MLB The Show 21 Critic Reviews

San Diego Studios continue to try and improve an annual product that already has a fantastic core with MLB The Show 21.

The Show has been one of the more consistently excellent and complete sports series for years, and MLB The Show 21 maintains that excellence as it steps into the next-gen batter's box. The cover athlete choice of the aforementioned Fernando Tatis, Jr., is no coincidence, as the young star is being seen as one of baseball's next big things, ushering in a possible new era of personality and Q-rating power that the game could sorely use. He can also do everything, and everything is what this series has offered to fans for years at a high level. Time will tell if there is yet another level to reach.

MLB The Show 21 lacks flash and new experiential paths this season, but continues to improve on the field and beneath the hood, giving an entirely new audience of players a hell of a game to begin their baseball careers with.

MLB The Show 21 lands on the new generation of consoles with a limited amount of changes compared to last season. Those who expected a revolution spearheaded by the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S will be partially disappointed. That said, MLB The Show 21 is also an extremely refined title, full of options and fun, able to entertain those who want to face a few innings in total relax and also those who are looking for high-level competition.

MLB The Show 21 on the PS5 doesn’t break what works…and with a new mode, pitching interface, cross-play, also improved load times and framerates. While it doesn’t specifically highlight the new console, it again plays a strong game of baseball.

Being the most consistent annual sports franchise out there, MLB The Show manages to overcome the loss of a few key features to give players yet another reason to step right back into the batter's box in MLB The Show 21.

MLB The Show 21 doesn’t quite knock this one out of the park. Instead, it’s one of the most well-hit doubles I’ve ever seen. The foundation San Diego Studios has cultivated over the years has allowed them to almost seamlessly transfer over to the next-gen and has me excited to see where the series goes from here.

Not so much a true next-gen leap for MLB, but a cautious set of baby steps towards it. The presentation and gameplay remain strong, and the ability to be a two-way player in Road to the Show has freshened that mode up and made it more enjoyable than ever. MLB The Show 21 is another reliable entry in a strong sporting franchise, but it definitely needs a bit of a shakeup next time out.

MLB The Show 21 isn't as flashy as its cover star. Lacking many overhauls to its modes, this year's game focuses on a decent laissez-faire story mode, a cool new Stadium Creator, and more of the superb baseball sim gameplay that has earned the series its reputation as one of the best Sony exclusives. MLB The Show isn't exclusive anymore, but that just means many more people are about to learn firsthand how lifelike a sports game's on-field gameplay can be.

MLB The Show 21 continues to create the most consistent sports product out there. It doesn't get bogged down by microtransactions, offers tons of modes, and features enough improvements to once again be a must-play for fans.

MLB The Show's 2021 vintage isn't a strike out, far from it. The title of Sony San Diego does not revolutionize its formula, but refines it in depth, from the more readable interface to the new very complete stadium editor, including the addition of the cross-platform and a perfect cloud backup. The heart of the game is still beating strong, namely a very faithful transcription of the major leagues by adding dynamism and variety in the realization to the clear and customizable gameplay.

As a big-time fan of MLB The Show, I am rather disappointed at how the next-gen version of the game panned out this year. The lack of a rock-solid 60fps and virtually no graphical embellishments other than lighting make things feel like a half-step rather than a new experience. I can fully understand that SIE San Diego’s attention was focused on some other super-important considerations this year, though. AAA-quality baseball is now available to all console owners (please Sony remember the PC in 2022) and the sun is shining on virtual big leaguers who are down for crossplay. MLB The Show 21 is once again an incremental step, but still an important one for the series moving forward.

MLB The Show 21 is strong in so many areas, yet also an opportunity missed – and not only in relation to Jackie Robinson.

MLB The Show 21 is a solid baseball simulation, but for a true generational leap we'll probably need to wait next year.

MLB The Show 21 isn't the generational leap forward we might've expected following a new console launch, but it's still the best baseball sim you can play on any platform.

MLB The Show is one of the most consistence sport simulation experiences over the years. And this time it's not an exception.

So while we wait for things like actual new-generation visuals, the return of Online Franchise, and other oft-requested features, appreciate the effort that went into making MLB The Show 21 cross-platform with seamless cross-play, the new stadium creator, and tweaks that went into making your favorite game mode a bit more enjoyable.

MLB The Show 21 is another solid entry in the franchise, but some technical problems and little to no innovations make it one of the weakest installments in the whole series.

MLB The Show 21 makes the leap to a new console generation and ushers in a game-wide refresh that has the storied franchise feeling new.

Online troubles notwithstanding, MLB The Show 21 is a fantastic game that keeps the series in place as the best baseball sim you can play. It’s not quite the visual jump you’d expect from a new console generation, but the revamped Road to the Show, fun new features like Stadium Creator, and plenty of little tweaks across the board make it a far more substantial step forward than last year’s outing, and something that belongs in every baseball fan’s collection.