MLB '06: The Show (PlayStation 2, 2006)

Ever Dream of running your own baseball team?

If you have then this game is something you should try. The depth of control of your baseball club is amazing. You can control the ticket prices, parking prices, jersey prices, concessions, and even batting cages. You have full control of spending for marketing your baseball club including magazine, television, radio, and newspaper spots, and decide what part of your club should be promoted. You can even pick who to allow to advertise on the billboards in your stadium (that is visible in the field in games) and who to give your television contract too (giving you more money and exposure). MLB the Show allows you to employ scouts for all the areas of the world allowing you to decide what kind of prospects you hope to get in future drafts. There are even banks built in to give out loans when your club is struggling (careful though they do charge interest).

Graphics in this game are better than the MLB 2k6, but the motion animations seem robotic and not so natural. The fielding is suspect at times but it gets it done. The pitching is fun but still lacks the depth that the MLB 2k6 had this year. The hitting is fun but can turn into a home run derby if you get lucky with the picks of what pitch is coming. Base running is hard to get used to but can be done. This game feels like the big leagues and has the appearance of being the show but still lacks some of the feel of game play that EA sunk into MVP 2006 NCAA baseball.

The addition of the career mode seems like a good idea but I am not sure who would go threw a whole career as a single player. This allows you to change some things about the game but limits your control of rosters and you can not do all the fun stuff that the management can in the franchise mode. I think it would be long and tedious to play out a whole career as a pro.

Hope this helps some.