MLB 2006 The Show Demo at EBGames for a Pre-Order

[Inuyasha]

Cha-Ching!


http://www.gamespot.com/news/6147802.html

#3 best selling ps2 game and #5 overall, nice job!


=btw , i played around with manager mode in this game. pretty cool, nice camera angles too.

[macsomjrr]

i love this game!

[Diablo25]

It really is the best game in a long time. Flat out great game.

[Sudz]

amazing on the PSP....

love being able to create a guy and then progress through the minors....though i hit .410 in spring and still was sent to AAA to start the season.

very FUN

[GTHobbes]

I'm still seeing and hearing s*** that I've never seen or heard before, on both the PS2 and PSP versions of the game. Replay angles, announcing, gameplay elements -- there doesn't seem to be a game that goes by where I don't see something new, and think, I can't believe they've got that in there. I don't see myself getting bored with this game all summer. That's the mark of a great sports game, IMO.

[lexbur]

The Show is The Sh*t!

[icvu42]

I'm still seeing and hearing s*** that I've never seen or heard before, on both the PS2 and PSP versions of the game. Replay angles, announcing, gameplay elements -- there doesn't seem to be a game that goes by where I don't see something new, and think, I can't believe they've got that in there. I don't see myself getting bored with this game all summer. That's the mark of a great sports game, IMO.

Im playing as the Yankees, when we were in Fenway, a ball was hit down the right field line. The announcer said, "The ball rolls to the corner, Sheffield goes after it...Stay back fans"... A reference to last year's incident?

Very cool.

Rick

[JackB1]

there is no denying that is plays a GREAT game of video hardball. My problem is in the basic gameplay and lack of innovation or interactive controls. It's still the same basic button pressing that this series always had.....press to pitch, press to throw, press to hit. The pressure sensitive throwing helps a little, as does the guess pitch/location feature, but I would love to have this game with 2K6's swing stick & pitching system and MVP06's analog throwing. That would be baseball heaven!

I guess I will play The Show for a couple of month's and then move on to 2K6 for a couple. Nice to have 2 fun games to play this baseball season.

[jLp vAkEr0]

Well, I played the show on my friends PS2 during the weekend and I'm torn between buying a ps2 just for it.

It looked fine, not great on my LCD hdtv, but the I hated not having the in-game saves. I don't mind the fact that games on 06 take almost 45mins, but the fact I can't save a game in the middle of it just kills me.

[Leebo33]

there is no denying that is plays a GREAT game of video hardball. My problem is in the basic gameplay and lack of innovation or interactive controls. It's still the same basic button pressing that this series always had.....press to pitch, press to throw, press to hit. The pressure sensitive throwing helps a little, as does the guess pitch/location feature, but I would love to have this game with 2K6's swing stick & pitching system and MVP06's analog throwing. That would be baseball heaven!

I'm the exact opposite. I love MLB for it's simplicity of controls. I'm not saying I'm not for innovation, but I think 2K6's swing stick is cumbersome, awkward, and unintuitive. Even you had to ask for help on how it works on multiple forums. It just doesn't make sense to let go for a normal swing and push up for power. I've always been taught to swing through the ball so stopping seems awkward....as does aiming with the left stick and swinging with the right. I won't even get into check swinging with a bumper button.

I do like 2K6's pitching system, although it seems like guys aren't walking many once you get used to it even with slider adjustements.

[icvu42]

but the I hated not having the in-game saves. I don't mind the fact that games on 06 take almost 45mins, but the fact I can't save a game in the middle of it just kills me.

That's why the PSP version is great, you can just throw it in sleep mode.

Actually it takes me about an hour to play a game. I tend to watch alot of replays, because they are so well done.

Rick

[AJColossal]

Thought I was coasting along easily with the Cubs in my season until I get swept by the Braves at home, swept at St. Louis, and lose the first game in Houston, trimming my lead in the wild card down to a half-game.

Agreed with all that was said here, the game is always engaging and full of surprises.

[webdanzer]

I just had a five game stretch vs Toronto and Tampa Bay(!) where I gave up 5+ runs each game. Meter pitching.

In most cases, you really, really have to play this game a lot before you can see any sorts of trends to slider tweak, IMO.

[JackB1]

I agree......2K6's swing stick is not the best implemented, but it's a step in the right direction. I like features that give you more interactivity and control. That's why everyone loved MVPs pitching meter when it first cam out. It was the first pitching system that was more than the basic just pressing on button to throw a pitch. I agree 2K's system needs some work, but the MLB series hasn't really changed any of the core gameplay controls in 4 years. They just beefed up the presentation.

I'm the exact opposite. I love MLB for it's simplicity of controls. I'm not saying I'm not for innovation, but I think 2K6's swing stick is cumbersome, awkward, and unintuitive. Even you had to ask for help on how it works on multiple forums. It just doesn't make sense to let go for a normal swing and push up for power. I've always been taught to swing through the ball so stopping seems awkward....as does aiming with the left stick and swinging with the right. I won't even get into check swinging with a bumper button.

I do like 2K6's pitching system, although it seems like guys aren't walking many once you get used to it even with slider adjustements.

[webdanzer]

That's why everyone loved MVPs pitching meter when it first cam out. It was the first pitching system that was more than the basic just pressing on button to throw a pitch.

Gland Slam Baseball '97 for Playstation had the pitch meter. Damn fine and innovative game, and I had been clamoring online for other games to use it ever since.

Too bad that game didn't go anywhere.

[Leebo33]

the MLB series hasn't really changed any of the core gameplay controls in 4 years. They just beefed up the presentation.

