MLB '09
by Sony Computer Entertainment
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Video Game Reviews of MLB '09
Customer Review: Fun, but maybe too much of a sim
Summary: 4 Stars
One of, if not the best baseball game I've ever played, but it is really difficult. Customer Review: The most (un)realistic baseball game ever made.
Summary: 1 Stars
Being a fan of The Show franchise since my days as a PS2 gamer, I was eagerly anticipating the release of MLB the Show 09. I made it through most of the baseball season holding off on purchasing the game, until finally I caved.
After 10 hours of play, I can say without any doubt that this game does not live up to the tagline of being the most realistic baseball game ever made.
Pros:
Graphics are outstanding in full HD. The stadiums look excellent. The crowd is dynamic and will leave during a blowout. Especially if you are playing the home team and you are being trounced by the AI.
Cons:
FRUSTRATING.
Your pitchers are not consistent. They never hit their spots even if you hit the pitch meter dead on. Want to throw a slider that clips the corner of the plate? Even with Johan Santana it will swing wide, or it will be thrown right down the middle.
Hitting is absolutely impossible. Even if you do manage to make good contact, you will hit it directly at a fielder, or the AI will make an impossible catch to rob you of a hit. The only hits I have are homeruns. In ten hours of play, I haven't hit one double.
I have tried adjusting the sliders, but it seems like they do not alter gameplay at all. I am very sorry I spent money on this game, especially since I was looking forward to it for so long. All I wanted was a fun baseball game where I could play a full season with a Franchise. I am very disappointed.
Customer Review: Awesome and Realistic game
Summary: 5 Stars
This being my first baseball game, its totally blown me off. The graphics are totally awesome- very realistic. The AI plays are like a real game too. Its hard to hit home runs(just like a real game), but at times that makes it really difficult.
I wish Sony starts making NFL games too they would surely give EA Sports a run for their money.
A must have for baseball fans.
Customer Review: Welcome baseball fans!
Summary: 5 Stars
This has to be THE best baseball game out on the market today. The players look alot like their real selves. I love the fact that the game mechanics are realistic. Everything about this game makes you think you're actually at a real game. The game can be very difficult to play, but real baseball is difficult to play too, so that goes hand in hand. I was happy to hear all of the new game commentary this year from the three broadcasters. Another good addition was the game highlight reel after it's over. I enjoyed watching my crushing homeruns or my great hitting ability after defeating an opponent.Customer Review: Best sports title ever on any console bar none.
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a little late to the "show" but I am sure glad I finally arrived here! I just picked up the PS3 system 2 weeks ago. I am from the school that felt MVP baseball 2005 was hands down the best baseball game ever made for console gaming. I read numerous reviews on this game at various sites and was really shocked at the clear line of love it or hate it type of write ups. A little background on my gaming expereince for you youngens out there. I have been playing video games since the Atari 2600 (I still have that thing in fine working condition in a box with over 100 carts). Back then Intellevision was the bomb for baseball.Nintendo had Baseball Stars, and Bases Loaded the Second Season (both classics). On Sega Genesis we had RBI Baseball, and the sweet World Series Baseball. Then the Playstation had EA's Triple Play baseball,All Star Baseball and of course the legendary MVP 2005 for PS2. For this review I can tell you this game is being played on a 32' Sony XBR Bravia 1080P LCD with Digital Surround and HDMI video.
I will list my custom settings which I have found to be very challenging and at the same time very rewarding. These settings thus far have made for a very realistic gaming experience without the extreme amount of frustration that some have shared. Over time I am sure I will turn down and turn up these various settings as my skill in the game gets better with repeated play. I recommend these particular settings if you have had a good amount of baseball video gaming experience with either The Show or the MVP series, have a good working knowledge of the game and also if you are/were a ball player.
All Star difficulty
No hot/cold zones
No Strike Zone marker
No hitter zone marker
Yes - to ball marker to line up the pitches - even though the controller shakes if your out of the strike zone it does make things a tad easier and more enjoyable.
