MLB 07: The Show

MLB 07: The Show, produced by SCE San Diego Studio, is a baseball video game for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and PSP. It is the only first-party MLB-licensed video game for the 2007 season, and the only baseball game available for the PlayStation systems aside from Major League Baseball 2K7. For this reason, it is likely to draw attention to the brand and franchise, while the top selling baseball video game developers of previous seasons, notably EA Sports, are forced to devise creative alternatives. The PlayStation 2 and the PSP versions of this game were released on February 27, 2007 while the PlayStation 3 version was released on May 15, 2007.

New York Mets 2007 All-Star third baseman David Wright is featured on the cover. The three-man team of announcers once again include Rex Hudler, Matt Vasgersian and Dave Campbell.

Gameplay

Overall Gameplay

MLB 07 The Show makes the transition to next-gen with a suite of advanced features in its race to become MVP of 2007's baseball crop. The all-new Road to The Show mode enables gamers to play both offense and defense from the created player's perspective. Providing an even more realistic experience from the mound, the all-new New Pitch Command System (PCS) delivers comprehensive strategy to pitch selection, as a pitcher's "pitch comfort" will be predetermined based on a best to worst pitch scenario. It is up the gamer to decide if he/she should try to "work on a pitch" or just go with what is working. Additionally, with the Adaptive Pitching Intelligence (API) feature, catchers will call the game based on the individual strengths and weaknesses of each pitcher as well as analyze tendencies of batters. Gamers will now have the ability to either trust the pitches called by the catcher or shake them off. MLB 07 The Show also delivers a robust online feature set, including Online League Play, which offers the ability to set up customizable leagues with up to 30 teams, complete with full stat tracking, point benefits and rewards.

Features

New features for the PlayStation 2 version [1][2] include:

• Road to The Show: Along with Classic Career Mode, the game introduces an innovative new option. Road to The Show enables gamers to play offense and defense from the created player's perspective for they plays in which they are involved. You also do your training sessions.
• Always Online: With the PS3, players will have the option to be "Always Online" allowing elements such as MLB Score Ticker, Instant Messaging, Buddy Invites and more to occur at any point.
• Online League Play: Set up leagues with anywhere from 6-30 teams with full stat tracking, point benefits and rewards
• Online News Service: Live MLB Ticker shows live status of all MLB games going on around the league, complete with who is on base, pitching, batting, on-deck and full inning-by-inning box scores.
• Rivalry Mode: Set up and maintain multi-game rivalries between multiple gamers or versus the AI, and keeps track of the stats throughout the rivalry.
• Franchise Mode: Extending the experience of running a team, performance and player morale are tracked on virtually every level - salary, playing time, batting slot, team performance, and much more.
• Career Mode: The Career Spotlight underscores all of the accomplishments and failures during a career and showcases them in the limelight.
• Season Mode: Grind out the 162 game season and deal with day-to-day match-ups, refining the lineup and play for the championship.
• All-Star Game: Lets gamers take the virtual road trip to San Francisco early to see who prevails for home field advantage in the 2007 Fall Classic.
• Adaptive Pitching Intelligence: Catchers will call the game based on individual strengths and weaknesses of each pitcher and analyze tendencies of batters.
• PlayMaker Fielding: A fielder's fielding attribute rating will determine the size of the zone that surrounds the ball and its eventual landing location.
• Multi-Branch Fielding: Gamers you can now take full control of fielders and break out of any animation in the process.
• Release Point Pitching: Taking video game pitching to a whole new level, gamers must utilize a timing mechanism to learn and realize each pitchers pace and release point, which varies from pitcher to pitcher.
• Pitching Confidence Meter: Pitcher Confidence plays a role in a gamer's ability to hit release points in the all-new pitch meter, while frequency of mistakes will impact the confidence level of a gamer's hurler.
• Guess Pitch: Baseball fans can attempt to master the ability to knock one out or hit the grounder to advance the runner by checking the pitch history and correctly guessing which pitch and the location that the pitcher will throw next.
• Pitch Grips: Gamers will be able to detail the different pitch grips and arm angles that a pitcher has when throwing each pitch.
• 40-Man Roster: Provides the ability to take full control of a team's roster and manage all 40 players for each and every game.
• My Sliders: The My Sliders option gives users the ability to create their perfect game settings offline by adjusting game sliders. Gamers can then save these adjustments to memory and, when online, upload to them for other users to try.
• New Umpire Personalities: Each umpire will have his own definition of the strike zone, and it's up to the gamer to figure out if the umpire is calling the zone high, low, or giving the corners.
• Crowd Interaction: Gamers will see a vast array of new ambient elements including: fans coming, going and reaching for foul balls, vendors, 7th inning stretch, the wave, standing ovations and much, much more.
• Wind Effects: Wind effects will force the player to take the proper route to the ball and make adjustments on the fly.
• 3-Man Booth & Progressive Commentary: Rex Hudler, Matt Vasgersian and Dave Campbell provide comprehensive commentary. Progressive Commentary changes as the user progresses throughout the game by adapting to current actions and situations. Mike Carlucci does the P.A. Announcing.

