Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this is a baseball simulation, but that doesn't mean the players chew tobacco, spit, or scratch themselves as they do in real life. The purity and beauty of the sport is on display here. This game is unique because it allows players to create their own player and watch him come up through the Minors into the Majors.
Families can talk about how this game's "Road to the Show" mode is special. Does it make the game more personal to you? Why do you think athletes are considered role models? Is it because of how they play the game or how they live their lives? What do you think about steroid use with athletes? How is baseball different than other sports and what makes it so popular with families?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Andrew Bub
If "take me out to the ball game" is a pastime you enjoy, then Sony's MLB '07: THE SHOW might be a good game to pick up.
MLB '07 has all the basic features gamers should expect from a baseball simulation. Single-player and multiplayer modes -- you can create an online season with up to 30 different player-controlled teams -- are present and accounted for.
The graphics range from decent on the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable, to gorgeous on the PlayStation 3. Strap on the cleats for a full season with the entire league, or just select rivals, and control every player on your chosen team, from pitching to shagging pop flies. Or put on the suit, tie, and the attitude of George Steinbrenner and take full control of your favorite franchise.
Draft players, watch them improve, and control the price of the admission to your park. This is standard baseball and sports simulation stuff, and MLB '07 does a fine job delivering the goods.
In terms of graphics and controls, this game isn't perfect. There are occasional glitches: players run through each other and a fly ball arcing out of reach of the Center Fielder will sometimes magically move downward into his mitt. That's disappointing, and would be reflected more in the score were it not for MLB '07's excellent "Road to the Show" mode.
"Road to the Show" mode is special. If you think about it, baseball is a team sport but focuses on individual play more than football or basketball. In the "Road to the Show" mode, players create a Minor leaguer at any position they like. The goal is to play a lot of games, and based on performance, watch your created player advance to the Majors, and hopefully, eventually, win the pennant.
"Road to the Show" mode is unique, completely new, and a refreshing way to play. Best of all, it doesn't take nearly as much time to get through a game or season as it would in the regular modes of play. For example, I created "Bub" and put him at Center Field. This means the only time I play is when, on offense, it's time for me to bat; or on defense, the ball is smacked my way. By playing only the moments YOUR player is actually involved, the games go faster and you get the feeling of playing a personal highlight (or lowlight) reel.
Naturally, I'd have to play a lot more of each game if I chose to make Bub a pitcher, but I'd never have to play defense. It's a fun and realistic way to simulate how a player plays baseball, but it admittedly takes a lot of the outcome of the game out of the player's hands. Believe me, midway through the season, I was very angry with certain computer-controlled pitchers for having lost key games.
But it also grants true baseball fans the statistics they crave. Sure, you can play an entire season and examine every player's performance and all the stats, but with "Road to the Show" you can also pore over your individually created player's performance for a season.
All told MLB '07: The Show isn't perfect, but with the "Road to the Show" mode, it offers something compelling that players can't get anywhere else.
For other great sports games, consider Madden NFL Football '07 or NBA Live '07.
Reviewed: 06/25/2007
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CommercialismReal teams, real stadiums, but no overt or unexpected product placement. |
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Educational ValueKids will learn about baseball, the MLB, various teams and players. |
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