MLB: The Show 17

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Critics Recommend

Average Score

Total Reviews: 35

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Critics Recommend

Critic Reviews: 35

Critics Consensus

# Reviews: 35

A summary of the critical opinion for this game will be provided after release or a minimum of 15 reviews have been aggregated.

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Awards & Recognition

Critic Reviews for MLB: The Show 17

Reviews

High Score - 98/100

Low Score - 60/100

Silver TIER

44% of scored reviews fell within the range of 86 to 92 / 100

Andrew Reiner (Game Informer)

9/10

“Road to the Show’s story isn’t captivating, but that’s a small blemish in a monster of a game that knocks most of its content out of the park”

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Owen Good (Polygon)

8/10

“Time will tell if the changes to MLB the Show 17 establish a new foundation for what is enjoyed five years from now. In the present, though, it is still a richly illustrated, seductively appealing depiction of the National Pastime.”

Read full review

Brian Mazique (Forbes)

8.5/10

“The Show is still striving for perfection, but if you love baseball and video games, you need this in your life.”

Read full review

**Read all 35 critic reviews on the desktop version of VSG.

Read the Reviews (35 total)

Outlet	Author	Score	Date	Quote	Read
Attack of the Fanboy	Dean James	4.5 / 5 stars	03-27-2017	Sony has rarely struck out with their annual MLB The Show series and this year’s entry manages to keep that trend going. With the worthwhile improvements to Road to the Show, Franchise Mode, and the incredibly fun Retro Mode, San Diego Studio has knocked it out of the park with MLB The Show 17.	Read review
CGMagazine	Phil Brown	9 / 10	03-29-2017	Simply put, if you like baseball and video games you need to own MLB: The Show 2017.	Read review
Cheat Code Central	Patrick Tretina	4.9 / 5 stars	03-27-2017	MLB The Show 17 as a collective whole, from a controls, presentation, and core game mode perspective, is incrementally better.	Read review
COGconnected	Michael Chow	90 / 100	03-31-2017	…compared to years passed, player animations, ball spin physics, and defensive AI are noticeably improved.	Read review
Destructoid	Chris Carter	8 / 10	03-31-2017	Annoyances aside, MLB The Show 17 continues to iterate without the technical baggage a few games back. Beyond the attempts to monetize players through microtransactions (which mainly work as boosts), I didn’t really have any major issues with any given aspect of the game. We’re only a few more days out until the 2017 season, and I’m counting on using The Show as my companion for it.	Read review
Digital Chumps	Devon Lloyd	9 / 10	12-07-2016	Overall MLB The Show 17 does what it’s supposed to do and builds on last year’s great game. It’s hard to truly improve year after year without any competition but the development team is able to do that with this game. The documentary style of RTTS is brilliant and the new MLB Network broadcast addition is great and adds authenticity to the game. MLB The Show 17 is a great game for any baseball fans and will provide a great experience from any of their game modes.	Read review
Digital Trends	Steven Petite	4 / 5 stars	03-28-2017	Fast, fun, and easy to play, ‘MLB The Show 17’ knocks it out of the park	Read review
Digitally Downloaded	Nick H.	4 / 5 stars	04-11-2017	MLB The Show 17 is the only AAA baseball game in town, but the series is clearly not content resting on its laurels. With notable improvements in several areas and increased accessibility to try and hook newcomers, baseball fans should find a lot to like about this year’s release. Play ball!	Read review
Easy Allies	Michael Huber	4 / 5 stars	04-20-2017	Video Review	Read review
EGM	Ray Carsillo	9 / 10	04-03-2017	MLB The Show 17 sets a new pinnacle for the franchise. It creates more depth for its tent pole modes and polishes everything else to a terrific gleam. Some online issues and glitches still continue to plague the series at launch, but you might get so engrossed in Franchise or RTTS that you won’t even notice until they’re fixed.	Read review
Forbes	Brian Mazique	8.5 / 10	03-28-2017	The Show is still striving for perfection, but if you love baseball and video games, you need this in your life.	Read review
Game Informer	Andrew Reiner	9 / 10	03-31-2017	Road to the Show’s story isn’t captivating, but that’s a small blemish in a monster of a game that knocks most of its content out of the park	Read review
Gameblog	Olivier Cortinovis	8 / 10	04-06-2017	MLB The Show 2017 has now became the best baseball game, in terms of game modes, gameplay innovations and graphics. It should be considered as one of the best sports simulations available.	Read review
GameCrate	Nate Hohl	9 / 10	04-10-2017	There’s no denying that MLB The Show 17 is one of the most comprehensive and realistic baseball simulators that has ever been made. No matter what sort of baseball experience you’re looking for, I can pretty much guarantee you’ll find it in the latest from San Diego Studios.	Read review
GameSpot	Richard Wakeling	8 / 10	03-31-2017	Sony’s long-running baseball sim returns, with better action on the field, and more options off it.	Read review
GamesRadar+	Ben Wilson	4 / 5 stars	04-04-2017	Masterfully balances the needs of old and new players alike – but online teething problems are a curveball Sony has to overcome for the game to truly prosper.	Read review
Gaming Nexus	Sean Cahill	8.5 / 10	05-15-2017	Changes in physics and AI make the game more realistic and enjoyable, but there are still some issues with AI player decision making that can detract from the final product. Road to the Show mode is still fun with a new documentary twist, but it’s ultimately the same mode as last year. The Show 17 is a good title for baseball fans new and old, but don’t expect anything mind blowing this time around.	Read review