Playstation 2 Features

• Franchise Mode
• Season Mode
• Career Mode
• Exhibition Mode
• Create-a-Player Mode
• Rivalry Mode
• King of the Diamond Mode
• My Sliders Feature
• Adaptive Pitching Intelligence
• Pitch Command System

Playstation 3 Features

• Road to The Show: Along with Classic Career Mode, the game introduces an innovative new option. Road to The Show enables gamers to play offense and defense from the created player's perspective for they plays in which they are involved.
• Always Online: With the PS3, players will have the option to be "Always Online" allowing elements such as MLB Score Ticker, Instant Messaging, Buddy Invites and more to occur at any point.
• Online League Play: Set up leagues with anywhere from 6-30 teams with full stat tracking, point benefits and rewards
• Online News Service: Live MLB Ticker shows live status of all MLB games going on around the league, complete with who is on base, pitching, batting, on-deck and full inning-by-inning box scores.
• Rivalry Mode: Set up and maintain multi-game rivalries between multiple gamers or versus the AI, and keeps track of the stats throughout the rivalry.
• Franchise Mode: Extending the experience of running a team, performance and player morale are tracked on virtually every level - salary, playing time, batting slot, team performance, and much more.
• Career Mode: The Career Spotlight underscores all of the accomplishments and failures during a career and showcases them in the limelight.
• Season Mode: Grind out the 162 game season and deal with day-to-day match-ups, refining the lineup and play for the championship.
• All-Star Game: Lets gamers take the virtual road trip to San Francisco early to see who prevails for home field advantage in the 2007 Fall Classic.
• Adaptive Pitching Intelligence: Catchers will call the game based on individual strengths and weaknesses of each pitcher and analyze tendencies of batters.
• PlayMaker Fielding: A fielder's fielding attribute rating will determine the size of the zone that surrounds the ball and its eventual landing location.
• Multi-Branch Fielding: Gamers you can now take full control of fielders and break out of any animation in the process.
• Release Point Pitching: Taking video game pitching to a whole new level, gamers must utilize a timing mechanism to learn and realize each pitchers pace and release point, which varies from pitcher to pitcher.
• Pitching Confidence Meter: Pitcher Confidence plays a role in a gamer's ability to hit release points in the all-new pitch meter, while frequency of mistakes will impact the confidence level of a gamer's hurler.
• Guess Pitch: Baseball fans can attempt to master the ability to knock one out or hit the grounder to advance the runner by checking the pitch history and correctly guessing which pitch and the location that the pitcher will throw next.
• Pitch Grips: Gamers will be able to detail the different pitch grips and arm angles that a pitcher has when throwing each pitch.
• 40-Man Roster: Provides the ability to take full control of a team's roster and manage all 40 players for each and every game.
• My Sliders: The My Sliders option gives users the ability to create their perfect game settings offline by adjusting game sliders. Gamers can then save these adjustments to memory and, when online, upload to them for other users to try.
• New Umpire Personalities: Each umpire will have his own definition of the strike zone, and it's up to the gamer to figure out if the umpire is calling the zone high, low, or giving the corners.
• Crowd Interaction: Gamers will see a vast array of new ambient elements including: fans coming, going and reaching for foul balls, vendors, 7th inning stretch, the wave, standing ovations and much, much more.
• Wind Effects: Wind effects will force the player to take the proper route to the ball and make adjustments on the fly.
• 3-Man Booth & Progressive Commentary: Rex Hudler, Matt Vasgersian and Dave Campbell provide comprehensive commentary. Progressive Commentary changes as the user progresses throughout the game by adapting to current actions and situations. Mike Carlucci is the P.A. Announcer for the 11th consecutive season.

