 5 Things It Gets Right (& 5 That Need Improvement)

The conversation for the best sports gaming franchise out there really narrows down to NBA 2K and MLB The Show since Madden has missed the mark in some recent years. In terms of MLB The Show, it was so good that the game has crossed over from a Sony product to now be available on other platforms.

The most recent installment, MLB The Show 21, was another relative hit and it marked the series’ debut on PlayStation 5. While it certainly got a lot right this time, there were some aspects that could use improvement down the line for later entries in the franchise.

10 Gets Right: Difficulty Level

Baseball in general is a very hard sport to play. Hitting a 90+ mph fastball with a skinny bat takes serious hand-eye coordination and that’s not even getting into pitching and defense. Nailing that in a video game can be a tall task.

You want to replicate the realism of it all without making the game so tough that people will not have any fun. Thankfully, MLB The Show 21 mostly walks that line expertly. The games are fun to play but they also deliver just the right amount of challenge to keep you coming back for more.

9 Need Improvement: Road To The Show

Every top gaming series has a mode like this where you create your own character and guide them through a career. For MLB The Show, it’s Road to the Show, as you lead a player from draft day to the minor leagues and then to the majors.

On the surface, Road to the Show is solid and has all of the mechanics to make it work. However, it has been around for more than a decade and not a lot has been done to change it up. That makes RTTS feel tired to longtime fans and something needs to be done to freshen it up going forward.

8 Gets Right: Diamond Dynasty Mode

While most sports gaming series have something like Road to the Show, one thing that is unique to this franchise is Diamond Dynasty mode. It allows gamers to collect baseball cards like fans love to do in real life and make an actual team out of those players.

That includes creating logos and jerseys and mixing current MLB players with legends. While the game launched with a handful of issues to the mode, they were righted and things remain fun in this department. That might change in a few years but now, it all works with Diamond Dynasty.

7 Need Improvement: The Commentary Team & Track

Getting things right with commentary in a sports game can be difficult. The WWE 2K series has long struggled in that department, with the commentators sounding unnatural and like they aren’t actually watching what is unfolding in front of them. Meanwhile, NBA 2K has mostly nailed it, with games feeling like you’d see on TV.

For years, MLB The Show has kind of been somewhere in the middle. Baseball being slower means the commentary doesn’t have to rush to keep up the pace. Still, the game has featured the same jokes and comments for several installments, so it’s another area that needs updating.

6 Gets Right: The Little Things About Baseball

If there’s one thing that this game excels at, it’s getting all of the “little things” right about the sport. MLB The Show has moments like a beach ball from the fans landing in the field, the ball boy reaching to grab a hit that went foul, or even something like Juan Soto’s signature shuffle in between pitches.

It’s these things that really put this game over the top when it comes to feeling like the baseball that fans view on television or at the actual stadium. They may not mean much on the surface to those who don’t love the sport but for serious fans, it makes a huge difference.

5 Need Improvement: The Graphics

Again, graphics are something that feels like they’re fine in MLB The Show 21. The game certainly looks good and has for years, especially when discussing things like stadiums and such. However, a deeper look reveals that the game is kind of behind the times.

While it’s not at all ugly, there’s really not much of a difference between the versions available for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, which is a problem. Taking a look at something like NBA 2K shows that the games should look vastly superior on next-generation consoles, which MLB The Show doesn’t.

4 Gets Right: The Gameplay Is Strong

The biggest selling point of this series for as long as most people can remember is the gameplay. As noted, each game manages to feel like something challenging and realistic but also pretty enjoyable. It helps that they nail all of the animations of the players.

That includes smooth defensive plays, which makes things feel real. This is another section that hasn’t had tons of upgrades over the years but everything still works well enough that this is a strong suit for the series. Plus, there hasn’t been a baseball game to touch it in this category in a long time, with even MLB 2K being defunct now.

3 Need Improvement: Franchise Mode Depth

Franchise mode is one of the most popular aspects of any sports game over the past decade or so. Controlling one or more teams for several years and building them in your image is a lot of fun. Madden added owner mode to let you control minute things like the prices at your team’s stadium.

Meanwhile, NBA 2K created MyLeague, which lets the player be in control of an entire league as if they were commissioner. MLB The Show 21 has a good franchise mode but it’s lacking the depth to compete with the best. It doesn’t do things like contract negotiations or keep stats as well as other gaming series.

2 Gets Right: Stadium Creator

The coolest addition to this year’s game has to be Stadium Creator mode. For the first time ever, players can completely design their own ballpark. That includes doing something traditional or something out of this world that includes things like UFOs if you want.

This is the kind of depth that the game lacked in the past and is a welcome addition, especially when coupled with creating your own team designs. It’s a PlayStation 5 exclusive for now but it’s still one of those things that really adds to the game.

1 Need Improvement: Stadium Creator

Of course, Stadium Creator wasn’t exactly perfect. As great as it is that MLB The Show 21 included it, considering that it’s a new addition, it has some kinks to work out. For starters, there should be a few more options to create your dream ballpark.

The biggest problem with Stadium Creator, though,  is probably how limited it is in terms of those options. For some reason, the game doesn’t allow you to use any created stadium for night games. That worked for Wrigley Field in its heyday but not with your own creation.

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