This is just a review on Offline play not Multiplayer. I play on Xbox. This game is worse offline than MLB The Show 21. The first time I played MLB The Show is in June of 2021. I played for 5 months (1,440 hours.) I didn't play that long because I liked the game, I played that long because I was trying to get my favorite baseball player's card: Fred McGriff, and the only way I could get it was by paying for multiplayer, then I got the card and stopped playing the game. Then I saw MLB The Show 22 on sale for $5, so I got it. I've been playing since February 6 2023 (just hit 500 hours.) Offline is way worse than 21 was.
The game predetermines what's going to happen in every 9-inning, Conquest, Moment, Showdown etc., you play. The only thing you're doing is moving a joystick and pushing a button; you have no control over the outcome. The game is playing you, you're not playing the game. It did this in The Show 21 but not all the time. In The Show 22: it does it all the time. Every single game. Nothing is based off of your skill, everything is based off of predetermination of the CPU. Now, you still win 95% of the games but that isn't fun. It's aggravating and boring.
Most cards one can earn are now only in multiplayer minus Live Roster and Topps Now/Monthly Awards. The vast majority of Rookie cards, Veteran, etc., are all in multiplayer. So, all of us who don't play multiplayer have to buy the cards in the Marketplace. The only means of getting stubs is by playing the Division Series and US Map in Conquest after exhausting all other avenues. As one knows: the US Map takes a long time to complete. Most aren't willing to the first time around.
If you're into games that you have little to no control over anything, and like multiplayer: this game is for you. The rest of us: not so much. The point system in earning for Paralleling is still ridiculous for non-Pitchers. I just hit 500 hours recently and I still have zero cards for non-Pitchers Paralleled to V. And only 4 for Pitchers. (3 Starters, 1 Reliever.) They actually made the point earning for Pitchers more but didn't make the point earning for non-Pitchers more; it's still the same. And since the game pretermines everything for you, it will be a long time before any single one is. Only hardcore players will play this game for 6 months, the rest of us have lives. Who are these games made for? Baseball fans. Since this is really the only Baseball series out there, we're all screwed.
The game predetermines what's going to happen in every 9-inning, Conquest, Moment, Showdown etc., you play. The only thing you're doing is moving a joystick and pushing a button; you have no control over the outcome. The game is playing you, you're not playing the game. It did this in The Show 21 but not all the time. In The Show 22: it does it all the time. Every single game. Nothing is based off of your skill, everything is based off of predetermination of the CPU. Now, you still win 95% of the games but that isn't fun. It's aggravating and boring.
Most cards one can earn are now only in multiplayer minus Live Roster and Topps Now/Monthly Awards. The vast majority of Rookie cards, Veteran, etc., are all in multiplayer. So, all of us who don't play multiplayer have to buy the cards in the Marketplace. The only means of getting stubs is by playing the Division Series and US Map in Conquest after exhausting all other avenues. As one knows: the US Map takes a long time to complete. Most aren't willing to the first time around.
If you're into games that you have little to no control over anything, and like multiplayer: this game is for you. The rest of us: not so much. The point system in earning for Paralleling is still ridiculous for non-Pitchers. I just hit 500 hours recently and I still have zero cards for non-Pitchers Paralleled to V. And only 4 for Pitchers. (3 Starters, 1 Reliever.) They actually made the point earning for Pitchers more but didn't make the point earning for non-Pitchers more; it's still the same. And since the game pretermines everything for you, it will be a long time before any single one is. Only hardcore players will play this game for 6 months, the rest of us have lives. Who are these games made for? Baseball fans. Since this is really the only Baseball series out there, we're all screwed.
