MLB 12 the Show Review: Why This Game Might Be Best Edition Yet

Since 2006, Sony Computer Entertainment has put out one of the best-selling sports games for the PlayStation console. SCE's San Diego Studio, the primary developers for the series, never fail to amaze as every year they put out a product better than the last.

They really outdid themselves this time. MLB 12: The Show just might be their best installment yet.

The game is so much more real now. It's almost too real.

Developers use this thing called True Ball Physics. I'm not quite sure about all the technological jargon, but basically it makes the game real life. They use math equations that calculate the spin, trajectory, speed and angle of the ball of the bat. This is so you get those sinking/hooking line drives and the tough grounders.

They've also involved the analog sticks more. You can actually focus on a particular part of the strike zone by tilting the left analog stick towards it. To put it bluntly, if you guess the area correctly, you're gonna rip it.

This builds upon the pitch guessing strategy of the past, in which if your guess was wrong, you were definitely whiffing. 

Sony finally did away with that awful pitching meter that had a mind of its own. They've replaced it with a pulsating pitching system in which the smaller the circle is when you release your pitch, the more accurate your pitch will be.

The old pitching format used to be more contingent on the ability of the gamer. You could essentially use any pitcher with a variety of pitches, so long as you could get the meter correct.

Now the pitching system relies more on the ability of the in-game player. The command, energy and confidence of the pitcher, as well as the reliability of the pitch, all contribute to how the pitch ends up.

All the typical game modes are back for another year, along with some extras.

Sony has added a mode called Diamond Dynasty in which you assemble your own team of real and fictional players to try to become the best. You can play against humans or the computer in a mode where the reward system is based on the degree of difficulty of your win.

Here are some good and bad things that I've heard about the game.

Good: Pulse pitching is absolute murder on hitters once you figure it out. Awesome graphics and gameplay. Diamond Dynasty is where it's at. The game hasn't lost anything from the years past, it's only gotten better.

Bad: Takes a while to get used to the gameplay (which can be expected with the adjusted pitching and hitting systems). Online issues with the game are frequent.

So far, MLB 12: The Show has garnered a 7.5 rating from gamespot.com and an 8.2 user rating.

It's only been a little more than 48 hours since the games release, so new information and reviews should arrive soon.

Happy playing.