Another year marks another step forward for Sony San Diego, and our MLB The Show 22 Review takes a look at where the latest installment truly shines.
With refined classics like Road to the Show and new additions like online co-op, our MLB The Show 22 Review can help you decide if this year's game is too good to pass up.
MLB The Show 22 Review
Early Access to MLB The Show 22 kicked off worldwide at Midnight ET on Friday, April 1, 2022, and it's been swinging for the fences ever since.
Starting with our small sampling during the Tech Test and now nearly a full week in MLB The Show 22, the latest installment once again delivers pristine gameplay.
There were some slight changes made to hitting and pitching this year, as well as more fielding animations and improvements, and you can feel it all over MLB The Show 22.
Players who played last year will notice some of that refinement, but nothing is significant enough to hinder those returning to the franchise.
More than anything, MLB The Show 22 remains extremely fun to play whether you're pitching, hitting, or trying to make that spectacular diving catch.
You'll find that same level of refinement across all of this year's game modes, and even those without tons of new features feel better than they did in MLB The Show 21.
Road to the Show demands the spotlight once more
Last year, there was no denying that the upgrades to Road to the Show as a narrative-focused single player experience took things up several levels.
Road to the Show in MLB The Show 22 is still very similar to last year's, but refinement in several areas paired with new commentary and podcast episodes truly make it shine this time.
The ability to make multiple Ballplayers in MLB The Show 22 is huge, and it allows players to feel less restricted by the decisions they make with their Ballplayer.
That level of exploration, paired with an even more refined 2-Way Player experience where you're trying to be the next Shohei Ohtani, simultaneously makes RTTS more fun with less pressure.
The creation process is better this year, and quality of life changes like simplifying how you change pitches help players struggle less with the logistics and get back onto the field for their next appearance.
Mini Seasons breathe new life into Diamond Dynasty
We've got no shortage of new content hitting Diamond Dynasty, and players will once again be able to count on that continuing in the weeks and months to come.
MLB The Show 22 introduces Mini Seasons for the first time in Diamond Dynasty, and this condensed season experience lets you play against the CPU while they're using actual Diamond Dynasty squads created by other MLB The Show 22 players.
Fan-favorite modes like Events, Conquest, Showdown, and Battle Royale return with more refinement and quality of life improvements, and Online Co-Op offers a completely different dynamic and challenge.
While Diamond Dynasty is spectacular this year and great fun for those who enjoy it, it's always going to be a mode that some players just don't want to play.
Dedicated RTTS or Franchise players may need to pop in to snag a Perk or Sponsorship off the Marketplace, but you can mostly ignore Diamond Dynasty if desired.
March to October outshines Franchise Mode
In what will be a controversial reality for some fans, March to October shines this year with some of the upgrades many hoped to see in Franchise Mode.
While Franchise Mode is still as solid as ever with total customization and team control, there are major offseason upgrades in March to October that didn't make it into Franchise.
Unfortunately that may be linked to legacy code in a way that will delay those upgrades, but it means March to October really steals the team strategy spotlight this year.
With the new options to customize your March to October team and go multiple seasons, players are likely to find the game mode more fun than ever before.
The Verdict
It's easy for every yearly sports game to be boiled down to "what's new" with each release, but there's a level of continued quality in MLB The Show 22 that few others can hold a candle to.
Reliable gameplay, industry-leading graphics, crossplay and online advancements, hundreds of hours of single player content, and some of the cleanest most responsive UI in all of sports once again makes MLB The Show 22 into the gold standard of sports gaming.
Not all of those fit into the shiny "new features" box players want to open each year, but it's an undeniable thread running through everything great about MLB The Show 22.
With the full experience in mind, let our MLB The Show 22 Review once again take a look at where it shines and where it could use some improvement:
Strengths
- Gameplay is as clean, challenging, and fun as ever before
- Gorgeous graphics once again thrive on next gen
- Upgraded RTTS, MtO, and Mini Seasons are perfect for single player fans
- Online Co-Op offers a whole new multiplayer experience
- New commentary makes everything feel fresh
- Presentation feels closer to real-life baseball than ever before
Weaknesses
- Franchise Mode desperately needs the upgrades that went to MtO
- Some pressure to play Diamond Dynasty will always be there
- A few bugs persist that will need to be patched with updates
No game is perfect, but you can feel the dedication and quality that Sony San Diego pours into MLB The Show 22 all throughout the game.
RealSport Rating: 4.5 out of 5
This MLB The Show 22 Review is based on our experiences playing the title on Xbox Series X|S, PS4, and PS5, but does not take into account the Nintendo Switch version of the game.