I disagree. I used to think the MLB series was the most overrated franchise around. But to their credit, the MLB team has tweaked every facet of gameplay over the years to make one of the best console games ever IMO. They realized that most of the fan base didn't want gimmicks. They just wanted to feel like they were actually playing an MLB licensed product with good AI, ratings that matter, and intuitive controls. I think the fact that MLB is selling very well speaks volumes about the improvements they've made. Besides, presentation is huge in videogames these days. The tools are there to make games realistic and immersive, so why not take advantage of it?

....meanwhile 2K over the past 2 years adds an innovative feature here and there but takes out the popular zone hitting method that was already in the game, removes every decent fielding camera angle, and screws up AI that wasn't broken. They took a game that wasn't broken in 2K4 and turned it into a disaster.

[Jason]

the MLB series hasn't really changed any of the core gameplay controls in 4 years. They just beefed up the presentation.

I disagree. I used to think the MLB series was the most overrated franchise around. But to their credit, the MLB team has tweaked every facet of gameplay over the years to make one of the best console games ever IMO. They realized that most of the fan base didn't want gimmicks. They just wanted to feel like they were actually playing an MLB licensed product with good AI, ratings that matter, and intuitive controls. I think the fact that MLB is selling very well speaks volumes about the improvements they've made. Besides, presentation is huge in videogames these days. The tools are there to make games realistic and immersive, so why not take advantage of it?

....meanwhile 2K over the past 2 years adds an innovative feature here and there but takes out the popular zone hitting method that was already in the game, removes every decent fielding camera angle, and screws up AI that wasn't broken. They took a game that wasn't broken in 2K4 and turned it into a disaster.

Well said. I could not agree more!!! I'm all for innovation, but not at the expense of gameplay. There's no need change what works just for the sake of change.

[JackB1]

totally agree that 2K4 was a solid gme with promise that went downhill.
2K5 was a step backwards, but I think 2K6 was definitley better than 2K5.
I am not debating 2K6 vs The Show here. What I am saying is that I wish they added more innovative controls for those of us that like that stuff.....along with the basic controls for those that like that style. Swinging the right stick makes more sense to me for swinging a bat, than does just pressing a button. True, 2K's system has some problems, but maybe someone else can do it right?

the MLB series hasn't really changed any of the core gameplay controls in 4 years. They just beefed up the presentation.

I disagree. I used to think the MLB series was the most overrated franchise around. But to their credit, the MLB team has tweaked every facet of gameplay over the years to make one of the best console games ever IMO. They realized that most of the fan base didn't want gimmicks. They just wanted to feel like they were actually playing an MLB licensed product with good AI, ratings that matter, and intuitive controls. I think the fact that MLB is selling very well speaks volumes about the improvements they've made. Besides, presentation is huge in videogames these days. The tools are there to make games realistic and immersive, so why not take advantage of it?

....meanwhile 2K over the past 2 years adds an innovative feature here and there but takes out the popular zone hitting method that was already in the game, removes every decent fielding camera angle, and screws up AI that wasn't broken. They took a game that wasn't broken in 2K4 and turned it into a disaster.

[Slumberland]

Swinging the right stick makes more sense to me for swinging a bat, than does just pressing a button. True, 2K's system has some problems, but maybe someone else can do it right?

Did you like MVP '06? I think they did a great job with the hitting in that game, just using the triggers as modifiers for power and contact, and check swings performed by (gasp!) simply stopping your swing. Along with the analog throwing in the field, I feel like EA did a good job innovating while keeping it simple. If only the pitch cursor in that game showed the pitch pre-break, like in The Show.

[Slumberland]

By the way... someone at OS made MVP '05 dynasty files for all 30 MLB teams with this year's schedule. Pretty cool.

[Leebo33]

What I am saying is that I wish they added more innovative controls for those of us that like that stuff.....along with the basic controls for those that like that style.

That's fine, but they should at least get the core things right before they start messing around with new options and totally different control schemes. What good is a decent pitching model when the baserunning AI is hosed? What good is a new half-assed hitting scheme when the lineups don't look anything like MLB lineups and fielders move like they are in quicksand? 2K should have taken every minute they spent modelling a new swing and fixed the framerate and added hundreds of more animations.

I thought EA did a great job of improving and tweaking MVP each year. I think it would be OK for The Show team to now start incorporating some innovations now that they've nailed the important stuff.

[Inuyasha]

By the way... someone at OS made MVP '05 dynasty files for all 30 MLB teams with this year's schedule. Pretty cool.

Thanks for the info. I will check it out but I like the show so much this year, I dont know if I can go back to MVP now. I tried playing MVP last week and while the gameplay was solid, the ballparks looked so aged when compared to the show.

Also dont know if I can go back to mvp's hitting system and pinpoint pitching.

[Danimal]

I know I am way late to the party, but I just got a PSP and picked this up. Maybe someone can tell me what i am doing wrong, but I can't turn a double play. The second basemen refuse to turn the playwith any sense of urgency. He kind of just takes his time and lobs the ball to first.

Is there some key to hitting the button?

[AJColossal]

Are you pre-loading your thows?

I kind of repeatedly tap the base I want to throw *before* the fielder gets the ball so the throw is pre-loaded.

Ground ball to short (start tapping the button for a throw to second).

Before the second basemen catches it, I'm already tapping the 1B throw button.

Make sense? The key is to throw early.

[Leebo33]

Are you using some sort of auto fielding? I thought I read somewhere that it is a problem with autofielding. I've had no problem with turning DP's on PSP with manual fielding. You should be OK if it is manual and you "pre-load."