New season with changes
Like every spring, the big leagues enjoy an event in the world of video games and the saga MLB The Show It has become a benchmark not only since its origins, but its presence has sharpened thanks to the multiplatform opening in recent years. In the most recent installment, San Diego Studio has done a fantastic job to provide new elements to the famous franchise, unifying the multiple game modes that make up a robust title that considerably improves its predecessor. As is usual in sports titles, the start of the new season is the ideal reason for the templates and uniforms of each team to be updated, however, by 2024 more than 400 animations have been added, a new pitching system and the most recent rule changes that went into effect in professional baseball league.
At a graphic level, both the players and the stadiums and their respective animations are very well detailed, but the burden of the fact that we are facing a multigenerational game for the fourth consecutive year is beginning to be noticed a little, so the movements of the hair or in Facial expressions could benefit more if they were conceived from the beginning for current platforms. The interface and selection menu are simple and intuitive, far surpassing previous titles. For players who are just starting out in this experience, it will be very easy to access each of the various game modes. Technically there are no significant differences between the versions of PlayStation 5 -which was used for this analysis- and that of Xbox Series but that of nintendo switch yes it is quite lower. The control in PS5 It makes use of the DualSense functionalities, providing a little more value in that category, but it is not a difference that marks the direction of the experience.
Featured technical section and personalized gameplay
The sound is remarkable and when using headphones or a home theater system, the experience is totally immersive when listening to the narration of the game, the special effects of the stadium, the hitting of the ball with the bat and the expressions or dialogues between the different players. characters. He soundtrack rises to the occasion and features a wide variety of songs and genres such as blues, hip-hop, punk, rap, rock and soul, etc.; while the artists present are: A Tribe Called Quest, Aaron May, Ab-Soul, Bad Bunny, BENEE, Big KRIT, Black Pumas, CeeLo Green, Chad Hugo, Curren$y, Eladio, Carrion, Fiddlehead, Free NationalsGirl Talk, IDLES, indie tribe, Jay Electronica , Jenevieve, Jon Keith, KAROL G, LCD Soundsystem, Marlena Shaw, Mogli the Iceburg, Naughty By Nature, nobigdyl, Phoenix, Pusha T, REASON, Roosevelt and Stevie Wonderto name a few.
The configuration options are abundant, as various types of difficulty appear and this can also be intelligent, associated with the level of expertise and skill that we acquire over time. The controls also have multiple options for calibrating buttons and using the analog sticks. One of the most striking aspects of this year's edition is the Impact Plays option, allowing you to focus on more immersive pitching with fluctuations in speed, slow motion effects and more complex ball throws, making it a very satisfactory and recommendable, although it is only available in modes where you always control a single player, such as Road to the Show.
Spectacular story
During 2023, San Diego Studio surprised us with the incursion of the Negro Leagues, offering a pleasant experience that tells the real history of said league that started in 1920, mixing real cinematics with gameplay to advance in the purest style of the plots that we have already seen in other sports licenses as FIFA, Madden, NHL or WWE 2K. In MLB The Show 24, the aforementioned narrative begins with season two, where there will be a total of ten stories available and initially it is possible to enjoy only four. With this content you can learn more about the life of Toni Stone, the first woman to play on a professional baseball team. The films from that time are very well remastered and take on greater relevance thanks to the main narrator who is Bob Kendrickpresident of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM), and presents the careers of various legends who have influenced this sport, such as Buck Leonard and Josh Gibson.
All this experience makes the player and fan of the major leagues want more and at first it may seem too short, but it is a matter of time before the additional content begins to arrive that will put the finishing touch to this epic sports story. . Unfortunately, there is no option to recap or rewatch the events of the first season of the Negro Leagues. In a similar context, there is another campaign referring to Derek Sanderson Jet, the legendary member of the New York Yankees between 1995 and 2014. The two experiences cited in this section perfectly recreate how the stadiums, the public, the uniforms and appearances of each of the participants, so it has a broad load of nostalgia and history for the most loyal followers or will serve as a context for new generations. One of the main additions in this edition is that progress in story modes grants experience points that can be used in the Diamond Dynastywhich will be addressed in later lines of this review.
