Kombo's Review Policy: Our reviews are written for you. Our goal is to write honest, to-the-point reviews that don't waste your time. This is why we've split our reviews into four sections: What the Game's About, What's Hot, What's Not and Final Word, so that you can easily find the information you want from our reviews.

What the Game's About
MLB 08: The Show is the annual game of baseball as interpreted by Sony. In this year's version, it is easy to tell the PS3 was the lead platform, as this version shines above the PSP and PS2 versions. Boasting an all new and improved "Road to the Show" mode, there are more improvements than in last year's game.

What's Hot
The first obvious thing you'll likely notice is the overhauled graphics. The visuals will smack you square in the face once you start creating your own baseball players. The animations look okay but they do not match the splendor the screenshots of the game produces. It is easy to tell that MLB 08 was built from the ground up with the PS3 in mind.

Along with the unique and fun "Road to the Show" mode, there is a neat addition that comes with playing the game – the Replay Vault. PS3 keeps track of your plays, and you can go in and watch replays of a game-winning grand slam or the most routine pop-fly ball. It adds a sort of TV-esque quality to be able to watch plays on a whim. One other feature that should be called "every sports game should have this" is the ability to save a game in progress. So at any point, you can save a game in the middle of the 5th inning and pick it up at a later time.

Road to the Show has been significantly improved since MLB 07, resulting in a more cohesive and enjoyable experience. Add that to the huge laundry list of features and modes and this is the best baseball game in recent memory. The batting/pitching analysis information you can access during the game is highly detailed and will give you the necessary information that will give you better chances to make sense of the cat and mouse game of pitching and batting.



What's Not
For as uncanny as the visuals are, some stadiums have places where there is clipping. For example, in one situation, when a right fielder was going outside the foul lines to snag a ball, his feet went through the bullpen's pitching mound. It breaks the illusion of the highly detailed character models being actual players.

The main menu system is quickly becoming archaic and is in need of a fresh update. Navigating isn't as intuitive as it needs to or should be. While most of the modes and gameplay delivered on the "wants" list, the "needs" of MLB 08 were dealt with not as much care.

As with any sports game, you have to ask yourself the question of if you want to grind out a season of virtual baseball. With the save anywhere features in MLB 08, the pain of having to sit through long sessions isn't as prevalent but that is like the difference between a pin prick or a staple in your finger -- they both will hurt and you wouldn't want either.

Final Word
MLB 08 is the best edition of a baseball game to come across the home console plate in recent memory. Seemingly small features and upgrades have made a big impact on the final product and if you have any inkling to play a baseball game this year, it should be MLB 08. Not only are the visuals this year leaps and bounds beyond the previous version, the game as a whole has received more attention in terms of production and quality.