MLB The Show 21

The Show has been one of the more consistently excellent and complete sports series for years, and MLB The Show 21 maintains that excellence as it steps into the next-gen batter's box. The cover athlete choice of the aforementioned Fernando Tatis, Jr., is no coincidence, as the young star is being seen as one of baseball's next big things, ushering in a possible new era of personality and Q-rating power that the game could sorely use. He can also do everything, and everything is what this series has offered to fans for years at a high level. Time will tell if there is yet another level to reach.

MLB The Show 21 lacks flash and new experiential paths this season, but continues to improve on the field and beneath the hood, giving an entirely new audience of players a hell of a game to begin their baseball careers with.

MLB The Show 21 lands on the new generation of consoles with a limited amount of changes compared to last season. Those who expected a revolution spearheaded by the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S will be partially disappointed. That said, MLB The Show 21 is also an extremely refined title, full of options and fun, able to entertain those who want to face a few innings in total relax and also those who are looking for high-level competition.

MLB The Show 21 on the PS5 doesn’t break what works…and with a new mode, pitching interface, cross-play, also improved load times and framerates. While it doesn’t specifically highlight the new console, it again plays a strong game of baseball.

MLB The Show continue to improve year on year, this time with a slight new-gen technical jump, a new (and deep) stadium editor and other minor adjustments.

MLB The Show 21 might not excel in vastly improving its overall package, but the smaller upgrades you do get make this game just as entertaining as it was last year. Next year will have higher expectations to meet.

Online troubles notwithstanding, MLB The Show 21 is a fantastic game that keeps the series in place as the best baseball sim you can play. It’s not quite the visual jump you’d expect from a new console generation, but the revamped Road to the Show, fun new features like Stadium Creator, and plenty of little tweaks across the board make it a far more substantial step forward than last year’s outing, and something that belongs in every baseball fan’s collection.

MLB The Show 21 makes the leap to a new console generation and ushers in a game-wide refresh that has the storied franchise feeling new.

MLB The Show 21 is another solid entry in the franchise, but some technical problems and little to no innovations make it one of the weakest installments in the whole series.

So while we wait for things like actual new-generation visuals, the return of Online Franchise, and other oft-requested features, appreciate the effort that went into making MLB The Show 21 cross-platform with seamless cross-play, the new stadium creator, and tweaks that went into making your favorite game mode a bit more enjoyable.

MLB The Show is one of the most consistence sport simulation experiences over the years. And this time it's not an exception.

MLB The Show 21 isn't the generational leap forward we might've expected following a new console launch, but it's still the best baseball sim you can play on any platform.

MLB The Show 21 is a solid baseball simulation, but for a true generational leap we'll probably need to wait next year.

MLB The Show 21 is strong in so many areas, yet also an opportunity missed – and not only in relation to Jackie Robinson.

As a big-time fan of MLB The Show, I am rather disappointed at how the next-gen version of the game panned out this year. The lack of a rock-solid 60fps and virtually no graphical embellishments other than lighting make things feel like a half-step rather than a new experience. I can fully understand that SIE San Diego’s attention was focused on some other super-important considerations this year, though. AAA-quality baseball is now available to all console owners (please Sony remember the PC in 2022) and the sun is shining on virtual big leaguers who are down for crossplay. MLB The Show 21 is once again an incremental step, but still an important one for the series moving forward.

MLB The Show's 2021 vintage isn't a strike out, far from it. The title of Sony San Diego does not revolutionize its formula, but refines it in depth, from the more readable interface to the new very complete stadium editor, including the addition of the cross-platform and a perfect cloud backup. The heart of the game is still beating strong, namely a very faithful transcription of the major leagues by adding dynamism and variety in the realization to the clear and customizable gameplay.

MLB The Show 21 continues to create the most consistent sports product out there. It doesn't get bogged down by microtransactions, offers tons of modes, and features enough improvements to once again be a must-play for fans.

MLB The Show 21 isn't as flashy as its cover star. Lacking many overhauls to its modes, this year's game focuses on a decent laissez-faire story mode, a cool new Stadium Creator, and more of the superb baseball sim gameplay that has earned the series its reputation as one of the best Sony exclusives. MLB The Show isn't exclusive anymore, but that just means many more people are about to learn firsthand how lifelike a sports game's on-field gameplay can be.

Not so much a true next-gen leap for MLB, but a cautious set of baby steps towards it. The presentation and gameplay remain strong, and the ability to be a two-way player in Road to the Show has freshened that mode up and made it more enjoyable than ever. MLB The Show 21 is another reliable entry in a strong sporting franchise, but it definitely needs a bit of a shakeup next time out.