Various game types and robust online
True to his style, MLB The Show 24 It is intended to satisfy various audiences, so in addition to the narrative story mentioned, other playable modes are present. Diamond Dynasty it is what Ultimate Team is for EA FC 24, That is, a way of collecting cards that are obtained by obtaining envelopes and that allow you to create squads from the most basic levels to forming legendary teams. This dynamic remains intact compared to last year's edition, so you can also gain not only players but appearances or special cards that allude to a historical moment. The acquisition of each envelope of stamps can be through the experience points that you obtain in all game modes or with real money. Although you can simplify your purchases under the “pay to win” dynamic, the reality is that by dedicating time you can have a very rewarding “play to win” scheme, so you could not invest any metallic currency and manage to form a spectacular team. , since it is easy to obtain characters with a rating higher than level 90.
Franchise modes and March to October are again present without significant changes. For its part, in Road to the Show, it is now possible to create both male and female characters, taking them to the highest level with a facial scan using an application on smartphones. Likewise, there is the option of enjoying the Moments mode where specific events are recreated with certain conditions whose level of difficulty varies depending on the case, in the purest style of what the Scenario mode was several decades ago in the legendary International Superstar Soccer from Super Nintendo. If this were not enough, it is also viable to try weekly challenges that are updated periodically, increasing replayability. For the more casual audience, there are very entertaining mini-games such as Home Run Derby, where a championship of several rounds is defined to see who will be the winner in home run confrontations. In other words, you only hit balls to blow them out of the stadium and there is no action on the bases. Finally, there will always be the possibility of building your own stadium as if it were a simulation experience, providing it with grass, amenities, attractions, streets, and buildings, among other elements. Such creations can be shared online with other players around the planet.
In addition to the multitude of playable modes of MLB The Show 24, has a renewed online system whose main characteristic is that varied content will arrive periodically, while the Seasonal Diamond Dynasty and Team Affinity have been introduced, which provide greater opportunities to collect experience points that will be redeemed to collect card envelopes. Likewise, there is a cooperative option to play with your friends between different platforms, so the installed base of users is large and it will always be easy to find games.
Drastic change or simple facelift?
Without a doubt, in an environment with so many releases and if the gamer is not such a baseball fan, the question could be asked if it is worth getting the latest product or if it is advisable to spend another season with the previous year's product. In summary, these are the main differences between MLB The Show 24 and its predecessor, in addition to the update of templates and uniforms: 1) Modifications according to the change in official rules in the MLB, such as the increase in the size of the bases; 2) Stadiums have been addedand Pittsburgh's Greenlee Field and Seattle's Kingdome; 3) Pitchers can now feint without getting rid of the ball, simulating the movements of their counterparts in real life, in addition to the options to choose the type of throw are deeper and adapt to the needs or playable habits of any player. person; and 4) The creation of a female character in Road to the Show mode, as we have already seen in other sports franchises such as NBA 2K.
The best experience to enjoy the big leagues
There is no doubt that MLB The Show 24 is the best baseball experience to date and far surpasses its predecessors, making it a must-buy for enthusiasts of this sport and can be considered a great alternative for players who want to venture into the genre, since it is about a title that can be enjoyed alone or together with other friends thanks to its varied game modes and an extremely graphic and simple interface that allows quick access and a brief explanation of the mode in which it will be played. The story mode is sublime from start to finish and will leave you wanting more, with the consolation being that additional content will arrive in the coming months through updates. On the contrary, the fact that it is a multi-generational production is beginning to show signs of exhaustion and although the graphics section is outstanding, it could be much better, thanks to the technical capabilities of the current generation of consoles. Like any product today, it is not exempt from micro transactions with real money to obtain virtual currency and be able to obtain various envelopes of collectible cards, however, the user may not incur any type of financial expense in this regard and obtain credits. through the experience obtained, investing time in a video game that can offer endless hours of fun.
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