MLB The Show 26 Review

Weshill627_PSN

Hey Everyone, today i'm writing my MLB 26 Review. I wrote a review of MLB 25
I can tell based on MLB The show 26 THEY DID NOT TAKE any of it into consideration.
I am a LONG time MLB player. I've been playing since MLB 06 on my PSP. I have thousands & thousands of hours in the game franchise so I'm no noob. I'm going to break down each game mode/feature and give a base rating, then at the end give my overall number. Each will be out of 10

I'm starting with offline & moving to DD. Just like my MLB 25 review.

1. Road to the show:
  I have no started a road to the show, but I've watched some people play it. I am huge fan of adding college & high school to the game but just like classic SDS they took the easy route and gave us more bare minimum, added a few more games each. I tried RTTS in 25 it was cool but once you get drafted its just RTTS. In order to get the Platinum trophy you have to get a K or Hit in the MLB so I simulated a Closer for 3 seasons. It was so boring I tried to get through it fast.
  Its wild to me that the PlayStation 6 & Project Helix are rumored to be coming out in 2027 yet SDS is still bringing us PS4 level gameplay & graphics. LOL. The character models never change throughout your career. ZERO voiceovers. Whoever is in charge of RTTS should be embarrassed they released this. WE NEED someone else on the team for the next gen consoles because this lame mode should not be tolerated by the show community.
  2/10: Additions that don't add to the mode. Desperately needs a new team to work on EVERYTHING from graphics, gameplay, voiceovers. I would love to actually play a career mode that was fun. Instead we get this.
1. Franchise:
  I completed one season of the Yankees franchise rebuild just to see how the mode is. I usually play a lot of franchise in Nov - March after DD is complete.
  I like the additions they made with rumors. but I wish they kept the old trade system in the game and let the user decide how they want to approach it. I like knowing which players work for trades, the new way is interesting but I'm not really a fan. I need to try more of the in game stuff like the "storylines" for the gameplay, but I DISLIKE BOOG & SINGLETON so much. THEIR VOICE MAKES MY EARS BLEED. So I won't be able to hear them talk about it away so. Its basically irrelevant.
  Besides the trades its just MLB 14 Franchise. Nothing really more to say. No cutscenes, voiceovers, post game interviews. You have to send a player down, DFA, or trade them, you should be able to see a cutscene of that happening. Instead we get text box.
  Nothing that would make this a fun experience for me. I'll still play it but just disappointed they didn't add more. I really wish SDS would talk to RGS, Ant Ortiz, & Scrawny Slugger and have them help develope the mode or at least give feedback they are legends are franchise & would probably make the game mode fun.
  2/10: The new trade system is interesting, but I like the old one better. NEEDS A NEW DEV TEAM!! The one they have isn't good, they don't know how to make a fun mode.
  I don't think SDS knows this game is on PlayStation 5. They still think they are developing games on PS3 it seems like. Nothing is being added to make offline next gen. I can only hope Sony does ANYTHING to help this team out. Its in desperate need.
1. Storylines:
  I haven't done the storylines yet, but they are well put together like the last few years. The idea is great. Its getting kind of stale, but Bob Kendrick still delivers a great performance.
  7/10: Its still great and i want them to keep going with storylines outside of NGL, but I wish we had something other than MOMENTS (Ill talk about this later) its just boring at this point.

Offline: 3/10 - Storylines are great, but they build this game like its on the PS3 still. The directors themselves say they've been there 25 years. They need to step down and let someone else build the game. They haven't moved into next gen they are still making 2014 games. I sure hope for the PS6 / Helix we get voiceovers & cutscenes for RTTS & Franchise. Instead of the PS4 stuff we've been getting.

