Last year, MLB 07: The Show was one of the better
baseball titles of the year, offering deep single-player options and nice
controls. Now, Sony’s first-party baseball series is gearing up for another
prime entry on the PSP. MLB 08: The Show adds all the incremental updates that
you’d expect from a yearly sports franchise, including updated rosters and
stats, but also ups the ante with an improved goal-based “Road to the Show”
mode. Additionally, you have the ability to save in-game, a new element for the
series but a godsend when it comes to a handheld baseball game.
One of last year’s key additions to Sony’s
baseball franchise was the “Road to the Show” mode, which basically allows you
to take a single player on the road to MLB stardom. This year’s game adds some
impressive new elements to it, including a goal system where you are not only
rewarded for meeting requirements, but docked if you don’t.
Additionally, your players batting will also be
on the chopping block, depending on how well you do. If you bat well in the
Season mode, your player will be awarded with a bonus. However, bat poorly and
your contact rating will decrease.
Graphically, the game looks and moves pretty
smoothly compared to other baseball titles on the PSP. The player models have
been slightly improved, and the framerate moves along pretty nicely, making it a
great looking game throughout.
The soundtrack also sounds pretty good, with
choice cuts from diverse groups like Franz Ferdinand and Thin Lizzy. One new
addition to the game is the ability to customize the track rotation, letting you
pick and choose your favorite songs and leave out the ones you don’t.
Offering some nice improvements over last year’s
game, the PSP version of MLB 08: The Show looks to carry the torch nicely for
the series and should be yet another solid on-the-go game of baseball. The
improvements to the Road to the Show mode provide some great depth, and the
ability to save mid-game is a nice fit for a handheld title. Look for it to
release this March, just before the start of the 2008 season.
