MLB 08: The Show

...whereas last year's title focused a lot of attention upon the pitcher/batter duel, this year's game seems to be targeting more attention upon the information gained from this battle during every at bat. Thanks to the new Batter and Pitcher Analysis tools, you can now check out the tendencies of any player on any team during the course of a game. For example, pitchers can check to see where batters like to swing at pitches and how many times they've made contact with the ball over a season, while batters can get an idea of where pitchers like to throw certain pitches or how frequently they might throw a fastball. This is particularly useful if you're trying to prepare for an upcoming team and want an edge on your competition.

For the third year in a row, SCEA has delivered an excellent baseball game in the form of their Show franchise. While the PS2 version doesn't innovate nearly as much as it did last year, it maintains its quality with some minor adjustments and enough creative touches to keep PS2 owners engaged. Baseball fans that haven't moved to the portable arena or to the PS3 will definitely want to check this game out.