MLB 08 - The Show

I got 'MLB 08 The Show' this week and so far the addictive factor is about an 8 out of 10. I got the game because it had more favorable reviews versus the other baseball game for PS3 (I can't remember the other game). Anyway the things I like are the jukebox feature where you can take songs that are on the PS3 hard drive and incorporate them into the game. So if you don't like the music on the game you can change it. The graphics are great and the pitching is good. The rookie mode is useless in my opinion, it is completely different from the veteran mode. In veteran mode you can try and guess the pitch and location and if you do the screen lights up and you can load up and try a heavy swing. The only thing I don't like is the field and base running controls. The game has a habit of not switching to nearest fielder and you have to make a split decision and recognize who you are controlling and whether you need to switch and then whether you need to dive or jump for the ball. Running the bases is no easier. For some reason the controls seem really unintuitive for me, although I played Sampson a game and he hit four home runs. He didn't win though, I couldn't let that happen. But when you run the bases you have to point to the base where the base runner is starting from and then you have to tell them which base to go to. There is an advance all runners and send all runners back control with one button, but when you want to send the guy from third home and leave the other guy at second you have to really think about it. I would have been simpler if you could just point at the runner and either advance or return, I mean come one we had the controls with the old Nintendo remember, all we had then was the 'A' and 'B' buttons and those controls were fine. Anyway the ballparks are awesome and they seem to have done a good job on scouting pitchers for the capabilities, it just seems like no matter what I throw the computer will foul it off. The computer gives you a pitch to throw, but you are better off knowing what your pitches strengths are, throwing that 1-2 fastball with Paul Byrd is not his strength. Overall I give it a 7 out of 10. Once I figure it out it will probably be one of those forgettable games. Oh well. Maybe 'Resistance fall of man' will come down in price since it has been out for over 14 MONTHS. I have never seen a game hold that kind of price since its original release.