Image: Sony Interactive Entertainment
The good and the bad.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, MLB The Show 25 serves as both a love letter to baseball history and a test of the series longevity. On the field, the game has never felt better, with hundreds of new animations, improvements to Diamond Dynasty, and new events. Of course, there are always weaker areas in annual sports games like these.
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New modes like the Diamond Quest have been a massive hit for single-player fans, but many fans are complaining about the power creep issue. Let’s take a look at the specific mechanics that succeeded in keeping the gameplay fresh and the areas where the developers struck out.
Diamond Dynasty
The yearlong progression making a comeback in Diamond Dynasty this year is one of the biggest hits. MLB The Show 25’s Diamond Dynasty attracts players who previously stopped playing the mode completely. Another thing is that ranked, battle royale, and events are now merged into a singular multiplayer program. With this, you can play either, and your progress will count towards the same elite player packs, making it better for anyone who hates the stress of ranked but loves the fast pace of Events.
Diamond Quest is arguably the most significant structural addition to Diamond Dynasty in years. It functions as an offline, board-game-inspired journey in which players roll dice to move across a map filled with challenges and rewards. It’s like a rogue-lite game; each run is unique. By unlocking perks, you get temporary buffs like increased exit velocity or larger fielding windows that last only for that specific run.
Fluid Gameplay And ShowTech
ShowTech is the umbrella term for the engine refinements focused on physical realism. This time around, with minor tweaks here and there, the game has really progressed to change the second-to-second feel of the game. Previously, infielders often had a uniform reaction to ground balls, but with ShowTech, there are varied reaction times based on player ratings and read animations. This means that a player performs better when they are in their preferred position.
This year, the game introduced a Quick Time Event for baserunners to perform a swim move to avoid tags. It doesn’t feel like an exploit, but rather it’s so rare that it feels like a skill-based clutch moment. Other improvements include enhancements to hair physics and light reflections off helmets, alongside a more responsive Throw Accuracy Meter. This really improves the experience of the game for players and makes them appreciate the minor tweaks done to enhance the game.
Visual Stagnation
The game has been fantastic this year, but no game comes without flaws. Visual stagnation remains the loudest miss in the community. While it’s barely noticeable, it’s the little details that complete the game. For example, textures for dirt, water, and grass have remained largely unchanged for nearly five years. Sure, this doesn’t really affect the gameplay, but if you’re intricate about this sort of stuff, it’s a shame.
Face scans are clay-like as well. High-profile players often have detailed face scans, but lower-rated players have weird skin textures and outdated body models, which takes off a few points from MLB The Show 25 being the perfect baseball game. Another thing is the atmosphere and fidelity. While the game nails the atmosphere, the fidelity feels iterative rather than a true current-gen leap.
Franchise Mode Fatigue
Franchise Fatigue is the exhaustion resulting from fixing one legacy issue while exposing another. The biggest critique of all is that the game is a great baseball sim but a mediocre management sim. The new Free Agency Big Board and Motivation Logic were hits, but the basics are where Franchise Mode lacks.
A major point of fatigue this year was the removal of front-loading/back-loading contracts and certain player options. This can again be considered lazy, especially for a simulation title. Issues regarding the AI’s inability to manage a bullpen effectively in a simulated game have been brought up as well. The unrealistic trade logic also continues to haunt the mode, making long-term saves feel repetitive for hardcore fans. If this can be fixed, the game is the definitive baseball experience.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
Published: Jan 16, 2026 04:00 pm