ONLINE

1. Ranked: Where do I start on Ranked. It has been the EXACT SAME GAME MODE FOR A DECADE!!!! CAN WE PLEASE DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!! Wins = points to get to world series. I have almost zero interest in playing ranked bc i've made world series so many times there isn't any special feeling anymore. I've played 10 games and i'm in the 500s and I could careless about advancing further. The WS rewards are okay but not even worth the stress. Especially when Mini Seasons offers WAY better rewards for zero stress.
  Opp - 22 Fouls
  Me - 12 Fouls
  opp - 2/9 Good
  Me - 8/16 Goods
  5-4 Final
  This is the outcome from one of my first games. I should have mercy ruled the guy. Instead im playing a close game. I just hate the feeling of outplaying the opponent yet still probably going to lose. This is the usual for me. I can square the ball up yet i'm out most of the time. I know, I know "Thats baseball" LOL.
  The constant lag. SDS' inability to have actual servers to play on. Its brutal. You can spend 2 or 3 hours playing ranked and get NOTHING for wins, spend 30 minutes in Mini Seasons and get 10 packs & 3 ballins. THAT IS ridiculous! SDS NEEDS TO ADD PACKS & STUBS PER WIN!! 5 pack bundle for each win. This could be added tomorrow if they wanted to. I am not an Xbox player but i recently purchased one to test this game on there. Too bad I won't be able to play bc of the BOT issue that SDS refuses to acknowledge. Its fun to watch one of my favorite streamers in the morning sit there for 40 minutes getting backed out on by BOTS instead of playing. Dread lag is still in the game even though SDS devs said they fixed it last year. lol. I just finished a ranked game & lost in the 10th inning. Hour of my life wasted, GOT NOTHING FOR IT. I could have done two mini seasons and had 20 packs + 3 ballins lol
  Advice for ranked. Choose how you want to play - Casual or Comp. If you are Casual you can play MLB Stadium any way you choose, but if you are playing Comp SDS can build specific stadiums that have the least amount of assets to render so the game will run as smooth as possible. I hate loading into a ranked game on the road in Citi Field at night in the rain. The game lags like crazy it makes for a horrible experience on top of the Good/good outs. YOU CAN ALLOW both play styles to earn same rewards but it would make the Comp community more completive & hope would help with the lag.
  0/10 - I could care less about playing it, sad bc thats the only place to use the cards you earn online in a 9 inning game lol.

--Weekend Classic:
Lame idea. Devs did nothing to make this mode stand out. They take one weekend a month, change the UI & call it a new mode. We are still just playing ranked, with slightly better rewards, same stuff mentioned above. I could still get more in mini seasons than even in Weekend classic if i used the same time. We were duped last year & Duped again this year. Classic lol
0/10 - Silly idea.

1. Co-op Ranked:
  I love playing co-op with my buddies but the mode itself is broken & at this rate will probably never be fixed. You should never lose points if you get a win. Freeze offs bc the servers are so bad they can't hold more than 2 people in them so trying to get 4-6 makes the game choke out. Even playing with friends doesn't make it better.
  1/10 - Boring
1. Battle Royal
  I haven't even given BR a shot this year. Reason why you ask? Well with the 10 win only being a chance at a 90+ and MORE THAN LIKELY being an 87 or 88 I would rather spend that time in Mini Seasons to ensure I get rewarded for my time lol. The 10-0 reward being a 50k voucher is silly. Going flawless is the hardest thing to do in MLB the show yet its the least rewarded? I know the devs are all about the reddit posters and the "casual" players complaining that online, top players, and streamers get all the best rewards but in MLB 26 that is furthest from the truth. Its sad that BR used to be a challenge that I liked & the reward for going flawless matched it. Now its just a waste of time. I just watched littleman's BR run video, he went 10-1, his total rewards were two cards worth 25k. What a total waste of time. If you guys aren't going to put any actual effort into BR just delete it.
  Advice for BR: If you don't want to give actual rewards for BR, lets take BR to the next level. Allow you to risk your 10-0 and go 15-0 with double rewards, allow you to risk 15-0 to go 20-0 for a 500k+ stubs. Make it fun & different. Also BR being on Allstar is a shootout. Its so hard to get actual outs because the PCI is so big. Why not put it on HOF and make the rewards better? Try ANYTHING.
  MLB 26 BR Is the worst its ever been.
  .5/10 - Total waste of time & energy.
1. Events:
  When the they announced that events were going to have "exclusive rewards I was pretty hyped about it. That is something I enjoy. Getting rewarded for time put in & not letting everyone have it. The rewards so far are good. Leo is a great SS, but it being as a program is a bummer. The only thing events are good for is doing the Multi-player program. You now just double dip in the Event program & once you're done, no reason to play events anymore. That's the biggest issue. You can complete an event in one afternoon. Just takes away another online opportunity. Events should be rotating every 3 or 4 days. Making them different each time with 50k+ rewards. Bc we only have 3 ways to play online. ALL OF THE WAYS SHOULD HAVE ELITE REWARDS!! If someone goes flawless in Events it should be treated as such. Give away 100k Stubs for something come on. Make me want to keep playing events once I finish the program.
  3/10: I like the exclusive rewards, but they have to be elite. We basically have Ranked to play online. Make events another elite way to earn great stubs & packs.
1. Multi-Player Program
  The MPP is okay, I really like the 50pk bundle at the end but once you complete it, there's nothing more to it. It shouldn't just stop. There should ALWAYS be a reason to want to play online. Instead you complete the program in a couple hours open your Bronze & Silvers and move on.
  1/10 - Please get rid of it for a better idea.

