Since 2006, MLB The Show has been the driving force in ushering new generations of baseball fans into the gaming world. Like many other sports gaming franchises, San Diego Studio routinely works on minor tweaks to The Show's game modes to deliver a more polished product, but last year's installment, MLB The Show 21, changed the face of the game. Although the developers are restricted to one year to get each game ready, they manage to tweak or add new features that hit positive notes with its player base more often than not. The release of MLB The Show 22 is a prime example of a game that changes just enough to keep its fans happy, but falls short of re-creating the magic of its predecessor.

In the months leading up to its release, MLB The Show 22 gave fans the impression that some changes were inbound. While somewhat true, some of the game's modes have received enhancements, and the broadcast commentary team received an overhaul. This year's title begins to bleed into what MLB The Show 21 delivered a year before when looking past the cosmetic differences. Despite this, the game is welcoming to both newcomers and veteran players alike and offers multiple experiences through its many gameplay options.

Both offline and online modes offer hours of gaming in one sitting, while the Diamond Dynasty mode remains one of the best sports experiences across all platforms. On the surface, MLB The Show 22 is another baseball game that delivers satisfying gameplay, intricate detail, and beautiful visuals that keep players immersed for long periods of time. The shortcomings, however, are noticeable and can turn off some veterans of the franchise.

All modes from last year's game are present in MLB The Show 22, but the March To October mode has received some much-needed depth. San Diego Studio has turned the once-fleeting experience into a multi-season game mode in which players can take over a team and play in key moments while utilizing the offseason to sign free agents and upgrade their club ahead of the new year.

If players wish to be more engaged in a more-detailed atmosphere and a more hands-on approach to managing a team's ins and outs, Franchise mode is more involved than March To October. Meanwhile, Road To The Show brings players into the MLB world with a created roster player and challenges them to rise to the occasion and become the newest big legend.

Where MLB The Show 22 succeeds is the game's two major playable components: pitching and batting. Here, players will spend most of their time in almost all the games' modes, and each side of the coin offers a realistic and satisfying approach. Whether a player is jumping into a game for the first time or has years of experience, there are many ways of setting up the pitching controls for maximum comfort. Players entering their first game can select the style of pitch they wish to throw, aim where they want the ball to go, and release. Those looking for more strategic placement and control over power will be equally satisfied with how deep the controls can go.

The batting side of the game is as refreshing as past installments, and it all comes down to timing. With a new feature allowing players to anchor the location of their swing, MLB The Show 22 puts total control into the player's hands. Playing on beginner difficulty will give those new to the franchise some freedom to get used to the timing aspect, as pitchers will mostly throw fastballs into the strike zone. Playing with dynamic difficulty changes how hard the game feels based on player performance, allowing players to get accustomed to the game's pacing through the easiest difficulty first and letting the game decide if they're ready to take the next step.

The Diamond Dynasty mode continues to be one that players flock to at launch. The mix of online and offline capabilities allows players to build up experience simply through playing a game and doing well, and the XP gathered rewards players over time with series packs and other perks. Players can use these items to build up their fantasy team to compete online or simply remain offline and continue to build experience through daily and weekly challenges. The daily key moment challenges are straightforward and lean towards the easier side of difficulty, featuring tasks such as striking out a certain amount of batters or hitting a home run to clinch the game.

As it goes for most sports titles directly after launch, MLB The Show 22 comes with a plethora of bugs and issues, some of which have been fixed in recent patches while others remain. Some of the more noticeable are issues like the "magnet glove" problem, where guaranteed home runs are sucked back into play, or systematic glitches causing players to freeze at the plate after striking out. While it's humorous at first, it's a wonder how some issues made it out of the technical test phase. It's a matter of time before San Diego Studio irons things out with future patches, but for now, players are still suffering through the growing pains.

Although the new commentary team is refreshing, with new voices joining the panel for the first time in four years, it does come with its downsides. Playing the game for more than 30 minutes, players will discover how limited and shallow the script really is. The "swing and a miss" call is one that players will dread hearing, and other sentiments can become repetitive after just a few innings. While the delivery of newcomers Jon “Boog” Sciambi and Chris Singleton are on point for the most part, and the excitement is believable, it's hard to get past troubling issues regarding the script they have to work with.

There is room for improvement in future patches, but MLB The Show 22 is an enjoyable experience regardless of how it's played or how new a player is to the franchise. There's nothing quite like hearing the crack of the bat on a perfect swing and watching the ball sail out of the park. For veteran players, the minor improvements will go a long way in the near future, making this game feel true to the actual sport and giving players a realistic feeling of being on the field.

MLB The Show 22 is available on PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Game Rant was provided a PS5 code for this review.