Yes - to 1/6 guess pitch and location - I believe part of baseball is to anticipate certain pitches and location at crucial times and to be rewarded like you would in real life with a solid hit or a majestic blast out of the park! This allows you to sit on a pitch that you guessed right. Or if you don't want to guess the pitch but know he will pitch you down and away that helps and you should be rewarded. Knowing location has it's rewards too! I played a game last night and just knew this pitcher was going to come at me inside....I promptly crushed one over the right field wall BOOYA!!!!!!
New Running control set up - very easy to use as I will explain below.
Yes - to API (Adaptive pitching intelligence) where the cather calls the game for you and you can either shake him off or follow his lead. I like this a lot! And don't be afraid to shake off your catcher. They do call for more fastballs then they should....shake him off and throw that change up or breaking ball!
All throwing, fielding, running, and sliding set to manuel
Yes - to the Fielding ball marker and steal the HR marker.
Yes - to umpire strike zone variabilty
No - CPU comebacks.
As far as my sliders go without being long winded the only adjustments I made were:
Turning up 2 clicks each:
Hitting Power
Solid Contact
Starting Pitcher Stamina
Relief Pitcher Stamina
Foul balls
Turning down 3 clicks:
Throwing errors.
Turned down 1 click
AI Pitch speed - if your a novice turn it dowm some more to get a feel for what different pitches do. Once you get the hang of it...turn it up!
On to the game.
Presentation - Never have I been so blown away by a sports games presentation than MLB 2009 The Show. From the moment you load in the game and hearing all the great radio calls to the opening lineup introductions, the umpire crew calling the game, the panning in the stadiums, the lighting and shading....I mean this is top notch stuff. The play by play is great. Without question you feel like your watching a baseball game. The menus are very in depth and easy to navigate. I love seeing in spring training games the beach balls being hit around. The crowd is very active and looks so real! The player models are nothing short of beautiful. The fielding animations are so life like...back hand stabs, flips to turn 2, scoops, fist pumping after a great play, dives and slides....all the most realisitc I have ever seen. Guys getting thrown out of arguing calls, Replays are awesome!!!! Custom walk up music, and recording your own cheers and jeers.....friggin sweet!
Gameplay - this is where the biggest debate has been on the reviews. I will say this. MLB 2009 is not for pick up and play gamers, gamers who do not have much baseball knowledge, and gamers who do not have patience. This is a game that was designed for true baseball fans, players, and sports gamers who want the ultimate in true realisim. If you don't fit into that description....buy MLB The Bigs.
The degree of difficulty in hitting is just that. It is not easy. This is not dependent on button mashing and pure timing. You must understand the sweet science of hitting, taking pitches, going with the pitch, fighting off pitches, having some sense of what pitch is coming depending on the count, the baserunners etc. The hitting aspect of this game is just flat out amazing. If you are patient and willing to practice you will be able to be successful. One of the biggest keys to hitting on this game is the left stick. You need to understand that if a pitcher is throwing it down and away and you swing at it....you better have the left stick pressed down and away as you time your button push and then maybe you either fight off the pitch, get a dribbler down the line you can leg out, hit an opposite field single...pop up, line out, my point is there is no guarantee you will get on base...but if you don't press that left stick down and away chances are you will whiff. If you have a man on third....tap the right stick up to induce a fly ball to tag up that runner!! Drag bunts are awesome on this game and they work well (tap your right stick either left or right before the pitch). I wish you could move the hitter around the box though...amazing a game with this much detail left that out. The hitters eye is a nice touch to see how the defense is playing you. Back to the hitting aspect. What I love is that even if you get the timing right sometimes your going to hit it hard....but it is going to find a glove. That is baseball. No one hits .375 year round....most hitters hit .275 to .280. Sometimes you time it right but you don't swing your bat high enough or low enough with the left stick. Again...ultimate realism. I still have not hit a HR using the power swing. I have hit a dozen (in 14 spring games) though using the normal swing button, with perfect timing and placing the sweet spot of the bat in the right area. I also do not like to use the power swing button because you can't check your swing at all. Check swinging is a major aspect of this game. The batter/pitcher duals are flat out sick!
