Game Review: MLB '10 for PSP
Grant Okubo - Stars and Stripes
May 05, 2010
With the Major League Baseball season under way, gamers have an opportunity to play along throughout the season with their favorite major league team.
"MLB 10 The Show" for the PlayStation Portable steps back to the plate to bring realistic baseball gaming to your fingertips, offering almost everything short of peanuts and Cracker Jacks.
Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., this E-rated game offers multiple modes to try and give baseball fans that all-immersive experience they crave. It allows fans to play an exhibition game, full season or even dabble in the role of general manager. Gamers can also play the popular Road to the Show mode, which allows you to create, train and play an entire season as your favorite Major Leaguer. If just taking a swing at the plate is your game, then the Home Run derby mode is worth a try.
Fans of the series won’t be disappointed with the graphics. Player animations look great and their movements look very natural for a portable system.
Ball and bat physics work together to make this game look and feel like the real McCoy. It really isn’t very easy hitting the ball — as well it shouldn’t be going up against a Major League pitcher. The game offers control of the players’ stance and how they hit the ball, which could be the difference between a homerun or a swinging strike. The analog stick on the PSP does make for some difficulty pitching and may require some adjustment time.
The sounds of the game are right on, from the sound of a roaring crowd to the play-by-play commentary.
Since baseball is a team sport, it is definitely more fun to play MLB 10 with friends via the games Ad-Hoc mode.
As is the case with a lot of sports games, it’s the details that make them great. Game play aside, MLB 10 offers plenty of details, including rosters and stadiums. However, for some fans this might not go far enough. Longtime followers of the game might notice an omission in this year’s version: no online roster updates. Past games allowed for keeping rosters current in accordance with trades and free agent signings that occur throughout the actual MLB season. This recent subtraction to the series might be enough reason to dissuade longtime fans from purchasing the game and have them sticking with "MLB 09 The Show."
All in all, "MLB 10 The Show" brings a pretty fun and addictive baseball experience to someone just wanting to play a little ball, but keeping your old copy of the game may serve you just as well.
Platform: PlayStation Portable
On the Web: MLB '10
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