Playstation Portable Features

• New Road to The Show—Along with Classic Career Mode, MLB 07 The Show introduces an innovative new option. Road to The Show enables gamers to play offense and defense from the created player's perspective for the plays in which they are involved.
• New Adaptive Pitching Intelligence (API) -- Catchers will call the game based on individual strengths and weaknesses of each pitcher and analyze tendencies of batters.
• New Pitch Command System (PCS) -- A pitcher's pitch comfort will be predetermined based on a best to worst pitch scenario. The more a player works on a pitch, the better it becomes, and the more a gamer neglects a pitch, the harder it becomes to work the strike zone.
• New Online League Play—MLB 07 The Show provides today's sports fanatics with the ability to set up leagues with anywhere from 6-30 teams with full stat tracking, point benefits and rewards.
• New Umpire Personalities—Each umpire will have his own definition of the strike zone, and it's up to the gamer to figure out if the umpire is calling the zone high, low, or giving the corners.
• My Sliders—The My Sliders option gives users the ability to create their perfect game settings offline by adjusting game sliders.
• King of the Diamond—This innovative mini-game showcases the challenging intensity of the batter versus pitcher duel, while an inning clock increases the pressure in this Over-The-Line style challenge.
• Home Run Derby—Lets gamers pick the lineup and set the rules for the traditional home run contest of Major League All-Stars. Complete with its own animation database for the most realistic aspects of the event.
• Career Mode—Allows gamers create a player, assign him to their favorite team, and take their career on the road.
• Season Mode—MLB 07 The Show tests the true baseball fan's commitment and allows them to make a run for consecutive rings with multiple seasons.
• Exhibition Mode/Quick Game—Gamers can select their favorite team and compete against the AI for a quick game on the go.
• Historical Greats—For true nostalgic fans of America's Pastime, this game gives them the opportunity to go against the legends of the past.
• Ad Hoc Mode—Allows two or more PSP systems to communicate directly with each other via Wi-Fi connectivity for regional/local multiplayer gameplay.
• Infrastructure Mode—Allows gamers to link up for multiplayer gameplay across the nation.
• Online News Service / MLB.com Headline News—Sports fanatics can receive all the current happenings in sports today. Information will be updated a few times each hour with news, trades and events from 31 different feeds, each containing 25 unique items. Users can select general MLB headlines or updates from all 30 teams instantly, or save them to the Memory Stick Duo in order to review them offline at their convenience. New for 07, MLB 07 The Show offers an enhanced Live MLB Ticker, which shows live status of all MLB games going on around the league—with updates several times a minute.
• 3-Man Booth & Progressive Commentary—MLB 07 The Show combines a Progressive Broadcast, which adapts to current situations as gamers progress through the game, along with a 3-Man Booth of Rex Hudler, Matt Vasgersian and Dave Campbell. Mike Carlucci is the P.A. Announcer
• Playmaker Fielding—The fielding interface brings the player attributes together with the user's skill level.
• User Controlled Slides—Players can now control base runners in attempts to advance and/or score.
• 40-Man Roster—Provides the ability to take full control of a team's roster and manage all 40 players for each and every game.
• MLB Authenticity—MLB 07 The Show presents fans with finer details and nuances that make the game America's pastime. Gamers can drag bunts along with wild pitches, broken bats, check swings and more.

