Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. Reviews

MLB: The Show 13 (Vita) review

Ryan Fleming
By
MLB: The Show 13 (Vita)
Score Details
“As a companion pieces to the PS3 game, the Vita version is incredible - but suffers as a standalone game”
Pros
  • PS3 cloud saves transfer
  • All the PS3 modes are present
  • The tweaks to the PS3 version also work on the Vita
Cons
  • The game often looks ugly
  • the Vita's thumbsticks are ideal for the gameplay
  • High cost for what should be a package with the PS3 version

The PS Vita is a system that has the potential to change the way people game, but it still has a long way to go. One of its biggest selling points is, of course, cross play. With MLB 13: The Show, that feature is very much at the forefront of what the game can do.

Vita MLB 13And that really is the best way to play this game – arguably the only real way to play this game. If you only purchase the Vita version and not the PS3 offering, you are missing out. It’s like eating fast food instead of a restaurant burger. You get an imitation of the real thing that may hold you over, but it’s sustenance rather than a good meal. 

Related

In one very specific way, The Vita version of MLB 13: The Show is a true success. All the game modes from the PS3 version are present, and thanks to cloud storage you can continue your Franchise, Postseason, Road to the Show, and Season – as well cross play with PS3 user in the home run derby – on the go. As an extension of the PS3 version of the game, MLB 13 on the Vita makes for an excellent companion piece to the PS3 version. As a standalone game though, it has flaws.

PS Vita MLB 13The thumbsticks are difficult to use for some of the more precise maneuvers, and the graphics take a notable hit. That is to be expected, of course, but there are some moments that feel as if the game were using only a portion of the Vita’s power. Some of the things that look great on the PS3 version – things like the shading and lighting – are only fair on the Vita, while things that didn’t look great to begin with, like faces, look like something from the pits of Hell.

For the most part though, the game works. The Vita port brings with it all the things that worked in the PS3 version, including nerfed hitting, a beginner mode, and minor physics tweaks to help build on the already solid gameplay.  But without the power of the PS3, the game just feels like a bad port. Rough edges and poor frame rates plague it at every turn. It is a downgraded version of the PS3 version, and unless you look at it like an extension of that game, there are unmistakable flaws.

Conclusion

The PS Vita version of the game is perfect for the hardcore MLB: The Show fan that won’t mind the hit in quality to make room for the cross-platform functionality. As a companion it works, and highlights how the Vita could change gaming. As a standalone though, the benefits aren’t there. There is still a passable baseball game, but an ugly one.

The biggest downside to this game is the cost – you’ll have to pay full price for the convenience of being able to continue your game on the road. At $100 for the pair, that cost is a bit extreme for a game that has a lack of innovation from the last year’s model. If paying more for moderate value doesn’t turn you off, then there may be a job for you in the Yankees front office. But for fans with the money to burn, you could do worse.

(This game was reviewed on the PS Vita using a copy provided by the publisher)

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Ryan Fleming
Ryan Fleming
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…
PlayStation 5 Slim: All rumors and speculation
A PS5 stands on a table.

It's at around this point in a console's life cycle that companies like to release a new, slim model to reinvigorate sales, cut costs, and experiment with a new design. Sony has been trimming down its home consoles since the PS2, with each home console getting a slimmer, sometimes cheaper replacement a few years after launch. We're closing in on the PlayStation 5's third birthday and rumors abound about both a PS5 Pro and a PS5 Slim model, and yet Sony's remained tight-lipped about any iterations on the base unit. Still, some of these rumors and potential leaks may hold some weight and are fun to follow regardless to see how accurate they end up being.
Will there be a PS5 Slim? Here's what we know
Before getting into the rumors and leaks, know that until Sony itself confirms the existence of a PS5 Slim, everything that follows is speculative and should be taken as such.

The first rumors of a new PS5 model centered around a diskless version that could be paired with a detachable disk drive you could buy separately in another step away from physical media. This was speculated to be coming out sometime in fall 2023, but has been rolled into the idea of the PS5 Slim. This potentially imminent release date also lines up with statements Microsoft made about a new PS5 Slim releasing this year for $400 during the Federal Trace Commission (FTC) hearing.

Read more
How to use PS5 voice commands
The Playstation 5 system standing upright.

Every new console generation is another step forward in accessibility. Whether that be through innovations in games that allow players to customize the experience to their own preferences, new controllers, or even the hardware itself. While the PlayStation 5 launched with only a handful of new features compared to its predecessor, Sony has continuously updated it with functionality to make it easier and more convenient to control its most powerful system yet.

One extremely handy and highly requested feature the PS5 was given is voice commands. These allow you to navigate and control a majority of your console's functions (outside of actually playing games, of course) without having to pick up a controller. This system can be both more convenient and intuitive for people, especially if you're unfamiliar with navigating the PS5 UI. You do need to do a few things to get this system up and running, and then know what exactly you can do with it before laying back and ordering your PS5 around with nothing but your voice. Here's a full voice command guide to get you going.
How to set up voice commands

Read more
MLB The Show 23 returns to Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch this March
Jazz Chisholm's cover art for MLB The Show 23.

Sony San Diego Studios announced MLB The Show 23 today, and confirmed that it will launch across all major PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo systems on March 28. 
No new platforms were added this year, so PC players aren't getting in on the fun. Still, this announcement makes it clear that MLB The Show is a multiplatform series across PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo platforms for the foreseeable future. Xbox's version of the trailer also confirms that MLB The Show 23 will be on Xbox Game Pass at launch, making this first-party Sony series a day-one Game Pass title three years in a row. 
MLB The Show 23 - Cover Athlete Reveal
As is typically the case with sports games, MLB The Show 23's reveal was primarily focused on its cover athlete. We learned that Jazz Chisholm Jr., a second baseman for the Miami Marlins, will grace the cover of the game. Like last year, the PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch versions of the game will cost $60, while players  on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S without Xbox Game Pass will need to pay $70. So far, no new gameplay features have been teased, although a blog post confirms that cross-platform multiplayer, saves, and progression across all versions of the game will return this year. 
So far, there's not a lot that actually seems new about MLB The Show 23, but this reveal concludes the genesis of a new era for the long-running baseball series. MLB The Show 23 will be released for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch on March 28. 

Read more