MLB The Show 24 Review: Hitting a Home Run with New Features

The heat seems to take its time before settling in, at least in Quebec, but the arrival of spring also means the return of baseball. MLB The Show 24 is therefore arriving, as usual, with new features on most platforms. The program includes the integration of a female character for career mode, but also several improvements in terms of gameplay. However, is that enough to hit a home run? The answer in this complete test!

TECHNICAL SHEET MLB THE SHOW 24

• Release date : 19 mars 2024
• Style : Sports et Simulation
• ESRB / PEGI rating : E / PEGI 13
• Developer: SHE San Diego
• Editor: Sony Interactive Entertainment et MLB
• Operating language: Available only in English
• Available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S , Switch, Xbox One et PS4
• Tested on Xbox Series X
• Price during the test: 89,99 $ CA / 69,99 €
• Official site
• Version sent by publisher

The legacy of Toni Stone

The name Toni Stone may mean something to you, especially if you are a big baseball fan. She was the very first woman to play as a starter on a professional baseball team in the 1950s. Inspired by this story, the developers of SIE San Diego made the decision to allow players to also embody a woman in Road to the Show mode. The latter is undoubtedly one of the most popular for the franchise. Everything adds something new to MLB The Show 24 by even offering cutscenes and live-action interviews for better immersion. I greatly appreciated this different treatment given to playing a woman. Unlike other sports games, the developers took the time to create a complete environment to provide even more realism. This makes it possible to diversify the career mode offering which remains rather classic apart from this change.

The return of Storylines

MLB The Show 24 also marks the return of the mode introduced last year called Storylines. Just like the previous opus, we have the chance to relive certain stories related to Major League Baseball. The developers are also offering a 2nd season around the Negro Leagues. This includes 4 new stories and the team has already indicated that there are more on the way. This new season is still as well produced with interviews and real testimonies mixed with in-game sequences to relive the most historic moments. In addition, SIE San Diego also offers the opportunity to (re)discover the career of the famous Derek Jeter. For me, this kind of content is where the franchise really shines. Everything adds an extraordinary immersion in addition to learning more. If you are at least curious, you will undoubtedly love this portion of the game.

The defensive phases in MLB The Show 24

Among the other new features of MLB The Show 24, we find the modification of the defensive phases. If there is a gameplay update for the attack, it is really on the defense that we feel the change. The developers have integrated a new system to try to energize these phases which can sometimes be a little long to play. Spectacular plays are part of Major League Baseball’s DNA and now it’s a little more complicated to pull them off. In older installments of the franchise, time slowed down and we just had to head in the right direction for our character to succeed. This time, you must complete a small touch game as quickly as possible while aiming correctly. This adds a bit of variety to defensive sequences. From my point of view, I still found that the system was sometimes too similar, especially in career mode.

The more classic modes

As for the more standard modes of MLB The Show 24, there are very few new features. There’s always Diamond Dynasty mode which is essentially Ultimate Team SIE San Diego style. The franchise mode is also present and always offers to take the reins of your favorite team and bring it to the top. Finally, March to October mode allows you to focus on the main moments of the season proposed to find out if you can reach the playoffs.

A multiplatform release

For several years now, the league has required SIE San Diego to market games, such as MLB The Show 24, on the vast majority of platforms. This is not the first time that I have mentioned it during a review of an opus in the series. Releasing the title on the old console generation seems to harm overall development in order to improve the visual rendering. Yes, the title is rather pretty, especially for its lighting effects. However, we feel that we have reached the limits of the engine used. I hope that this problem will be resolved soon in order to continue to offer a quality atmosphere and visual rendering. Especially since several rumors indicate that new platforms will emerge by the end of 2024/beginning of 2025.

Verdict de MLB The Show 24

MLB The Show 24 offers a slightly more complete experience than the latest opuses, notably with the addition of an all-female chapter for its career mode. Not to mention that Storylines mode offers even more content than before and mixes the real and virtual world. This is clearly the direction the SIE San Diego team must head in order to vary the experience as much as possible. For its part, the modification of the defensive phases is interesting, but remains quite timid. Not to mention that classic modes offer very little new. I mainly recommend the game for those who might have missed last year’s edition.

MLB The Show 24 review: a little warmth for spring

Introducing a female bias to career mode

A Storylines mode as complete as ever

Improvement in defensive phases

Content as consistent as ever

Little new in classic modes

A visual overview that gets older and older

2024-03-26 12:16:38
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