Pitching - Wow...I love this. Even when you line up the ball right....sometimes your pitcher just does not have his best stuff. Know this and start thinking about getting your long reliever up earlier than you would like! I love the fact that you must work the zone....throw pitches high and away, low and outside, or give them a sweet splitter down the middle...whoops and then it drops like a rock! Also....make sure you get ahead in the count...because the great hitters will make you pay for mistakes all the time. Study your hitters with the pitcher/batter menu....amazing the amount of info you can gather from those screens. Also check the streak arrow direction next to their name and stats as they approach the batters box....is A-Rod on a cold steak? Then challenge him!! If he's hot and first base is open....pitch him carefully. Watch your pitchers confidence closley. If he is getting into trouble...get out there and talk to him. If he can't seem to get out trouble....send him to an early shower!
The plethora of pitches in the game is sweet. Screwballs, slurves, 2 seamers, 4 seamers, 12-6 curves, spliters, sliders, sinkers, knuckleballs, knuckle curves, changeups....awesome. The variability on the umpires is also a very nice touch. Sometimes you get calls...sometimes you don't. Adjust and adapt just like in real life!!!!
Fielding - Ok here is where there are a couple of quirks. Sometimes the AI chooses the wrong fielder for you intially and you need to hit that L2 quick...also sometimes you hit dive and meant it let's say for your 3rd baseman but the AI chose your LF instead and he is flat on his face and it turns into a double. It does not happen that often. In fact it is becoming less of an occurence as you get used to the speed of the game. The fielding though for the most part is very solid. I love the smoothness of the animations and man it feels so real. Throwing is a breeze as is diving and jumping. Throwing errors were happening too often on the "out of the box settings" so take my advice on the slider adjustments mentioned above. The fielding guide marker is very helpful and a must for novices and even vet's like me...it makes for a more enjoyable experience. Last night I perefectly timed a R2 dive for Hanley Ramirez to lay out up the middle on a grounder... he then flipped the ball up from his stomach to Uggla who was getting taken out on the throw to turn the 6-4-3 DP. AMAZING FIELDING ANIMATIONS!!!!!
Baserunning - Ok MVP 2005 has the best baserunning controls hands down with the use of the game pad....why MLB 2009 does not use that same scheme is anyone's guess....but the new running control scheme that uses the left stick is a breeze.I have never played any previous version of MLB The Show and read the classic controls and was getting dizzy. Just point to the base runner you want with your left stick and hit the button of the base you want him to go to. L1 for all advance...R1 for all retreat. After a dozen spring games for practice I have had no issues with base running. Stealing is also very easy. Point the stick to the runner you want and touch the button of the base you want him to steal. I have not tried a double steal as of yet....so no comment on that as of now.
Franshise mode - I am dizzy at the amount of options you have here. I actually let the CPU handle the training options, budget and stadium stuff....I am too busy with rosters, signing players, drafts, and scouting!!! In other words I like being the GM and Manager and I let the CPU handle other stuff.....for now (:
The 40 man rosters are great. I will miss the MVP minor league systems though. I look forward to my first draft as well as free agent signing peroid. I play the Marlins BTW.
RTTS - I have not yet ventured into this mode as of the writing of this review. I first want to complete a couple of seasons (which will take me probably a few years since I only can play maybe 8 hours a week) with my Marlins and then I will delve into that whole other world this game has.
Overall - the game is a 10 out of 10 for me. I don't think I have ever been this excited about a sports game since Madden and MVP 2005 for the PS2. This is a true innovative gaming experience. I played ball through college and still play softball on Sundays, It also helps I am a huge basbeball fan. This game is for baseball lovers...I do not reccommend this game for any casual gamers, casual baseball fans or a gamer who has little to no patience. However if you want a true baseball simulation that has more features than you know what to do with, and that also has replayability for the next 10 years look no further than MLB 2009 The Show. A game that truly rewards you with every game you play. The more you play the better you will get and the more fun you will ultimatly have! Quite possibly the best sports video game ever made. Now pass me some mustard for my red hots!
Have fun at the ball park everyone!