MLB The Show 18

 PlayStation 4
User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 101 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 101
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 101
  3. Negative: 32 out of 101
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Wootif
    Apr 3, 2018
    3
    This game isn't about baseball. This game is about constantly reminding the user that they should be spending (real life) money to escape the Skinner Box they've created. The absence of any alternative baseball games leaves us with a poorly implemented, uninspired mess.

    Franchise and season modes have been removed, leaving only Road to the Show and Diamond Dynasty (which requires a PS+    This game isn't about baseball. This game is about constantly reminding the user that they should be spending (real life) money to escape the Skinner Box they've created. The absence of any alternative baseball games leaves us with a poorly implemented, uninspired mess.

    Franchise and season modes have been removed, leaving only Road to the Show and Diamond Dynasty (which requires a PS+ subscription). In order to progress in Diamond Dynasty, the game is constantly funneling the user into buying trading cards and equipment with Stubs (which can be bought with microtransactions).

    The gameplay itself is lackluster and feels like a downgrade compared to games released even 10 years ago. When fielding, the camera can't be controlled and the ball often leaves the screen, becoming incredibly tedious to track down. It's impossible to control the 'sense of urgency' for a throw, as your players will occasionally meander around for 2-3 seconds before throwing the ball (even if a runner is bearing down on first).

    Hitting is more "pre-ordained" than ever before - awful swings where you should not have even made contact often result in home runs, while perfectly timed swings result in weak grounders or popups.

    The pitching mechanics are the same as previous installations and aren't worth mentioning.    … Expand
  2. DirtDog13
    May 2, 2018
    4
    A once proud series strikes out with a runner on third.

    Being the only actual MLB game (No, RBI Baseball doesn't count) it should be fairly easy for San Diego Studios (SDS) to put out the best baseball game each year. For the first time in the series, it feels like SDS phoned it in. The game looks and feels really well done. The player models and uniforms are exceptional and the    A once proud series strikes out with a runner on third.

    Being the only actual MLB game (No, RBI Baseball doesn't count) it should be fairly easy for San Diego Studios (SDS) to put out the best baseball game each year. For the first time in the series, it feels like SDS phoned it in.

    The game looks and feels really well done. The player models and uniforms are exceptional and the slight improvements to graphics prove you don't need an overhaul to make a noticeable difference in how the game looks and feels.

    All the right modes make their way back, except season mode. Season mode was a nice touch, but SDS decided to pull it along with the online Franchise. While alone this wouldn't be enough to worry, but along with the other issues in The Show 18, it only seems like laziness.

    Here's the real issues: The "improvements" made to any mode other than Diamond Dynasty are broken, inefficient, or don't make a difference.

    RTTS, the series' flagship mode, is repetitive. Progression is broken and flawed. Rather than allow players to make their player a 99 overall in every attribute, SDS has introduced player archetypes with attribute caps that vary amongst the archetypes. For instance, a "Plain Filthy" pitcher can put some serious movement on their pitches that, one would think, would lead to more strikeouts, yet because of the archetype's low K/9 cap (the ability to generate swings and misses) it doesn't matter. As an example of a "Plain Filthy" pitcher, Greg Maddux is used. While Maddux wasn't a 200K/Year guy, he still amassed 3,371 strikeouts in his career. The game's limits on its player archetypes significantly hampers players.

    Franchise mode is nearly broken. The "phases" improvement is useless. Rather than going to the calendar and simming to the draft, you click a button and sim to the draft. It doesn't make things quicker. In fact, it makes it longer to do the same task in previous games. This is because a bug which was eliminated years ago makes its return. The CPU will always attempt to "fix" your roster, even if roster management is set to manual. That's right, we are back to the bug from the early mid 2000's. The CPU will sign, re-sign, call-up and demote players as it sees fit. This means, during free agency, players are forced to move a day at a time to make sure the CPU doesn't sign players. If the CPU does manage to sneak a signing, players are forced to choose between keeping a (more than likely) below average player or cutting the player and keeping the dead weight in salary.

    If the CPU signs too many players, it can put the player in an impossible spot budget wise. This alone nearly breaks franchise mode. Roster management is supposed to be the highlight of the mode, but SDS utterly fails. Again, it seems like laziness that led to this point.

    And, for the umpteenth time in a row, there is no jersey number selection screen. Now, this isn't a major issue, but when taken in context of the rest of the issues in '18, it is more than annoying. It's nothing more than laziness on SDS's part.

    Now let's talk in-game issues. When playing a game in "Hybrid" mode, cut scenes that show real-life clips of a city cause the game to loop and forces the player to close the application. It took less than 10 games for this to happen multiple times, showing SDS didn't even attempt to test their game.

    At times, fielders refuse to bend over to field ground balls right next to them. Again, this is an issue from years ago that was removed but has once more made its way into the franchise.

    If this installment is any indication of how SDS plans to treat the series moving forward, there needs to be a real discussion of what's next in sports gaming. There is little attention to detail as numerous bugs and mistakes make their way back into the franchise. The Show 18 is a lazy, half-done game and clearly shows SDS is moving towards the Madden/FIFA/NHL strategy of only putting effort into its pay to win mode. If this is going to be SDS's effort moving forward, a change in leadership is needed.    … Expand
  3. Cubster1980
    May 25, 2018
    4
    Looks good plays bad. Random results in pitching and hitting. Slow players, and no online franchise.