MLB The Show 21 doesn’t quite knock this one out of the park. Instead, it’s one of the most well-hit doubles I’ve ever seen. The foundation San Diego Studios has cultivated over the years has allowed them to almost seamlessly transfer over to the next-gen and has me excited to see where the series goes from here.

Being the most consistent annual sports franchise out there, MLB The Show manages to overcome the loss of a few key features to give players yet another reason to step right back into the batter's box in MLB The Show 21.

Sony San Diego develops a conservative delivery, with hardly any improvements in gameplay and content. Being intergenerational, in addition, the technical leap is invaluable, but nevertheless, it is still a very solid baseball game.

MLB The Show 21 is not an easy game to get the hang of by any means, but it manages to make the experience a good one whether you’re winning or losing.

As I said up top, despite all my complaints, I’m not going to deny that MLB The Show 21 is a solid, well-made baseball game. If you haven’t played the series in years, or if you’re coming to it on Xbox, then it’s probably a must-play. But if you’ve been sinking years into it already, there’s not much here that will make it worth playing.

When you take a step back and look at the “big picture,” at least on paper, MLB The Show 21 is a success. That said, when it’s your first entry in a new console generation, the bar for success is admittedly quite low. For this reason, not to mention the meager distinctions between the PS4 and PS5 versions of the game, it’s fairly difficult to justify the extra expense of making the jump to next-generation hardware. That said, if you decide to take the plunge and pick up the PlayStation 5 version, you won’t be disappointed by the latest in a franchise that keeps knocking it out of the park.

While MLB The Show 21 is another solid entry in the series, the pitch to Xbox newcomers and those looking for a next-gen experience isn’t as strong as it could have been. Pitching, fielding, and existing modes get some welcome adjustments, but truly significant additions are thin on the ground and the series’ presentation is stuck in its tracks. Hardcore hardball fans and Xbox owners who haven’t experienced MLB The Show before should have a good time, but this franchise may be in need of a rebuilding phase within the next year or two.

It really all comes down to your love of baseball. Even as a fan who watches the game regularly, I've had a hard time finding my footing in The Show 21. It's a hard game and that's OK. Challenges should always be welcomed. But there needs to be a way to bridge the gap, especially with The Show 21 now being made available to a much wider audience. If it can happen with other sports games, it's time it happens for baseball's biggest title.

MLB The Show 21 is a pretty solid game, but had questionable adjustments that will make you think a few times before buying it. On one side you have good hitting and pitching mechanics, but on the other, player progression is slower. In the name of 'innovation', some things were added and others eliminated, but the latter were working well in past entries.

MLB The Show 21’ isn’t perfect, but it remains the best baseball simulation game out there. And it’s not particularly close.

MLB The Show 21 swings-and-misses in a few areas, with the well-intentioned Ballplayer system diminishing Road to the Show. Despite being stingier, though, Diamond Dynasty is still the best card collecting mode available, and the series’ tried and trusted gameplay has been further enhanced with the addition of Pinpoint Pitching and new fielding animations. Sony San Diego hasn’t quite hit a home run this year, but this is a strong lead-off double for baseball on PS5.

Much like its predecessors, MLB The Show 21 is still one of the best sports games available once you step over the foul line. The gameplay has been tightened up and Pinpoint Pitching is a potential game-changer, and all of these elements go some way to dampening the disappointment of its missing features, stale commentary, and changes (or lack thereof) to Road to the Show and Franchise. It's not the strongest debut the series could've had on new hardware, but if you're in the mood for nine innings of America's favorite pastime, MLB The Show is still the undisputed king.

Even though MLB The Show 21 lacks in delivering a truly engrossing current-gen experience on the new consoles in some ways and has a few typical sports franchise pitfalls, it's still an enjoyable game that has a high degree of craftsmanship.

MLB The Show 21 is still loads of fun to play. Franchise is slightly improved, Diamond Dynasty continues to be strong, and Stadium Creator is even better than expected. However, there are areas of the game that don’t feel like an actual next-gen experience, and we’re still missing features that other sports games have had for years.

A great simulation of baseball and mostly of the MLB. From the outstanding sound design, to the announcers or the MLB Network coverage, everything makes you feel that you’re in a ballpark or watching a real MLB game on TV. Next Gen features such as fast loading are a big deal. It makes it even more disappointing that the game only comes in English.