OVERALL RATING
0/10: There has never been a worse time to play online in MLB the show history. Between the horrible ranked mode, boring & no rewards BR, & events being quick to complete. You're honestly wasting your time playing online. It sucks we have reached a point that a online live service game has zero reason to play online lol.

Offline Diamond Dynasty

1. Diamond Quest:
  I really put over DQ last year in my review & I still really enjoy the mode. The random challenge & honestly the ways to make stubs in incredible. Disappointing they've only added 1 to the game (I don't count today's Easter one) I really wish we could get one every other week. It is by far my favorite offline mode. I'm not sure why they kept Showdown & Conquest when they are basically both in DQ. I guess for the "casuals" who play until all-star break lol.
  9/10: I just wish we had more boards to play.
1. Mini Seasons:
  Its absolutely hilarious the only thing added to mini seasons this year was the ability to play it less lol. For someone like me who doesn't like playing mini seasons only having to play 6 games to get the championship pack has been nice. You'd think they would have tried to make the mode fun, yet they still HIDE cards in it. I will say, Mini Seasons has been the best way to play MLB 26 so far. You can earn packs & stubs in 30 minutes of time. If SDS isn't going to actually put in effort to make mini seasons FUN, i say just delete it and come up with a new idea, but we know that aint happening. Mini seasons in where they want us to play for some reason.
  8/10: Only reason it gets an 8 is because I've earned a lot of stubs & packs. Gets a 0/10 in Fun.
1. Conquest:
  Conquest has been in the game for a DECADE & SDS has STILL not changed it at all. They copy & paste it from the previous game & say here ya go. lol. Its so boring to get through and mind numbing. I usually just get all the free packs from it and leave it alone after. I really need them to spice it up with conquest. lol. I don't know what else to say.
  0/10: give me my free packs so i can move on.
1. Showdown:
  Showdown was fun when it was first introduced, now its an after through barely used only for extreme I guess. I wish they would bring back the MLB 20 verison of Showdown & give us a challenge.
  .5/10: With DQ being around, No real use for Showdown tbh. If they brought back MLB 20 Showdown i'd be excited for that!
1. XP Reward Path:
  The XPRP is okay, there's nothing really to it. You get your XP and get your cards & packs. I like the idea of the wheel spin but the packs at the end are usually worthless. I've gotten the 5pk bundle more than anything so far this year, i like getting packs but in 24 they had a 90+ diamond pack in there. Bring that back, it would help me complete content.
  1/10: Boring Idea repeated from last year. Zero things added to it.
1. Team Affinity
  TA is fine this year, It is just VERY repetitive. I only have 4 teams left to complete and I'm glad i'm almost done bc there really isn't anything there in terms of content. You get the players from the team and use them. It has been a great place for Ballin packs, but outside of that, the cards from the program being 88's are a little low. They should be 90s so they hold more value for longer. I think we can move on from TA in the future editions of MLB the show. Its stale idea that SDS just can't get away from.
  2/10: Repetitive & boring idea
1. Programs:
  I AM SO SICK & TIRED OF DOING MOMENTS, PXP, MISSIONS! IT IS THE MOST STALE IDEA IN THE HISTORY OF IDEAS. You're telling me SDS can't think of another way we can earn these cards? Its so boring PLEASE SDS give us something new. We shouldn't already know how to get the cards before the are announced. If you HAVE to keep the same M,PXP,M grind, Please bring back Lagrassa 2.0 from 25 That made grinding so easy and you could get it done in minutes. You can build us a stadium that every swing is a Homerun. It would bring me SO much joy to know that I won't have to spend hours getting the cards. EITHER DELETE M,PXP,M grinding or MAKE US A STADIUM dedicated to grinding. Costco only goes so far. As for the programs themselves. They are good. I enjoyed the WBC content. The cards we got are solid. The Egg hunt is a stale idea they can't develope on lol.
  -10/10: This is my first Negative. I HATE MOMENTS, PXP, MISSION grinding. IT SUCKS!!

