MLB The Show 23 Reviews
Baseball fans will love it, but the game does nothing special to feel like something new – or next-gen.
Review in Italian | Read full review
MLB The Show 23 is another solid entry to San Diego Studios' yearly iteration of MLB magnificence.
We'll have plenty more deep diving MLB The Show 23 and its various modes in the weeks to come.
MLB The Show 23 is a continuation of one of the best sports game franchises on the market, and the inclusion of the Negro Leagues Storylines mode makes it an even better way to experience the game and learn about its history even further.
While not a lot has changed in terms of ways to play MLB The Show 23, the experience on the field is much improved.
I can recommend MLB The Show 23, but not to everyone. It's a very good game that even players who aren't necessarily baseball fans can enjoy. And that's totally cool. Other sports series should also have such options. However, in terms of content, there are very few changes. The educational story mode in The Negro Leagues is great. Some minor changes in other modes are also nice. But it's more like an expansion of 22. Even on the technical side and also on the rules side.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
MLB The Show 23 doesn't reinvent the genre, but the franchise continues to stand as one of the best on the market. The gameplay is fantastic across all phases of the sport, and the line-up of modes has been improved thanks to the addition of Storylines. There is still room for improvement, but The Show remains a contender for best sports title of the year.
The 2023 version of MLB The Show is by far the best and most visually advanced Baseball simulation on the market, and if you watch or play the sport, there is no harm in giving it a try, although it doesn't offer much outside of the story mode.
Review in Persian | Read full review
MLB The Show 23 hits a home run in some key areas and in others, not so much. However, while popular modes like Road to The Show are still being neglected, San Diego Studios still manages to improve enough to keep the experience fresh.
Fundamentally, though, MLB the Show 23 is a good game. MLB the Show 22 was a good game. Adding the Negro Leagues mode was noble from Sony (and no doubt the kind of goodwill-generating progressive addition that will keep the licensor happy with how Sony is treating the IP). However, the misstep with the World Baseball League and a complete unwillingness to build on any mode but the awful Diamond Dynasty also make this year’s The Show unacceptable. If you missed last year’s iteration, then you can add a couple of stars to this score, because for you, it won’t be one of the most cynical annual iterations that we’ve seen in sports games for quite some time. For the rest of us, though. No. Not good enough.
Supported by the great new Storylines mode and the already incredibly solid foundation of previous years, MLB The Show 23 is another excellent sports simulator game from the masters of baseball. There were few changes, but the series keeps showing how much it understands the players' passion for the past, present and future of the sport and brings something capable of satisfying every fan.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
You can get deep into the details with hardcore simulation play, especially with the improved in-game UI that gives you a cleaner readout on the specifics of your pitch or swing. You can also flip the game to casual and just sit back and relax, ripping some dingers and striking some dudes out. Or you can toss out the idea of playing full games and just experience history in the incredible Negro League Storylines mode. Even if the visuals border on being potato quality, this game rocks on Switch.
Part of the reason it feels like MLB The Show 23 is treading water is that, for so many years, it was far and away the best sports game available. When you nail a sport so accurately, all that's left is the sort of tinkering around the edges that MLB The Show 23 does here. But unless you have a burning need to play as Satchel Paige -- and who could blame you if you do -- it makes it really difficult to see why you'd want to pick it up rather than just sticking with MLB The Show 22.
For those who take up the title, it will certainly be a prime opportunity to learn the sport at its best. Those who have knowledge of the sport will have higher demands, but even so, the result will satisfy them to a great extent.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Seldom do we see such a significant leap forward in an annual titles release, however, MLB The Show 23 really does have all its bases covered here. San Diego are to be commended on a significant step forward.
Another year, another triumph, the consistency of the team at San Diego Studio continues to amaze, and MLB The Show 23 is a true gem of a baseball game. No matter which mode you find yourself in, there’s something to marvel at, and with the big addition of the Negro Leagues mode, this is one baseball sim that is heavy on the history lessons and may yet make history itself as well.
MLB The Show 23 is a welcome sight for those looking to get acquainted with America’s previous favorite pastime.
MLB The Show 23 has claimed the title as the best edition in the series and with the abundance of major and minor changes, improvements and additions made, how could it not be? It has to be said that the new Storylines is a masterful addition to the series and playing some of the Negro League’s most iconic figures is nothing short of brilliance.
While still fundamentally the same, MLB The Show 23 succeeds in adding a new feature that really adds to the overall value of the game. The Negro Leagues is a triumphant addition, highlighting not only these icons of the sport but also showing their path to recognition. Even as a newcomer to the sport, it’s not hard to recognize the work put into this mode, which should be considered a staple moving forward.
Where last year’s MLB The Show felt too copy-and-pasted, MLB The Show 23 feels legitimately improved. New modes featuring historical and recent stars give a breath of fresh air to this series. Expanding practice types for RTTS players also helps players get meaningful practice to get better at the game. What’s not updated is a tale of two stories. From a core mechanics standpoint, you don’t need to upgrade what already works. Playing baseball in The Show has been just as fun since 2021 as it is now. The things that do need updates need them badly, however. Sciambi and Singleton need something new to say so the game loses what repetitiveness it still has. Finally, some bugs are game-breaking or crashing.