MLB The Show 21 Reviews

MLB The Show 21 is ranked in the 75th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
7 / 10
Apr 21, 2021

MLB The Show 21 swings-and-misses in a few areas, with the well-intentioned Ballplayer system diminishing Road to the Show. Despite being stingier, though, Diamond Dynasty is still the best card collecting mode available, and the series' tried and trusted gameplay has been further enhanced with the addition of Pinpoint Pitching and new fielding animations. Sony San Diego hasn't quite hit a home run this year, but this is a strong lead-off double for baseball on PS5.

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Apr 19, 2021

MLB The Show 21 is yet another solid entry in Sony's now multi-platform sports franchise. The consistent tweaks to how the game functions and its quality-of-life improvements each year have helped create a balanced, solid foundation for each iteration to improve on. Even though MLB The Show 21 lacks in delivering a truly engrossing current-gen experience on the new consoles in some ways and has a few typical sports franchise pitfalls, it's still an enjoyable game that has a high degree of craftsmanship.

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Saudi Gamer
Top Critic
7 / 10
Apr 15, 2021

A fun baseball game that welcomes new and old players alike, and its most notable drawback is that the graphical improvements to the new generation did not live up to expectations.

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7 / 10.0
Apr 20, 2021

MLB The Show 21 isn’t a bad game, but there’s a lot that needs to starting changing for MLB The Show to avoid becoming viewed by its fans in the same way as Madden NFL is by its.

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70 / 100
May 2, 2021

MLB The Show 2021 has somehow failed to absorb me, even though it allows even the most novice player to grasp and play the gameplay. At the time, I used to think I was playing baseball by hitting a tennis ball with a stick in my hand, but it could be because I had no interest in the sport. If you have the opportunity to try it, take a look.

Review in Turkish | Read full review

INVEN
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Apr 27, 2021

This year's best MLB simulation is The Show, but the graphic visuals without growth are disappointing. The clumsy cross between RTTS and DD feels like a signal to open the loot box. At least Stadium Creator soothes the disappointment. The new Pin-Point pitching allowed the player's skill to honestly determine the outcome of the game.

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7 / 10
May 3, 2021

MLB the Show is an excellent title that'll be enjoyed by all fans of the sport and even those who are unexperienced in it. It's a beautiful example of how sports simulations should be made. However, this year's only a small step forward and unfortunately it won't bring much new content compared to last games.

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May 11, 2021

It really all comes down to your love of baseball. Even as a fan who watches the game regularly, I've had a hard time finding my footing in The Show 21. It's a hard game and that's OK. Challenges should always be welcomed. But there needs to be a way to bridge the gap, especially with The Show 21 now being made available to a much wider audience. If it can happen with other sports games, it's time it happens for baseball's biggest title.

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68 / 100
May 6, 2021

What's always been good about the franchise is still good here, but when it comes to making the next-gen leap, The Show 21 can't quite cut it. Series die-hards will likely enjoy the real-world rule changes, but if you're picking up the game for the first time in a while, last year's entry is as good as this one.

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6.5 / 10.0
Apr 26, 2021

Outside of the gameplay itself, the game feels like a sometimes-ugly, disorganized collection of menus that wants you to pay extra money to really enjoy the most engaging content without falling victim to an endless grind.

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Echo Boomer
Diogo dos Santos
Liked-a-lot
Apr 20, 2021

MLB The Show 21 does a good job trying to teach the basics for those unaware with the sport, even with all the complex and saturated gameplay.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

Recommended
Apr 21, 2021

It goes without saying, but MLB The Show is one of PlayStation’s flagship video game franchises for a reason. As MLB The Show 21 proves, the game can be enjoyable to both newcomers and veteran players while adding on tiny, yet noticeable, features that make every iteration feel fresh. Now, gamers on Xbox can enjoy the fruits of San Diego Studio’s labour, and even enjoy cross-platform and cross-generation play with their friends. While that last factoid alone should be a cause for celebration, the former reasons add to the fact that it is, truly, a great video game sports title.

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Unscored
Apr 27, 2021

‘MLB The Show 21’ is great for new Xbox users. What about long-time PlayStation fans?

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Unscored
Apr 21, 2021

MLB The Show 21 is still sure to satisfy most baseball fans in at least one way, and I still believe it's enjoyable enough to to win over some new fans at a time when baseball could definitely use them. But when you're the "can't miss" prospect, expectations are always high, and The Show does not always live up to those expectations this year.

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