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MLB 14: The Show PS4 review: Pretty as a pitcher
This review covers the differences between the PS3 and PS4 versions of MLB 14: The Show. Gameplay remains largely unaltered, so you'll find our original PS3 review after the break. Unlike sports games that transitioned between past console generations, the PS3 and PS4 versions of MLB 14: The Show share all of the same features. The upgrades made to MLB 14 as it enters the next generation are cosmetic, though not insignificant and certainly not unnoticed, such as the game's improved stadiums that house each team. The skyline at Petco Park in San Diego features more buildings in the background, and the four flagpoles just beyond left center field actually have flags now, flapping in the breeze. The PS4 version of MLB 14 is much crisper in its details, thanks to much sharper textures. Hair now stands out on players' heads, and close-ups of their faces show more freckles and blemishes. While players' overall facial structures haven't changed, Sony San Diego wasn't afraid to bring the camera closer to players on PS4 to show off the details, as seen in post-game celebrations, for instance. The camera is also pulled a little tighter to the batter's box by default when hitting, though that may be a bug in the camera options (as the "catcher" and "catcher 3" batting angles look identical). More striking are the diverse character models and animations for the crowd in every ballpark. I spotted spectators walking through a distant hall past right field, beyond a sea of people that appeared to move more independently than on PS3. Even without the same visual fidelity found in the athletes themselves, cut-scenes featuring fans looked more natural and (dare I say) "human." The crowd's booming cheers and hastened quieting sounded a bit more reactive and pulled to the front of the game with its bump in volume.
MLB 14: The Show misses first pitch on PSN for PS4 [Update: Resolved]
MLB 14: The Show was expected to be available on PSN as a day-one digital download for PS4 this morning at 12:01 a.m. Eastern. Those that pre-ordered the game have not been able to download it at all however, as indicated by a 70-page PlayStation Forums support thread. Sony San Diego acknowledged the issue via Twitter, noting it is "aware that some users are unable to download the PS4 game from the PS Store. We're working with the PS Store team to resolve asap." This is the series' first crack at the next-gen console following MLB 14's launch on PS3 and Vita at the beginning of April. "Thanks for your patience, we won't rest until you guys are playing," the developer added in another tweet. We've reached out to Sony for more information on the issue and a timetable for its resolution, and will update as we learn more. [Thanks to everyone that sent this in!] Update: Sony added a note to its launch announcement post on the PlayStation Blog, which reads: "Due to unforeseen technical issues, MLB 14 The Show for PS4 is not currently available for download via the PlayStation Store. All parties are working as quickly as possible to remedy the issue. We'll update this post as soon as a resolution is reached. Thank you for your continued patience." Update #2: In another update, Sony says the "PlayStation Store download issue regarding MLB 14 The Show on PS4 has been resolved. We apologize for any frustration this caused, and thank the community for its patience and understanding." [Image: Sony]
MLB 14: The Show review: Changeup
The term "simulation" is appropriate for MLB 14: The Show, but not just because of its beautiful presentation, a defining trait of the series that's become a benchmark for other sports video games. Rather, MLB 14: The Show earns its simulation stripes by continuing the series' tradition of challenging players with mechanics and statistics that mirror the real sport. While MLB's gameplay has changed little this year, no matter what option players select for pitching, fielding and hitting (we'll get to that later), they will fail or succeed as regularly as athletes do in the big leagues. Yet much like the faithfully-recreated and wildly differing batting stances of hitters in the game, MLB 14: The Show truly makes its mark in the baseball sim series by being one thing: dynamic.
First MLB 14: The Show roster update misses opening day, set for April 8
Those looking to play along with the baseball season using up-to-date rosters this week on PS3 and Vita should take note: The first live roster update for MLB 14: The Show will arrive on April 8, Sony's San Diego Studio noted yesterday on the game's forums. The first roster update for the game traditionally arrives in time for opening day, the first day of Major League Baseball's regular season (which was yesterday). "Please understand that if we could have offered the live roster on April 1st, without jeopardizing other critical responsibilities we would have," the developer wrote. The game launched today on PS3 and Vita, and will arrive on PS4 on May 6. [Image: Sony]
MLB 14: The Show arriving May 6 on PS4
The PS4 version of MLB 14: The Show will launch on May 6, Sony announced via Twitter today. Sony San Diego's baseball sim will land on the next-gen system just over a month after the PS3 and Vita versions arrive on April 1. MLB 14: The Show marks an introduction in career mode transfer options for the series, as players will be able to bring their created athlete and franchise data to future iterations of MLB: The Show. The baseball game also features an online franchise mode with draft, free agency, trading and scouting systems and community-created challenges. [Image: SCEA]
MLB 14: The Show takes the mound April 1, PS4 version arrives in May
Just as everyone's favorite pitchers and catchers report this week ahead of the MLB's spring training sessions, Sony opted to reveal the launch dates for MLB 14: The Show today. The Sony-published baseball game will arrive on PS3 and Vita on April 1 with the PS4 version stepping up to the plate in May. Sony San Diego discussed some of the game's new features in a PlayStation Blog entry, such as cross-platform save compatibility and the guarantee that players will be able to transfer their careers from this year's game to future versions. MLB 14: The Show will also include community-created challenges, an online franchise mode with draft, free agency, trading and scouting support and some as-yet-unannounced improvements to the Road to the Show career mode. Additionally, Sony will implement a universal in-game currency for MLB 14: The Show called "Stubs." Stubs will be earned from general gameplay (similar to experience points) and can also be purchased using real-life dollars. Sony stressed that it is "not designing the system to pressure players into spending money. It will be the same system it's been in years prior, just all rolled together with a new name." Stubs can be used to purchase career mode boosts like training points for players' Road to the Show athletes and increased franchise budgets. [Image: Sony]
MLB 14 The Show on PS4 has far more faces in the virtual crowd
MLB 14: The Show will launch in spring 2014 for PS4, PS3 and Vita, Sony announced. Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera will be featured on the game's cover. Developer Sony San Diego unveiled a teaser trailer that boasts the ways that the game will take advantage of the PS4's graphical upgrades. For instance, MLB 14: The Show designer and community manager Ramone Russell notes that the PS3 only allowed for 42 different character models for fans in the virtual crowd for the game, whereas the PS4 allows for over a thousand. Russell says the game will also be "feature complete" on the next-gen system, and won't lose the series' Road to the Show and franchise modes in its transition to the PS4. Speaking of which, Sony added that starting with MLB 14: The Show, players will be able to carry their save files over to subsequent releases in the series, giving players' Road to the Show athletes and other career mode efforts life beyond the annual game's limited life cycle.
PS2 classic 'The Mark of Kri' coming to PSN next week
PlayStation 2 classic The Mark of Kri is coming to the PlayStation 3 via PSN on September 24, a "Making of" blog post on the PlayStation Blog detailing the game's development revealed. The Mark of Kri first launched on the PS2 in North America in 2002, developed by Sony's San Diego Studio. The title later arrived in Europe in June 2003. The series continued in 2005 when now-defunct developer Bottlerocket Entertainment released Rise of the Kasai, a critically panned follow-up to the original PS2 favorite. The PlayStation Blog did not reveal a price for the Mark of Kri re-release. On average, PS2 classics are priced at $9.99 on the PlayStation Network.
PS3, Vita dungeon crawler Warrior's Lair canceled
Warrior's Lair, one of the first games announced for the Vita, is officially canned. Sony Computer Entertainment confirmed to IGN the PS3 and Vita cross-play action-RPG, first unveiled as Ruin back at E3 2011, is no longer in development. The news comes just over a year after rumors arose of the game's demise, amid rumblings of layoffs at co-developer Idol Minds. SCE had taken Idol Minds off the project, and tasked Sony San Diego solely with its completion. Sadly, that's not come to pass. When it first introduced Ruin, Sony focused on the cross-play, now an established feature across other games. With that selling point somewhat diminished, there unfortunately may not have been enough left to convince Sony to take the game forward.
MLB 13: The Show review: Five-tool player
Baseball has roots as deep and interwoven in the culture of America as any other tradition, a pastime that Baseball legend and Hall of Famer Ted Williams says is "the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer." MLB 13: The Show is beyond a good performer, setting the bar that much higher with utilitarian improvements that push to evolve the solid core experience rather than simply offering new modes of play or flashier presentation.MLB 13: The Show is, like its predecessor, the best baseball video game to ever hit the market. Developer Sony San Diego is the die-hard fan rocking the nosebleeds, calculating pitcher ERA and WHIP in a crummy little note book at each and every home game. Their care and diligence has paid off yet another year, as MLB 13: The Show is, in a word, excellent.MLB 13: The Show champions the best parts of iterative development, a triumph that doesn't feel like a rubber stamp sequel despite the lack of any one dramatic improvement or addition that I can point to as this year's theme. Instead, the tweaks and changes in MLB 13: The Show come from practical points of view, changes that mean to build even more upon the series' flawless foundation.%Gallery-181276%
Pirates' Andrew McCutchen wins MLB 13 The Show cover athlete vote
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen was announced as the winner of the MLB 13: The Show cover athlete vote held on the MLB's official site. McCutchen garnered over 100,000 votes in the five-day poll.Second place went to New York Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia, who received just under 90,000 votes, while Detroit Tigers third baseman and triple crown winner Miguel Cabrera got third with 76,000 votes.MLB 13: The Show is set to launch March 5 for PS3 and Vita.
MLB 12 The Show gets price cut, predicts playoffs
With the tail end of baseball season in full swing, Sony dropped the price on MLB 12: The Show to $29.99 for PS3 and $19.99 for Vita. Baseball fans that aren't ready to call it quits can take advantage of the game's cross-platform features at a combined $50, less than the PS3 version launched at in March.Sony's San Diego studio also teamed up with ESPN to simulate this year's MLB playoffs in MLB 12: The Show, and has the Washington Nationals facing the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series. The Orioles haven't been in the world championship since 1983, and the Nationals haven't appeared in the World Series at all. Those hoping for an interesting end to the MLB playoffs should keep their fingers crossed for Sony's simulation to come true.
LittleBigPlanet Karting gets player tested
Sony's San Diego Studio recently held a game jam to do some hardcore testing on the Create tools for the upcoming LittleBigPlanet Karting, and apparently it went pretty well because the studio has announced the game's going into beta soon. The beta test for the title will start next Tuesday, July 10, and then go through the end of the month.You can read some impressions from the game jam over on the forums, including some breathless (we imagine) excitement from the game's fans and players on how the title worked and what they made. Codes will go out soon to selected players, and the game itself is due out later on this year.
MLB 12: The Show (PS3, PS Vita) review: Ahead in the count
Baseball is a polarizing sport. Either you love the drama of every at-bat, every line drive and double play, or you think it's boring as all get-out. It's a tough experience to translate into a game, especially in a manner that's, you know, something you'll want to keep playing.The MLB: The Show series by Sony's San Diego Studio has been the top baseball sim for several years and a solid exclusive to Sony's platforms. But this year is a big one: Sony's launched a new handheld, the PlayStation Vita, and it's debuted MLB 12: The Show on the platform, hoping to achieve parity between the handheld version and the PS3 game, the latter of which certainly hasn't been neglected this season.Once again, Sony's knocked it out of the park.%Gallery-151757%
Medieval Moves: Deadmund's Quest revealed for PlayStation Move
Well, this is ... odd. Sony just announced a new Move-centric action game from the developers of Sports Champions: Medieval Moves: Deadmund's Quest. It's an action game, featuring a skeleton lead character, and it's got "Medieval" in the name. But it's not, as the coolest among you may be suspecting, a continuation of the MediEvil franchise. Baffling. It looks neat though, and with a release window of fall 2011, that's a lucky thing.
MLB 11 includes one-button 'Association for Disabled Virtual Athletes' mode
Sony's San Diego studio is taking a rare step to allow gamers with disabilities to play MLB 11: a one-button gameplay mode. In the "Association for Disabled Virtual Athletes" mode, AI handles the fielding, and players only have to press one button in order to swing the bat or pitch, allowing gamers who might not be able to throw a baseball to wield a baseball-style Dual Shock with ease. The mode was inspired by Hans Smith, a baseball superfan with cerebral palsy, whose limited mobility made it impossible for him to play real baseball and difficult to play video game baseball. Sony San Diego added him to last year's MLB game as an avatar and went one step further this year, with the disability-friendly gameplay mode. "Some organizations for disabled people aren't available to everyone -- you have to live in a big city," Smith told ESPN. "Plus, you still run the risk of getting hurt. But with a virtual organization, you can adjust the settings to whatever you want. If you can't do anything but push one button, then you can control everything else via the artificial intelligence. This levels the playing field for people who are otherwise outside the sports arena."
Watch: Another ModNation Racers track gets built
With all the LittleBigPlanet news that's been spreading as of late, you haven't forgotten about ModNation Racers, have you? "Play, Create, Share" jumps into the world of kart racing. One of the big draws of ModNation Racers is the ability to create courses far more quickly than the average LBP level, while still being able to control minute details. At E3, the San Diego Studio created a level in front of a live audience in just a few minutes. Here, the process is accelerated down to a ninety second trailer.The game certainly has our interest piqued. We're certainly eager to get our hands on the upcoming beta.
Sony's San Diego studio to focus on PSN games
Gamasutra is today reporting that Sony's San Diego studio has stopped developing full-blown PS2 and PS3 games. Instead the studio is concentrating on developing downloadable content for the PlayStation Store.The thirty-person development team has split into three teams of ten, with each group working on a separate title. Hopefully with a setup like this we can see some good quality downloadable games coming out at a decent pace. Sony seem to be putting a lot more emphasis on first party support for their online service, as opposed to Microsoft's Xbox Live service which is almost exclusively third party. If Sony keep delivering cheap, quality, bite-sized gaming on the PSN with games like Calling All Cars and Blast Factor then it will do a good job placating us while we wait for the major titles to be released.We are certainly looking forward to seeing what comes out of the San Diego studio in the future
