by
Ted Kritsonis
Faze Technology Editor

What it’s about: Ever since the early 90s, baseball has really taken a hit in popularity up here in Canada. We lost the Expos, and the Blue Jays have tantalized us with some good teams that were only good on paper, and not on the field where it counts most. But in that time, video game baseball has gone through a nice evolution. The sometimes boring aspects of watching a baseball game on TV aren't so boring when playing baseball on a video game. MLB 06: The Show is one example of that..

What’s good about it: One great thing about this game is that you don't have too much time to throw a pitch. By limiting the pitch selection to a few seconds, the length of a full game takes up a lot less time than it did before. Batting is better because you now get to pick the location and pitch and you'll know you got it right if you make good contact with the ball. Career mode is nice in that you get to use your own face (provided you have an EyeToy camera) as part of a player you create. You work your way through the minors and then try to win favour with the coaching staff in the majors. But if you care more about running a team, the Franchise and Season modes are better suited for that. The Rivalry mode is nice, though be prepared to play a lot of games. You and a friend would love how you stick with the same teams and play each other in dozens of games. It's all about bragging rights..

What’s NOT good about it: For one, this game doesn't look all that much better than last year's game did. The graphics could've used an upgrade in a few areas, but at least you get more replays and better dialogue from the announcers. Online play is pretty good too, with plenty of stats, but the lag and slowdowns start to get annoying after a while. Trying to throw a pitch and watching the screen stutter doesn't do much for the pace and excitement of the game.

What’s the verdict: MLB 06: The Show is an improvement and could be a serious contender for best baseball video game within the next two years. If they can get the visuals to be on par with other baseball titles, while continuing to improve the gameplay features and online play, then some glorious results may be just a home run swing away..

Publisher:
Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer:
SCE Studios San Diego

Platform:
PlayStation 2

Rating: 8/10