Player name changes

Because the following players are not members of the MLBPA, they are used in the game under alias names. All players mentioned in this section were removed from the MLBPA because of being used as replacement players during the 1994 Major League Baseball strike except Barry Bonds, who quit himself, and Daisuke Matsuzaka, who was not in the MLBPA when the game was made. Oddly, Kei Igawa was not in the MLBPA when the game was made, however he is in the game.

Team = MLB 07: The Show Alias (Real Name)

• Baltimore Orioles = 1B Ivan Jimenez (Kevin Millar)
• Baltimore Orioles = RP Steve Cardwell (Jamie Walker)
• Boston Red Sox = RP Vince Stewart (Brendan Donnelly)
• Boston Red Sox= SP Tate Baik (Daisuke Matsuzaka)
  • Daisuke Matsuzaka is provided via an online roster update only on PlayStation 2 Version. Matsuzaka is already part of the MLBPA in the PlayStation 3 Version.
• Colorado Rockies = RP Greg Batalucco (Matt Herges)
• Colorado Rockies = RP Ricky Lawson (Tom Martin)
• Milwaukee Brewers = C Chris Gill (Damian Miller)
• San Francisco Giants = LF Reggie Stocker (Barry Bonds)
• Texas Rangers = RP Ed Brady (Ron Mahay)

Soundtrack

• A Static Lullaby - "Hang 'Em High"
• Alexisonfire- "This Could Be Anywhere in the World"
• Chevelle- "Antisaint"
• Earl Greyhound- "All Better Now"
• Early Man- "Feeding Frenzy"
• Embassy- "Gravity"
• Fall Out Boy- "The Carpal Tunnel of Love"
• Halifax- "Nightmare"
• Jet- "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is"
• Maxeen- "Loud as War"
• My Chemical Romance- "This is How I Disappear"
• Over It- "Caught in a Rundown"
• Ratatat- "Loud Pipes"
• Switchfoot- "Oh! Gravity"
• Test Your Reflex- "Black Hearts"
• The Checks- "What You Heard"
• The Photo Atlas- "Red, Orange, Yellow"
• Wolfmother- "Joker and the Thief"
• Wylde Bunch- "Yeah Yeah (Stomp the Bleachers)"

Reception

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Reviews have generally been positive. The April 2007 issue of Game Informer awarded the PlayStation 2 version an 8.75. Of the online reviews, UGO awarded B-, with sub-ratings of a B for the gameplay and a C+ for the presentation. Yahoo! Games awarded the game an 80%, praising the number of available modes, The Road to the Show feature in particular. Gamespot awarded the game an 8.5, as compared to the 7.4 they gave for MLB 2K7. The PSP version got an 8.0. IGN also awarded the game an 8.5, as compared to the 7.0 score MLB 2K7 received, but IGN gave the PSP version a 7.9 score. All in total, Metacritic's score totals it up to an average of 83, which is generally favorable. Overall, MLB 07: The Show has received a higher audience with nearly 71% of gamers playing The Show over MLB 2K7. The only negative rating comes from Game Trailers, which gave the game a 6.9, saying that "If you’re looking for a starter hardball game, then it is definitely a good choice, but one more season of lethargy and Sony will be caught stealing."

One aspect that has been mentioned by reviewers are the number of bugs (or glitches) in the game. Examples of this are scoring runs after being caught out and high fly balls not functioning correctly. The game suffered in its reviews due to this with critics praising the gameplay but lamenting the sheer number of bugs that should have been solved before release.