MLB The Show 26 Review

MLB The Show is easily one of the most consistent sports game franchises on the market. Year after year, San Diego Studio delivers a high-quality baseball simulation experience with a wealth of game modes that do a good job of keeping fans busy until the next entry is out. But even though MLB The Show is consistent, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t fall into some of the same traps that other annual sports games do. MLB The Show 26, for example, falls into the trap of not feeling like enough of a step forward to make it an instant recommendation to franchise fans. MLB The Show 26 is more of the same, and while that will be enough for some fans, others may want to hold out for a more significant upgrade.

Assessed in a vacuum, MLB The Show 26 delivers excellent core gameplay that is highly customizable, allowing baseball fans to enjoy the kind of baseball game that they want. The experience can be brutally hardcore with more demanding controls, or simplified so that it plays more like older baseball games. The level of player freedom in MLB The Show 26 remains one of the game’s best features and ensures that it can appeal to both dedicated fans and more casual players.

There have been tweaks to the minute-to-minute gameplay in MLB The Show 26, like the introduction of Bare Down Pitches and Big Zone Hitting, that will be appreciated by the hardcore crowd but aren’t dramatic enough to be appreciated by more casual players. While there are certainly under the hood changes, it’s effectively the same gameplay that The Show has been offering for years, which means MLB The Show 26 delivers authentic, exciting baseball gameplay with the latest rosters, a nice selection of stadiums, and a variety of compelling game modes.

MLB The Show 26 Has All the Fan-Favorite Game Modes

Of course, the franchise’s signature Road to the Show mode is back for MLB The Show 26, starring a custom player that starts in high school and then eventually makes their way to college or skips straight to the big leagues. Dynamic challenges sprinkled throughout each game keep things interesting as players make their way through their baseball career, and as usual, players have to make important choices that dramatically shape their trajectory. If they decide to go to college, players will have to pick which school they want to go to (out of the ones that come knocking) and eventually decide how they want to handle the draft. Along the way, players have the opportunity to boost their stats through mini-games that are a fun distraction from the typical baseball sim gameplay.

MLB The Show 26‘s Road to the Show mode is as fun as it has ever been, but it’s not the only mode on offer. There’s also Diamond Dynasty, The Show franchise’s equivalent to the Ultimate Team modes in EA’s sports games. Diamond Dynasty’s Diamond Quest is back this year as well, giving players the chance to move around a game board, take on challenges, and unlock rewards. I’ve always found Diamond Dynasty to be one of the least offensive of the microtransaction-fueled “collect cards” sports game modes, and that holds true for MLB The Show 26‘s take on the mode.

The other core modes are Franchise and Storylines. Franchise delivers what you would expect, with the choice between a more complex experience or one that is far more streamlined. Storylines this year once again focuses on The Negro Leagues, with a curated selection of moments for players to recreate mixed with historical footage.

Between Storylines, Franchise, Diamond Dynasty, and Road to the Show, there’s a little something for everyone with MLB The Show 26‘s lineup of game modes. Each mode is quality, packed with things to do, and has the potential to keep fans engaged for hours. The problem is we’ve seen this all before. MLB The Show 26 lacks a defining new game mode to serve as its big selling point.

There are other modes besides the core four, with MLB The Show 26 once again offering local and online multiplayer/co-op options, a retro mode, Home Run Derby, Moments, and the ability to skip all the nonsense and get straight to the baseball. Even though MLB The Show 26 is the only player in town, it does legitimately give baseball game fans basically anything they could want or ask for in terms of game modes, but still, it would have been nice to see something truly brand-new this year.

It’s Time for MLB The Show to Get a Big Refresh

MLB The Show 26‘s lack of a big new game mode isn’t its only problem. I have experienced UI lag at various points that I never ran into in MLB The Show 25, and the online has not been nearly as reliable either. Granted, these issues will almost assuredly be fixed in MLB The Show 26‘s future updates, but it’s still added up to a more underwhelming experience than last year’s.

Players may also be underwhelmed by MLB The Show 26‘s graphics. That’s not to say MLB The Show 26 looks bad. On the contrary, MLB The Show 26 looks great, but it doesn’t look measurably better than other recent entries. The graphics no longer have that “wow” factor that they once had.

If you played MLB The Show 25, you can probably skip MLB The Show 26, but if you are someone that didn’t check out last year’s version, the new game will likely provide more value. MLB The Show 26 is iterative, not essential, and while it delivers fantastic core gameplay and enough content to keep hardcore baseball fans busy for hours on end, the franchise could definitely benefit from a more significant and daring upgrade soon.

MLB The Show 26 is out now for PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S. Game Rant was provided with a PS5 code for this review.