GamingBolt	Aaron Main	9 / 10	04-07-2017	With a ton of content to offer, MBL The Show 17 is perhaps the best sports game on the PS4, both from gameplay and visual perspectives.	Read review
GamingTrend	Jay Malone	85 / 100	04-13-2017	MLB The Show 17 is another solid entry into an increasingly solid franchise. It slips a bit with the new additions like a tweaked Road to the Show and Critical Situations, but it succeeds in a silly, wholly enjoyable retro mode. But even with the negatives, the MLB The Show series is enjoyable enough to mask those bumps and bruises. MLB The Show 17 is another bullet-point in a historically successful sports franchise.	Read review
Hardcore Gamer	Charles Blades	3 / 5 stars	03-27-2017	Just like its real-life counterpart, MLB The Show 17 has become antiquated by today’s standards.	Read review
IGN	Caley Roark	9.5 / 10	03-31-2017	Overall, MLB The Show 17 builds on last year’s version, which many cited as the best in the series, by adding some key features and improvements. Most notable are increased hit variety, MLB Network integration, and the RTTS documentary. All of these additions make the game feel more like real baseball. This authenticity makes games more fun to play, as it’s easier than ever to become invested in every pitch.	Read review
IGN Italy	Raffaello Rusconi	8.3 / 10	04-05-2017	MLB The Show 17 has changed and it has became an even better game. Well done!	Read review
New Game Network	Josh Hinke	79 / 100	04-06-2017	The overall changes in MLB The Show 17 may not be as impressive as those from last year, but this is still yet another solid entry from the powerhouse baseball simulation franchise.	Read review
Nexus	Hylton Goodwin	9 / 10	04-18-2017	MLB The Show 17 is easily the series’ strongest and most involved entry to date. Even now, I continue to find subtle and notable changes that further bolster my impression of this magnificent title.	Read review
NZGamer	Dene Benham	8.9 / 10	04-10-2017	Dene received a digital copy of MLB The Show 17 from PlayStation NZ for review.	Read review
PCMag	Juan Martinez	Recommended	03-29-2017	There’s very little here you haven’t seen before. Sony has made tweaks, streamlined game modes, harkened back to the olden days, and added depth to The Show experience. However, if you’re looking for a brand new experience, a revolutionary mode, or something that dramatically differentiates The Show 17 from the rest of the franchise, you’re out of luck.	Read review
PlayStation LifeStyle	Blake Grundman	8.5 / 10	03-28-2017	After years of consistent quality, it almost goes without saying that MLB The Show 17 is a great game. The simulation makes several significant evolutionary steps forward, while still not losing sight of the genre’s storied past. Both newcomers and veterans will find something to appreciate in this year’s outing, along with a little bit of nostalgic appeal sprinkled throughout for good measure. There has never been a better time to become a card-carrying member of The Show Nation.	Read review
PlayStation Universe	Timothy Nunes	8.5 / 10	03-31-2017	In a class by itself, San Diego Studios continues to wow audiences with an authentic baseball sim with its newly released MLB The Show 17. It’s visually astounding, and all games modes have that extra something to keep you playing long into the night with only a few significant things keeping it from statistical perfection.	Read review
Polygon	Owen Good	8 / 10	03-29-2017	Time will tell if the changes to MLB the Show 17 establish a new foundation for what is enjoyed five years from now. In the present, though, it is still a richly illustrated, seductively appealing depiction of the National Pastime.	Read review
Shacknews	Bryan Carr	8 / 10	04-03-2017	It’s always easy to recommend The Show, and even easier on its best years. While there are still a few rough spots, it’s hard to look at this year’s edition and not come away impressed by the sheer amount of content and modes, as well as the polished gameplay and player experience improvements. This is a gigantic care package of baseball, with countless ways to play the game for both hardcore and fair weather fans alike. I’ll be spending lots of time with this game all year, even when my Tigers inevitably hit a brick wall in August (prove me wrong, boys – prove me wrong). MLB: The Show ’17 is a love letter to baseball and its fans, and one of the secret best reasons to own a PS4.	Read review
Sports Gamers Online	Michael Straw	9 / 10	03-29-2017	MLB The Show 17 is a great installment, and no matter how long it’s been since you last picked up The Show — even if you still play The Show 16 — this game is worth the pick up.	Read review
The Games Machine	Davide Mancini	8.7 / 10	04-11-2017	A must-have for every baseball fan out there, MLB The Show 17 improves everything over the previous chapter, delivering a game that’s beautiful to see, but even more beautiful to play, especially the new storyline mode.	Read review
USgamer	Kat Bailey	4.5 / 5 stars	03-31-2017	At first blush, MLB The Show 17 is more of the same; but when taken together, it’s actually a great update. It brings with it a lot of small but much-needed tweaks to the play on the field, and the graphics have never looked so good. Even better, Franchise mode actually feels approachable now. It leaves some opportunities on the table, but MLB The Show is still a great baseball sim that feels that much better with this year’s update.	Read review

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Game Info

Game Description / Storyline:

MLB The Show 17 delivers the most realistic and personal baseball gaming experience on consoles. This year The Show offers exciting gameplay improvements and a greater ability to personalize your baseball experience.

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