MLB The Show 23 Reviews
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.
MLB The Show 23 left laziness aside and, instead of just updating rosters and changing the cover, it made discreet improvements, but which greatly benefited the experience of those who wanted something more complete. The addition of a Negro League-focused mode was the move that established the franchise's title as one of the best ever made in the sport.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
MLB The Show 23 does not diverge much in its key mechanics from the previous chapter, but then again, the state of the game was already in very good shape even in previous years.
Review in Italian | Read full review
MLB The Show 23 does enough to revamp an excellent formula, while the Storylines: Negro Leagues mode serves as an important history lesson within the confines of the game.
Even though annual sports games are becoming more of a joke, MLB The Show remains an impeccable product. It offers several ways to enjoy the baseball experience, whether it’s creating your own character in Road to the Show or trying to build a championship team in either Franchise or Diamond Dynasty. But the most important part of MLB The Show 23 is the Negro League Storylines. San Diego Studios should be praised for telling the amazing stories of baseball’s forgotten stars. It’s features like this that transform a game into something more than just random pixels on-screen, and that’s exactly what MLB The Show 23 managed to do. San Diego Studio didn’t just manage to craft a good baseball game, but something special that goes beyond the sport it represents, which is no small feat for any title, more so for an annual sports game.
MLB The Show 23 has the same problems as other sports simulation experiences in recent months. The series seems to stagnate and doesn't bring enough novelties to push fans to pay for it every year. While we were used to the SIE San Diego team innovating every year, this is no longer the case. The integration of the shared save, the presence from the release on the Xbox Game Pass service or the excellent storylines mode featuring The Negro Leagues are not enough. If the gameplay is still as good as ever, it is not possible for me to recommend the purchase to a player who already has last year's edition. Not to mention that the title still doesn't offer translation in languages other than English.
Review in French | Read full review
MLB The Show '23 is a big step up from its predecessor. In addition to improved gameplay, new game modes have also been added that offer an instructive glimpse into the history of the sport. This is the way an annual games are supposed to go forward.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
MLB The Show 23 doesn’t revolutionise its core gameplay mechanics, but the new Storylines mode and Diamond Dynasty features really hit the ball out of the park. Exploring the details of the Negro Leagues and some of its key players was captivating, whilst the changes in Diamond Dynasty ensure there’s plenty to keep players invested in the mode for hours on end – even Franchise feels a bit more exciting to play through thanks to its revamped draft system. What’s most important though is that the game remains a lot of fun to play, both for newbies and returning players. It’s accessible yet deep, with MLB The Show 23 giving players another great baseball experience that captures the essence of the sport perfectly.
MLB: The Show 23 is a game of continuity, with immense inherited from last year's edition, accompanied by refinements that will be appreciated only by the most dedicated and after long hours on the field. The story mode focused on the Negro Leagues deserves praise and the adjustments made to streamline the gameplay as well, make things better than in last year's edition, even if everything seems too equal.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
MLB The Show 23 is the lead sports simulator when it comes to presentation and design. But with greater focus being given to fantasy and history game modes, The Show 23 appears to be moving further from the single-player mode it's named for.
MLB The Show 23 is yet another triumph by San Diego Studio. The new Storylines mode should become a yearly staple as baseball has such a rich history to draw from and amazing players to spotlight.