    Diamond Dynasty is loot box hell. RTTS went to archetypes instead of letting players play the way they wan't. Garbage animation fielders seem like they really want to show how cool they look pushing off the wall. Even when a normal human being trotting to a fly ball could stop, they    Looks good plays bad. Random results in pitching and hitting. Slow players, and no online franchise.

    Diamond Dynasty is loot box hell.
    RTTS went to archetypes instead of letting players play the way they wan't.
    Garbage animation fielders seem like they really want to show how cool they look pushing off the wall. Even when a normal human being trotting to a fly ball could stop, they need to go the extra 8 feet and push off the wall.

    It's the only baseball game, so enjoy the suck if you need some baseball.    … Expand
  4. Roadeyez
    Apr 28, 2018
    3
    Perfect example if it not broken don't change it, programs, fielding and pci placement a mess, water down pack luck with a lovely paywall to boot makes Madden 18 look like a Gem, worse Game investment in my career of Gaming.
  5. Jknowlton
    May 22, 2018
    1
    These game gave me anger issues. Often it doesn’t care what you do, it will screw you over in the worst way possible and will make you mad that you ever played the game once, much less multiple games. AVOID AVOID AVOID
  6. ach0z3n
    Jun 22, 2018
    0
    Decent game by 2005 standards... series in DESPERATE need of competition. Game honestly isn't fun. Gameplay is an almost 20 year old engine that has been patched to the point of complete randomness. The only reason they get away with this is the fact they have an exclusive deal with MLB. This game is just a frustrating random pile of 2005 garbage. DO NOT spend money on this.
  7. jacklman
    Nov 12, 2018
    0
    This is the biggest money grabbing scam of a sports game I have ever played. They want you to pay money for a decent online experience. If you don't pay for a team, expect to get your butt kicked by a stacked team of all immortals. Also, the game will freeze in the middle of the game and will give you a loss no matter what- even if you're winning. If you try to contact SDS(the creator)This is the biggest money grabbing scam of a sports game I have ever played. They want you to pay money for a decent online experience. If you don't pay for a team, expect to get your butt kicked by a stacked team of all immortals. Also, the game will freeze in the middle of the game and will give you a loss no matter what- even if you're winning. If you try to contact SDS(the creator) about your loss, they will ignore you. You can place the pci perfectly on the ball and swing perfectly and still pop it up. It truly doesn't reward you after games getting 46 OVR rated players after throwing a perfect game. You can open up a million packs and maybe never pull a diamond. I spent two weeks trying to get three finest players and got two of the same **** JT REalmuto cards that they butchered along with Freddie Freeman who is unusable compared to immortals. The game has made me mad more than I have enjoyed it. So this is my farewell on never playing another San Diego Studios game again. TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11… Expand
  8. Kraks
    Mar 27, 2018
    0
    This game is what people have been warning about in regard to Pay-to-Win. You need stubs to even participate in some of the game modes, and to get them in a decent timeframe (unless you're amazing at the game), you're buying them. The daily challenges are behind those stubs, so you're paying to even try them if you're like me and newish to the series and trying to learn.

    My second    This game is what people have been warning about in regard to Pay-to-Win. You need stubs to even participate in some of the game modes, and to get them in a decent timeframe (unless you're amazing at the game), you're buying them. The daily challenges are behind those stubs, so you're paying to even try them if you're like me and newish to the series and trying to learn.

    My second complaint is the "randomness" the devs thought they'd throw in this year. If I do everything correctly, there should be zero chance that the game screws me over, yet it happens very regularly, whether fielding, throwing, batting, or pitching. It seems they threw in a bit of randomness everywhere.

    Lastly, The Show 17 was just better, and is much cheaper. Stick with it.    … Expand
  9. sglas
    Jun 19, 2018
    0
    This is a sad sad state this game is in. Everything feels completely random like you have control over nothing. Get the meter perfect with the pitcher and ball goes no where near where you wanted. Get a perfectly timed swing right on the ball and its a weak out. This game is less enjoyable than any baseball game I have played going back to Tommy Lasorda Baseball. The past versions haveThis is a sad sad state this game is in. Everything feels completely random like you have control over nothing. Get the meter perfect with the pitcher and ball goes no where near where you wanted. Get a perfectly timed swing right on the ball and its a weak out. This game is less enjoyable than any baseball game I have played going back to Tommy Lasorda Baseball. The past versions have been great but I will not buy this game again next year.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

45
#45 Best PS4 Game of 2018
88
#88 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2018
43
#43 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    May 21, 2018
    80
    This PS4 exclusive still merits Hall of Fame consideration, but with nothing truly original it will feel underwhelming to the hardcores. For casual players, it's a must-buy. [June 2018, p.89]
  2. Critical Hit
    May 21, 2018
    80
    MLB: The Show 18 is an incredible game with as much depth as you are willing to handle. It has incredibly intuitive and nuanced controls, entertaining commentary and a swathe of freedom that allows you to traverse the immense depth of the game as you feel comfortable doing. This is a game you can enjoy whether you’re a hardcore baseball fan or someone looking for something new in the sporting genre that isn’t FIFA 2018.
    Read full review
  3. Worth Playing
    Apr 23, 2018
    77
    Road to the Show remains the soul of The Show 18 to me, with everything else feeling like a fun distraction, like getting to step into the shoes of baseball's past greats or the tasting the 8-bit flavor of retro mode. As I progress more into my player's career, there's this unshakable knowledge that he's never going to be better at some things than he is now. He will be in a box — an enjoyable one, but a box nonetheless.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »