User Score
7.4 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 66 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 50 out of 66
  2. Negative: 14 out of 66

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  1. Mar 5, 2013
    10
    I've been playing this franchise for since back on the original Playstation, and I can honestly say I am blown away by this year's game. I honestly was not expecting much this season, but the improvements the devs made for this year really improve the overall gameplay. Hitting is no longer so difficult that every game is a pitcher's duel; now hitting is easy enough on the Veteren setting as to be fun, but still realistic. I'm sure after a few games I'll bump up the difficulty a bit and see how that goes. As for the presentation improvements, new camera angles, commentating, and cut scenes make the game look even more like a real TV broadcast. The new Postseason mode is really cool as well. The entire presentation changes to create a playoff atmosphere, and is nice for those who don't want to play through a whole season to experience the playoffs. As a diehard of the series I probably notice more changes than the casual player, but I can honestly say that this is the best baseball game I've played and am more than happy with dropping the $60 for it. A must buy for baseball fans! Expand
  2. Mar 5, 2013
    10
    This is probably the best baseball game I've ever played. The changes to this year are excellent. Playing in the field and running the bases is incredibly immersive, intuitive and fun. The game now teaches you how to become a better batter, a feature I've desperately needed for ages now, and it really helps.
  3. Apr 3, 2013
    10
    The key factor for this game was the vastly improved commentary. It's much more faster paced and put together than the previous game's long periods of time without a word of commentary. It now competes with 2k in that category, as that was THE only category 2k was better in. Loving the new camera angles that get excellent views of inside the stadium that were missed in all the previous games. Sound is fantastic as always. I can't find issues with the game after a month of playing. The new features just make it worth the purchase. Expand
  4. Mar 7, 2013
    10
    Having allowed MLB 11 the Show hold me over until this year, I've found that this year's installment is a must buy for all baseball fans who haven't had the pleasure of playing last year's game. It's the best baseball game money can buy and Road to the Show alone is worth the purchase. I'll gladly shell over $60 to not have to listen to EK ramble on during my RttS play-through.
  5. Mar 6, 2013
    9
    Sliders people. It's all about finding the perfect options. If I didn't figure that out I might have gave it a zero. Sliders people. I love you all. Just find your sweet spot.
  6. Mar 5, 2013
    3
    REAL REVIEW from someone who has played every single game since The Show came out in 2006. Same as every other year. There are little improvements here and there, but nothing major. They added ONE new main feature (The Show Live) which isn't fun or interesting at all. This game is becoming like Madden. All they do is add tiny little features each year and you hear the word "Improvement" A LOT. Go ahead and read/watch some dev. interviews, you'll see/hear the word "Improved" a lot. They "improved" this and they "improved" that. Instead, they should be innovating (which this game does NOT do). You'll notice too that (just like Madden) they don't come out with more than just ONE new main feature each year. This year's main feature is The Show Live. Last year's main feature was Diamond Dynasty, see the pattern? They do have a "new" beginners mode. I put quotes around the word "new" because it's just another feature that they "improved" really. Also just take a look at Badasz's review... notice anything about it?? I'll take some quotes from his review if you don't feel like reading it.... "The game has a lot of improvement's from the last version".."Graphics and game play are the same"..."RTTS mode, its more realistic than ever" (another example of "improving" something)....Then he talks about the commentary and not hearing them while you play... umm... every single other The Show since 2006 allowed you to turn off commentary (which I always did)... so nothing new there. He talks about playoff atmosphere, just another little tiny improvement, I've always felt the atmosphere was great during playoff games in past The Show games. Manager mode, just "improved". They do this so that they have more to add into their game next year. They don't add other features ON PURPOSE....which I kind of understand, they are here to make money, not please their fans.... and we're the ones who suffer for it. They ad just the minimum amount of new features and improvements to fool players like Badasz into thinking it's a completely new game. Whatever happened to Create Your Own Stadium, Classic HOF players (Ruth, Mays, Paige).... I know they need legal rights to their names, but they've done it in the past, they can do it again.... what ever happened to players wearing their own team jerseys in the All-star game (like in real life), how about adding Fantasy Baseball in the game (like how you have fantasy baseball on yahoo or mlb .c o m. Where the HECK is The World Baseball classic... perfect year to have it. We've been waiting for The Show to add the WBC. I know they won't be able to use players real names, but isn't that what the Roster Vault is for?!?! Definitely wait for this game to drop to around at least $30 before buying it. With everything I said, If you loved last years game and aren't expecting/care-about huge changes and innovations and don't mind the exact same gameplay... then get this game. This game would be deserving of a 10/10 if it were the first or second baseball game to ever exist. It's a great game standing by itself, but since this game is part of a sports series, it deserves special treatment when reviewing it. Bottom line...
    Nothing new. Same Gameplay. Lots of little improvements (batting stances, things like that). ONE new main feature (The Show Live).... that's it
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  7. Mar 5, 2013
    9
    hey fish,a 3? are you serious.this is not call of duty it's mlb how many changes do you expect.the players to float? it's the best mlb sim period.changes?nobody listen to fish mlb 13 is great
  8. Mar 7, 2013
    10
    I don't really write reviews on metacritic, but I just wanted to come in here and speak for those who are skeptical. Those other guys dont know what they are talking about. This years show is the most refined show I have played. Mind you, I have started with The show 10 for PS2 and PS3 and havent found a Show better than that one it terms of all around quality and for the period in time. This one beats out the Show. They did everything the community wanted, especially for online. I have no idea why or what those other guys are complaining about. This is THE BEST show to date. I live in Toronto, Canada where baseball is not popular, but I am still finding ranked games with no problem and virtually no lag. They really did a good job with the netcode for this game this time around. I also like the fact that I can make my ranked games suited to how I like to play now (which makes this an auto 10 for me) I like to play guess pitch 1/4 with all realistic settings on (ejects, injuries, variable ump) and the hot zone to preview (which only shows the hot zone first for the first pitch of every batter) Its the best. Another cool thing (mplayer is my main focus since I dont have many people that like the show) is that the matchmaking is based on who you pick for starting pitcher as well. you dont see who the other team picks until the game starts. the system matches your pitchers as well as teams! Anyway, pick this up, you wont be disappointed. Those other guys are butthurt cause they cant glitch now or something most likely Expand
  9. Mar 5, 2013
    6
    Its the same as last years game. There are a couple changes to RTTS but nothing to warrant dropping $60 or trading in a bunch of your games to get this. Personally I think MLB 10 The Show was the best game and was almost perfect.This year pitching is harder and batting is also more complicated. Do I feel cheated again? Yup. Will you? Without a doubt.
  10. Mar 5, 2013
    0
    I'm writing this to warn people who like RTTS that there are now dizzying spins of the camera when you are on the field/coming to bat. So much so, it is making some ppl sick. The devs know this and just don't care.

    Last time I'm ever getting ripped off by sony on this POS!
  11. Mar 7, 2013
    10
    Sorry for the late review. Been having too much fun with RttS mode. It isn't that this is basically a spruced up version of last year's title, there's a real cohesion to the mechanics this time around. Getting you into the game is swift and has flourish. The ambient audio is incredible. And the hitting is tight. If you've passed on this title for the past few years, know that this one is solid and, more importantly, fun as hell. Gotta go. I'm up. Expand
  12. Mar 8, 2013
    10
    By far the best sports sim available. This game quite literally defines what a MLB game should be; other sports sims take notice. They've revamped batting completely. You can even allow the game to teach you to be a better batter and you can increase the difficulty as you start to see yourself improving to different levels (it also has it's own levels within that difficulty it can scale to fit your ability). When you hit the ball the physics are a million times better. It's no longer like bouncing a ping-pong ball on a table. When it hits, it'll skid, turn, stop short. There is no longer a consistent amount of ground-rule doubles when you knock a ball into the outfield (it doesn't just automatically bounce out). It's loads more realistic in the physics.

    Postseason mode is amazing. From the music, to the crowd interaction, to the interaction from the other players (the "1st person-mode" is really cool you don't see the game in 1st person, but the noise in the game comes from around your player: either from your teammates to even a snarky fan giving you grief or even one cheering you on). It's amazing. I don't really need to comment on how perfect pitching is in this game.

    What this boils down to: MLB 13 The Show should be your one and ONLY choice for a baseball game. 2K cannot compete. Sorry Xbox (only) owners, you do get a decent game but nothing like this.
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  13. Mar 9, 2013
    8
    Very similar to MLB 12, great game but little can and innovate in the current generation, but still experienced the franchise as many options on the team, stadium, travel, team organization not only in the sport also in non sport, great game
  14. Mar 6, 2013
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've been playing MLB 13 The Show for about 17 of the last 24 hours and The Show is terrible.. Presentation is terrible. The announce team couldn't sound any more artificial. Nothing about their commentary seems real. Matt Vasgersian just rambles on and on trying to play catch up. Online play so far has been horrible. I've played 4 games online and I'm 3-1. It was difficult to play with connection issues and lag with my opponent. I assure you it's not my 50mbps internet that is lagging. So if I want to play online I have to find someone with a top notch ISP and speeds like myself. No servers to help with the connections. The one place the MLB The Show shines is the in depth features of their game modes Franchise, RTTS and the Diamond Dynasty. All three of these features are amazing. As amazing as those features are I can't let the terrible game play slide by. Pure Analog pitching and hitting are horrible, but I'll assign part of the blame to PS3 and their controllers. The Analog sticks are so loose it's impossible to go straight back and forward with them. If this were on 360 I'd be willing to bet everyone would love the Pure Analog control styles. The other control styles for hitting and pitching Zone, Classic and Meter,Classic and Pulse all make me feel like I'm doing nothing. Hitting on this game is still ridiculous. It has improved some. Still way too many weak "oops I didn't mean to swing" type hits. Also in any control scheme for hitting I don't feel like I have control of where I want to hit the ball. They say it's based on timing and the hitters spray charts. This is not like real baseball. Watch any good hitter and you can tell where he is trying to hit the ball. Then usually he'll hit the ball there. I don't feel like i have this type of control in this game.

    Pitching is insane as well. The pitch never goes where I aim for it to go, even if ,no matter which control scheme I'm using, I perfectly execute the pitch. The one positive for pitching in this game is the pitchers seem to fatigue realistically. Fielding in this game is a big area of concern for me. Even with the best infielders I can't get to regular ground balls in the hole. There are not too many balls that gets by Brandon Phillips at 2B for the Reds. I see at least five get by him per game on The Show. Also too many times I've had my fielder lined up perfectly to catch a fly ball, then it mysteriously drops to the ground. Finally on fielding is the throwing. The throw meter is stupid. Just plain stupid. All fielders that I have noticed have the same green spot. Shouldn't that spot be bigger or smaller depending on the fielders throwing ability. Then too many times I've just barely missed the green spot, like it's just barely past it in the yellow and the ball goes way off line usually resulting in an error. Baserunning maybe I'm dumb but I can't figure it out. I have to aim the Left analog stick at the runner then tell him what to do. I've tried this and usually they just stop running. So I'm left with just advancing all and returning all. You may want to discredit me for the upcoming closing part but here it goes. A lot of the "new" improvements and the "new" game mode "The Show Live" were mostly ripped straight from MLB 2K series. Analog hitting and pitching were perfected by the 2K series. The new throwing meter in the field, was done first by MVP baseball then perfected by the 2K series. The above mentioned new game mode "The Show Live" is a direct ripoff of the MLB Today game mode from 2K. I'm not trying to say 2K is the better game or not. 2K has some serious issues with glitches and poor graphics and just hardly ZERO depth and features in their game modes. However, while the glitches are annoying, they are usually minor and don't effect the outcome of the game too often. I am willing to sacrifice a level or two of graphics in exchange for better gameplay. Sorry MLB2k may not look as good, but the pitching is the best ever of any baseball game. The fielding is par. The baserunning is easy. The hitting I have complete control of where i want to hit the ball. The announce team and audio presentation squashes MLB The Show. They also have servers and better online connections. So I've played both games. I went out and bought a PS3 just so I can play The Show. I feel like I have wasted $370.00 I could have just bought MLB 2k and would have been happy.
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  15. Mar 8, 2013
    10
    I'm not sure why people have such a problem with this game. The Show is, year after year, the best baseball game I've ever played. I feel like they've nailed down how to make a great game, and there won't be massive improvements or changes from here on out because there isn't much to improve upon, until they completely redesign and redevelop the game. I like the small improvements and changes this year that I've noticed so far, like FINALLY using a numbering system for player ratings. It was always just the red bar or letter grades. I'm not a big online gamer because most people who play online quit when they start losing, and it's not fun. Or they play like morons, which is also not fun. But as a game to play on your own or with other people in who are sitting right next to you, it's great. They can't change the game completely every single year, because it's costs a ton of money to do that, and they'd never get it done on time. The game isn't broken like Madden has become, or like 2K baseball has pretty much always been, so there's no need for a complete overhaul. The graphics and animations are as smooth as ever, and the interface is only slightly altered, so there's a very, very small learning curve. So stop complaining about the little things, like how this minor league isn't in the game, or that guy's tattoo isn't in the game, and appreciate the fact that you have a choice of baseball games every single year, and you're not stuck with the garbage that is 2K. Expand
  16. Mar 10, 2013
    9
    I'm not going to preface my review with silly things like "REAL REVIEW" like fish6132456. I could tell you I've been playing sports games all my life, but that just makes me another gamer who likes sports games. What I can tell you is MLB 13: The Show continues the tradition of being the best baseball game on the market. The changes are noticeable, even to those of us that have been playing the series since it's initial incarnation, but do not take away from the overall feel of the game. Point is this, if you want the best baseball game, this is the one for you. If you haven't played any of The Show before, you're in for an absolute treat. My only suggestion would be to eventually graduate to All-Star difficulty, as the AI pitchers throw way too many strikes in the lower modes. Enjoy! Collapse
  17. Mar 17, 2013
    10
    Great game with awesome graphics and a ton of control over how you want to play. Almost everything can be customized by using the sliders. Most of the changes in this years edition are subtle and won't be noticed by casual players but anyone who has played past games will surely notice. The graphics are top notch (almost life-like), the sound is as realistic as you can get without actually going to a ballgame, even the commentary is annoying--just like real baseball!! now go out and buy this game or you'll be missing out on the best sports game ever made. Expand
  18. Apr 5, 2013
    8
    MLB 13: The Show adds better graphics and gameplay, but no new and unique game modes. The show still looks great and runs smooth. There were a couple of moments where there was some rough or low resolution textures. The player's face look like faces, and the iconic ballparks look like their real life counterparts. The gameplay is still fast and smooth with some minor additions thrown in. The batting is still difficult to new comers, but put some practice into and you will get better. Pitching has added the pulse option, which does not make pitching any better or worse. The new mode in 13 is the postseason which does not feel any different than an exhibition game of baseball. Returning modes do not make enough changes to make them playing through again a must. MLB 13: The Show is still the best game of baseball of there, but is plagued by the problems all yearly sports games suffer from. Expand
  19. Mar 26, 2013
    9
    Simply amazing. Again, YoY this game gets it right. With some subtle upgrades in the Franchise mode, this game is great. If you're a baseball nut, or even just a hobbyist do yourself a favor and pick up The Show 13. The online leagues are fun, and the new matchmaking system for online ranked play add to the depth of the game. -1 point for some overall connection issues during online play, but the gameplay and presentation provide enough enjoyment to overlook and keep playing. Bravo. Expand
  20. May 21, 2013
    9
    As an huge MLB fan, I've played The Show series for the past five years. This is one of the only sports series, along side NHL and NBA 2k, that consistently improves almost every year. A great simulation, that adds a level of difficulty that comes along with the actual sport. If you are a baseball fan, and have a PlayStation 3, this is worth the $60.
  21. Apr 29, 2013
    10
    Amazing game great features the new playoff feature is great the show games have always been great.
  22. May 16, 2013
    9
    you will not find a better baseball game. its almost flawless with only like a couple problems but should be fixed with patches. this game has amazing graphics and mlb 14 the show will have a hard time beating this one everthing has improved
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 35
  2. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. May 7, 2013
    60
    It’s the best baseball simulation available, but the biggest new feature is the mode for beginners, not very interesting to PS3 baseball aficionados. And the rest will probably ignore this game. [CD-Action 05/2013, p.79]
  2. The Show remains the most authentic sports series of all time. FIFA can't touch it. [May 2013, p.108]
  3. The game only really opens up for those who are true fans of the sport: those who rejoice in delving through a mountain of statistics and tactics. Baseball can be spectacular, but not every game is. And MLB captures that feeling perfectly. [April 2013, p.92]