Overall Rating: 2/10
Its so boring playing offline DD. Outside of DQ, the grind has been the same forever and I have a feeling they aren't going to change it in 27 either. I know next content drop how to get the cards. LOL.

MISC

1. Packs
  In past MLB games I have sold everything, not open packs to sell everything to get live series collections done asap. This year I wanted to play different. So, i've bought 4 50pk bundles, the stupid 40k Gold packs, a few headliner, some 10pks, Spotlight, deluxe. So far my pack luck has been horrible. That is just a me issue. I know someone out there has pulled a boat load of 90+. I have pulled Skubal twice. That's my only 90+ diamond pulls so far. I'll probably pull a 90+ soon, but I want to just keep opening packs bc that is my favorite thing to do. Its the only EXCITEMENT IN MLB 26 lol. I wish I could give them an idea on how to make packs mean more, but I can't come up with one. Other than remove packs all together and give us a different idea.
  3/10: Not one pack has been exciting, and minus points for my pack luck
1. Collections
  Live Series Collection
  I WISH THEY WOULD RETIRE THE STALE IDEA OF LIVE SERIES COLLECTIONS!!!!!!
  It absolutly sucks to know that you have to choose between current content or getting Troy Tulowitzki. I have probably had over 500k worth of stubs but since i've spent it all on current content i'm no were close to getting Troy. Its annoying to know that Ohtani will be 600k+ all year long, Judge will be 400k+ as well. I am bored of the idea each year. PLEASE DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 27! I will say that Tulo is the Weakest LSC reward we've ever received. SS with one position that isn't a Switch hitter. Honestly for the Multi Million stubs you have to lock in to get him I don't really care about getting him.
  0/10: NEW IDEA PLEASE!

LEGENDS & FLASHBACKS
I really like the Tatis card we got in the collection but it sucks to know we will have another big collection to have to grind for. I wish SDS would have a better idea. lol. Its the same thing as 25. Get choose between L&FB or LSC. Its dumb to make the player choose.
3/10: Same boring idea as 25.

Card Art & UI + Glitches
MLB 26 has had more glitches in the game than I've ever seen! I get locked up in the menu more than I actually play the game. The wheel barely works for attributes. You can't load into mini seasons without it glitching, you're almost expecting it to glitch at this point. I do enjoy the card art. Its always top notch. The UI changes in this game honestly suck, but to be fair, if they didnt change the UI, id have a hard time telling if i was playing 25 or 26.
3/10: How can there be so many glitches when 90% of the assets are taken from the previous game???

OVERALL RATING FOR MLB 26
MLB 26 gets a 3/10 from me. I find it embarrassing that they thought this game was in a position to be released & actually charged people $95 to play it. Between Glitches, Horrible ranked, (M,PXP,M) Grind, LSC being a bust. It is probably the worst MLB the show game of the "Next Gen" At this point Aaron Judge is a curse to MLB the show games & should NEVER be considered for cover athlete again.

Thanks for reading. I'll read any feedback. I wish SDS Would actually read this. Send it to the higher ups at Sony and tell them to quadruple your budget for the game so you can actually make a PS5/Series game rather than a PS4 game.

Teak2112_MLBTS

My review of your review:

Person that does not like DD tries to review DD
Same review content as last year. Stale

0/10

Weshill627_PSN

@Teak2112_MLBTS LOL, same game as last year so

SavageSteve74_PSN

@Weshill627_PSN

You’re missing some context and placing blame on SDS that shouldn’t be there, they do deserve blame for a lot of things, but the fact that they have to build the platform on old gen technology is 100% the fault of MLB.

MLB forced Sony to go multi-platform and in that same context, forced them to include the game on old gen technology. MLB didn’t want to risk losing fans that don’t have next-gen technology. SDS most likely won’t go next gen until 2028-29, after the next console iterations are released.

Weshill627_PSN

@SavageSteve74_PSN You're right, but its Sony & cross-gen's fault we only have Pxp, Moments, and missions as the only grinding the game? lol

Or the fact there is ZERO reason to play online. You can spend 3 hours in ranked and get nothing or the same 3 hours in mini seasons and get a 50pk bundle & ballins?

Ditka06 _MLBTS

@Weshill627_PSN you are preaching to choir when it comes to online being completely unrewarding now. Why are they trying to make this an offline game 80 percent of the time now! It didnt use to be. Events and br had way better rewards just two years ago

DeleteyourTTVBTW_MLBTS

@Teak2112_MLBTS Lol dudes upset nobody cared about his identical dear diary post earlier

Ditka06 _MLBTS

@DeleteyourTTVBTW_MLBTS he makes a lot of good points. Especially about online play. Do you want to sit on the game and play mini seasons over and over all year? Offline players are lame. Chickens who are scared of competitive gaming.

Weshill627_PSN

@Ditka06-_MLBTS I have no idea buddy. I wish I knew. Makes zero sense. I can only think their devs spend their lunches reading Reddit & want the approval of the people who stop playing in June who only play offline, vs someone like me & I assume you, who play from release to next game release.

isthischriss_XBL

I agree with everything on here. Its honestly robbery that we have to pay 70-100$ for a next gen game that doesn't play or look like next gen. Im a big ranked enjoyer but after hitting WS the first week and a half of the new season theres nothing for me to do besides wait for the content to drop and get ABSOULTELY NOTHING from the packs (i guess my luck is horrid). Ive been playing since MLB 19 and its just the same thing since. RTTS is cool but gets boring after 10 minutes. Terminate the Conquest mode ASAP, and they also need to just rework the hitting engine its crazy that clips I see all over the internet people getting screwed over I mean yeah everything is not gonna be a hit but at least make it feel realistic. SDS PLEASE DO SOMETHING AND FIX THE SEVERS!!!!!!!!!!!

Ditka06 _MLBTS

@isthischriss_XBL they arnt going to fix anything. Why do you think they are trying to make this an offline game! Why do you think they took all the good rewards away from the online modes? Its because they know their servers cannot handle it! What other reason is there? Ask yourselves this? What sports games are mainly offline games? None of them! Its like call of duty saying we want everyone to play offline. A huge portion of the shows player base are online players, why are they leaning against them? Lets play mini seasons and conquest all year over and over and over. Sounds fun. They are about to lose a good portion of their online player base.

a761506_MLBTS

@Ditka06-_MLBTS said:

@Weshill627_PSN you are preaching to quire

It’s spelled choir, not quire, for future reference.

xTheBossAlex_PSN

This Game suck disconect all the time from online play

Ditka06 _MLBTS

@a761506_MLBTS I fixed it for you. Spell check, grammar police dweeb.

The412Smoke_XBL

@Ditka06-_MLBTS said:

@DeleteyourTTVBTW_MLBTS he makes a lot of good points. Especially about online play. Do you want to sit on the game and play mini seasons over and over all year? Offline players are lame. Chickens who are scared of competitive gaming.

I know this is a hard concept for some people but not everyone is playing this game to be competitive lol…Some people just enjoy toking up & chillin while playing a no stress game against a cpu that isn’t going to throw a tantrum when it falls behind.

Just because you measure your masculinity & worth in how well you play a baseball game on xbox doesn’t make it truth.

Weshill627_PSN

@The412Smoke_XBL Yes, and those are the people who SDS cater to & now you see how terrible DD is. Its funny how it started as a competitive mode. Now its not & zero reason to play online.

Ditka06 _MLBTS

@The412Smoke_XBL no its because offline play for the most part is boring. Why are you grinding cards to stare at them? Im grinding cards because I want to at least be competitive in online modes. I dont care if I lose id prefer to win but dont care. The experience of playing against other actual human players instead of playing a computer ai everyday. Different generation maybe. I grew up playing madden online, call of duty online. You little offline wimps are just afraid to lose. Who cares if you lose. Thats how you get better. You all want participation trophies.

Ditka06 _MLBTS

@Weshill627_PSN Sds will realise it soon when they lose 30 percent of their player base. Because they want to cater to one side. Cause they are not intelligent enough to cater to both offline and online players at the same time. Go figure they cater to the softies who only want to play offline.

SakAttack87_PSN

@Ditka06-_MLBTS said:

@Weshill627_PSN Sds will realise it soon when they lose 30 percent of their player base. Because they want to cater to one side. Cause they are too dumb to cater to both. Go figure they cater to the softies who only want to play offline.

There has always been a balance issue with DD when it comes to online/offline. You gotta grind all this offline content to be able to get the new cards for your online team, but find yourself not having as much time for online because you're always grinding offline just to keep up with everything. I have no idea who has the time for both.

Ditka06 _MLBTS

@SakAttack87_PSN agreed! Thats why they need more online grinding. The way they had it with event programs and br programs just two years ago was fine. They even had ranked stat programs. Why they went away from it is beyond me. At least they came back with event programs this year on a smaller level.

Community Forum

MLB The Show 26 Review