you probably don’t care. Come on, another sports game? More like another roster update,

right? Another new feature you don't notice? Another 60 bucks, another identical…sports

game.

But the thing about that is…this one’s a baseball game.

And what you fail to understand, in your joyless myopia, is that baseball is the key to life—the

Rosetta Stone, if you will. If you just understood baseball better, all your other questions…they

would all, in their way, be answered. By the baseball gods.

Alright, that was a quote from The X-Files.

Arthur Dales. It’s MLB 15, for the PlayStation 3.

But you know something? Arthur Dales was right. No, not that Arthur Dales, Arthur Dales was

his brother. I mean, for centuries, people have searched for the meaning of things. Like

how the universe works; the order of it all; what’s our purpose. But it’s all been

right in front of us—it’s baseball. Baseball is the answer to every question that matters.

It’s the universe, just on a smaller scale. Where the difference of an inch in the trajectory

of an asteroid can mean the difference between life and extinction…it’s also the difference

between a strike and a ball, a catch or a double, a win or a loss. I mean, it’s chaotic

and it’s unpredictable, but it also operates within a natural set of laws.

Just like the universe.

It’s just that baseball condenses them into these beautiful, sun-drenched, nacho-filled

things called “innings.” To see baseball is to see science, but with peanuts and Cracker

Jack.

But baseball isn’t just great because of the science. It’s also the romance. The

tradition. The idea that, whether it’s 2015 or 1915 or, 1876…baseball is the constant.

Whether the fans were wearing bow ties and top hats, or ball caps and t-shirts, what

they saw down on the field was the same. Times may change, but the game doesn’t, really.

Baseball remains the same.

And, of all the magical, romantic things we’ve said about baseball…for some reason, that’s

the one Sony took to heart. Baseball remains the same, and so does The Show. Listen, I’m

sure it’s a different story if these games are a part of your baseball tradition, and

you play ‘em so much the disc wears out…but for me? Like, honestly?

The Show remains the same.

Let me tell you the new upgrades that are being touted for this year’s game. I’m

not making this up, they’ve added “seasonal sun and shadows.” Which sounds like something

you’d make up to make fun of video games, but I’m not, it’s true. There’s also

real licensed equipment, because having ads in video games is an improvement. As well

as directional hitting.

Hey, you can aim your hits.

You know. Like you did in R.B.I. Baseball, in 1992.

And I mean, there’s more stuff I could tell you, but that’s the thing—if I didn’t

tell you? You wouldn’t even notice them. These games have become so focused on making

refinements, they’ve almost become obsessed. And again, if you play them a lot, you might

notice. You might. But nine out of ten people who pick this up and don’t know any better?

They couldn’t tell you if this was MLB 15, 14, 13…

Because The Show remains the same.

Now, if this sounds like a bad thing…it is, but only to an extent. The thing is, being

the same game every year, means The Show is the same great game every year. Like, the

core game is, just…it’s outstanding. It’s just a fantastic game of realistic, sim-style

baseball. And the game’s mechanics are, close to flawless. I’ve especially loved

the addition of casual controls.

You make that choice when you start the game, and it basically streamlines The Show into

a modern-looking version of your favorite NES baseball game. It strips away all the

complexities, which are needless in my opinion, and turns it into something more accessible,

and more fun. Press a button to swing, and now, pull a direction to…pull. Or hit away,

too.

It’s just great.

And pitching, which has always been my favorite element of these games, is actually even better

this year. This is one change that actually is noticeable. This year, you actually see

the trajectory and break of the pitch you’re about to throw. That is, if you pull it off

well. And it’s awesome, it’s so much fun to carve up the zone, try to paint those corners…

In 1876, they used whitewash.

Of course, if you showed MLB 15 to people in 1876, they’d probably sh*t themselves.

The graphics and sound are just fantastic…even on the PS3 version, which didn’t get some

of the graphics upgrades. Like real-time shadows, how am I to enjoy video games without real-time

shadows? What is this, 1876?

There are also infinite skin tones, because of a new color-matching technology.

Look, you can’t make this stuff up. But the game does look amazing, and there are

some additions that aren’t as make-fun-of worthy. Like, the game picks up where you

left off in the previous game. So if you had a career mode, for example…MLB 15 actually

loads the save from MLB 14. So you can keep on…disappointing those scouts.

And that’s awesome.

This game claims to have more new features and updates than any version of The Show,

ever. Like, there’s more than 70 new situational animations for the third out of an inning.

I mean, that’s the kind of detail we’re talking about here. And I’ll level with

you—if you ask me, it’s a pointless detail. I mean, who cares? R.B.I. Baseball had like

two animations, and it was the best. So obviously, I’m not gonna sit here and list that kind

of stuff.

If you care, you’re already getting this, so what’s the difference?

Actually, there’s very little difference, between this year’s game and last year’s.

But that’s the order, of these things, that’s how this universe works. Whether it’s Madden

or The Show…you know exactly what you’re getting. And for fans, perhaps there’s comfort

in that. I mean, as a baseball fan…every summer, it’s the same seats, the same usher,

the same hot dog…

Same sights, same smells, same sounds…and I guess, if those things that are all the

same, and are all part of what baseball so great, because they’re always the same…

Why isn’t MLB 15: The Show?