MLB The Show 22 Reviews
MLB The Show is still one of the best sports games, but that doesn't change the fact that this year's installment isn't a step forward. On the contrary, there are so few changes to the gameplay that it's ultimately a shame. Road to the Show, for example, would have deserved some changes by now.
Review in Czech | Read full review
There’s something to be said about not messing with something that’s working just fine. The Show 22 is a familiar product for better and for worse. The ball game is as solid as ever, but the video game entry fails to offer something truly new for PlayStation owners who bought last year’s installment, while its most noticeable change doesn’t really help matters.
The ultimate question is whether you should play MLB The Show 22 on Switch. Well, it depends. If it's your main or only platform and you're happy playing CPU and offline games, then yes, it's not bad and holds things together just enough for gameplay to be enjoyable. If you want an 'on-the-go' version to accompany a more powerful home console version, perhaps on Game Pass, then it's another yes. If you want to mainly play online in Diamond Dynasty? No, this isn't the way to go. MLB The Show 22 is admirably packed with content and features, but it's not entirely comfortably packed into the diminutive Switch. It lacks the fluidity and crispness found elsewhere, which is perhaps expected but doesn't change the fact. If you're happy with the compromises, though, then step up to the plate.
It'd probably be reductive to describe many of MLB The Show 22's improvements as the kind of thing you'd expect to find in patch notes, but it's still somewhat true. The gameplay feels great as always, and we really like the additions to March to October as well as the Mini Seasons mode in Diamond Dynasty. But while this is undoubtedly a streamlined, enhanced version of the already excellent MLB The Show 21, casual players will struggle to spot the difference – and, frankly, some aspects of the series are really beginning to tire.
MLB The Show 22 is one of the most conservative annual sports titles I've played in some time. Aside from a few minor mechanical tweaks and a handful of ancillary features like online co-op and new commentary, this is essentially the same game we got last year. It's a shame because the franchise's core gameplay remains rock-solid, but it's increasingly difficult to ignore its lack of ambition. Those new to the series can add at least a point to my score, but longtime fans aren't getting much to cheer for.
MLB The Show 22 delivers almost everything you could want in a baseball game. San Diego Studio has done a fantastic job giving us one of the most authentic experiences you could endure in a sports title, especially regarding current generation gaming.
MLB: The Show '22 brings the baseball gameplay fans love with some minor improvements. Online the game still has some minor connectivity issues. Other than this and some minor glitches, the game is exactly what the fans expect. Unfortunately, there isn't much of a graphical advancement.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
I happen to enjoy this year’s title, as a lot of those changes make the title a bit more challenging. But if you were looking for innovations to shake up the franchise, those just aren’t here.
MLB The Show 22 continues to offer a solid baseball game that is a lot of fun to play. San Diego Studio has the basics down, and while they iterate on them each year, they don’t break what’s working. When so much around the core gameplay has grown stagnant, though, and players are being pushed to spend so much ongoing money to have the best experience, it becomes a lot harder to recommend to all but the die-hards.
MLB The Show 22 is a finely-tuned baseball simulator that offers a nice range of options depending on your patience but is possessed of a nearly insurmountable difficulty curve for beginning players, especially those who are either uninvested in the sport, more accustomed to simpler arcade-style baseball games, or even fans of other popular sports simulators that require less pinpoint accuracy to succeed in. Fortunately, if you’re determined enough to learn to play the game, there are endless pitches to swing at and new games to start over as you fine-tune your button-pressing timing.
The lockout may be over, but MLB The Show 22 might need to ride the bench this year in comparison to the efforts of the past. Still fun to be had, though.
MLB: The Show 22 is certainly not a game for everyone - as a person with little idea about baseball, I couldn't take full advantage of what the game itself offered. Besides, it's just a well-polished sports project. Fans should not be disappointed.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Gameplay is just as impressive and enjoyable as ever. That being said, there are still some problems that detract from the overall experience. Server and technical issues, as well as minimal new features to modes like Road to the Show and Franchise, could make some feel like this game is MLB The Show 21.5.
MLB The Show 22 is a well crafted video game for baseball fans, but it is more of the same in more ways than it should.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Why would you want to buy MLB The Show 22? If I’m being completely honest, it’s really hard to justify taking the plunge this year, especially if you owned 2021’s installment. This release feels devoid of any marque justification for purchase, aside from continued refinement on existing mechanics. It’s really hard to shake the feeling that this was supposed to be a grand slam and ended up being a dribbler off the end of the bat.
Overall, MLB The Show 22 is a fantastic baseball simulator that fans of the sport will enjoy. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough notable changes to the game that make it a must-have. There are some little tweaks here and there that dedicated players will notice, but the total package isn’t too different. That said, it’s still worth picking up if baseball is your game.
In short, MLB The Show 22 feels like MLB The Show 21 after a decent-but-not-major patch has been installed. If you haven’t played the series for a few years, or are a newcomer looking to dive into baseball sims for the first time, this is the best thing on the market. If you picked the game up last year, you’re paying for minor tweaks and a roster update, and you might not feel a new game is worth it.
Spending time playing the different modes, and just getting a general feel for MLB The Show 22, I found myself enjoying more of the game than I thought I would. Homerun Derby among the other game modes really helped to engulf and immerse myself in the game. Between stats and rosters it is always fun to mess around with major league rosters the way you would want real teams to manage their rosters. With what should be a lasting impression MLB The Show 22 leaves little to the imagination from its predecessor. What should be a definitive installment with the addition of online co-op, winds up being more of the same formula that needs some updates and changes if it is to have a lasting legacy.
Last season, I was disappointed with the PS5/Series X versions of The Show as I was hoping for a step into the next console generation of visuals, animations, and physics. Expansion into the Xbox ecosystem and logistical issues due to COVID-19 necessitated a shorter and likely less-involved upgrade to the game. To get nearly the same experience for the second-straight year is a legit bummer. This is still the best professional sports sim you can get on any hardware and if you are a baseball fan that hasn’t played The Show in recent years, this is an experience to look out for. For others who have been waiting years for something new, this one sadly isn’t it.
MLB The Show 22 stills plays a phenomenal game of baseball, but incremental updates reveal a series that's lacking in ambition.