
78
MONSTER
Game analysis
Monster Scorecard
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Story and Narrative
Expand for full analysis
77
MLB The Show 25's "Storylines: The Negro Leagues" mode is lauded for its authentic, educational portrayal of baseball's rich history and cultural legacy, with praised storytelling, real-player quotes, and emotional depth—yet critics panned its reduced narrative scope, repetitive missions, and dated mechanics, calling it the weakest iteration yet despite its meaningful intent.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR STORY
Story Score
77
Positive Reviews (80-100)
52%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
44%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
4%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the story and narrative.
TL;DR
story and narrative
MLB The Show 25's "Storylines: The Negro Leagues" mode is lauded for its authentic, educational portrayal of baseball's rich history and cultural legacy, with praised storytelling, real-player quotes, and emotional depth—yet critics panned its reduced narrative scope, repetitive missions, and dated mechanics, calling it the weakest iteration yet despite its meaningful intent.
Gameplay Mechanics
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85
MLB The Show 25 shines with immersive mechanics like Ambush Hitting and dynamic difficulty, but its minor updates and flaws—unbalanced hitting, distracting throws—hold it back, though critics still hail it as a stellar, accessible baseball sim.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR GAMEPLAY
Gameplay Score
85
Positive Reviews (80-100)
80%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
20%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the gameplay mechanics.
TL;DR
gameplay mechanics
MLB The Show 25 shines with immersive mechanics like Ambush Hitting and dynamic difficulty, but its minor updates and flaws—unbalanced hitting, distracting throws—hold it back, though critics still hail it as a stellar, accessible baseball sim.
Graphics and Visual Design
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70
MLB The Show 25 shines with PS5 Pro's "stunning visuals" and lifelike details, but its aging engine and minimal upgrades spark backlash, with critics calling out texture glitches, outdated models, and muted colors. The Switch port is a disaster, lagging far behind. While some praise its polish and legacy, others demand a "graphical leap" for 2025—leaving the game stuck in neutral, visually competent but unrevolutionary.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VISUALS
Visual Score
70
Positive Reviews (80-100)
40%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
48%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
12%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the graphics and visual design.
TL;DR
graphics and visual design
MLB The Show 25 shines with PS5 Pro's "stunning visuals" and lifelike details, but its aging engine and minimal upgrades spark backlash, with critics calling out texture glitches, outdated models, and muted colors. The Switch port is a disaster, lagging far behind. While some praise its polish and legacy, others demand a "graphical leap" for 2025—leaving the game stuck in neutral, visually competent but unrevolutionary.
Music and Sound Design
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82
MLB The Show 25 nails immersive, lifelike audio with authentic bat pings, crowd noise, and Bob Kendrick’s narration, but its jarring soundtrack mixing, artificial crowd reactions, and repetitive lines snag its polish—minor flaws in an otherwise stellar sonic experience that champions baseball’s realism.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR SOUND DESIGN
Sound Score
82
Positive Reviews (80-100)
69%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
31%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the music and sound design.
TL;DR
music and sound design
MLB The Show 25 nails immersive, lifelike audio with authentic bat pings, crowd noise, and Bob Kendrick’s narration, but its jarring soundtrack mixing, artificial crowd reactions, and repetitive lines snag its polish—minor flaws in an otherwise stellar sonic experience that champions baseball’s realism.
Voice Acting
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74
MLB The Show 25’s voice acting shines with charismatic narration, immersive commentary, and era-specific charm, earning praise for storytelling and authenticity. But repetition, uneven quality, and missing voice work in key modes (like Road to the Show) let down fans seeking polish, while regional and narrative gaps highlight missed potential. A standout feature, but flaws undermine its ambitions for a fully immersive baseball experience.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VOICE ACTING
Acting Score
74
Positive Reviews (80-100)
50%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
42%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
8%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the voice acting.
TL;DR
voice acting
MLB The Show 25’s voice acting shines with charismatic narration, immersive commentary, and era-specific charm, earning praise for storytelling and authenticity. But repetition, uneven quality, and missing voice work in key modes (like Road to the Show) let down fans seeking polish, while regional and narrative gaps highlight missed potential. A standout feature, but flaws undermine its ambitions for a fully immersive baseball experience.
Technical Performance
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71
MLB The Show 25 offers a generally solid technical foundation across platforms, but performance gaps spark debate. The PS5 shines with smooth gameplay and DualSense polish, though glitches and optimization hiccups linger. The Switch impresses with improved stability but faces load-time issues. The Xbox Series X struggles with bugs and lag, lagging behind its rivals. While praised for its polish, the game’s technical execution remains a mixed bag, with platform-specific flaws tempering an otherwise strong launch.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE
Tech Score
71
Positive Reviews (80-100)
38%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
48%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
14%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the technical performance.
TL;DR
technical performance
MLB The Show 25 offers a generally solid technical foundation across platforms, but performance gaps spark debate. The PS5 shines with smooth gameplay and DualSense polish, though glitches and optimization hiccups linger. The Switch impresses with improved stability but faces load-time issues. The Xbox Series X struggles with bugs and lag, lagging behind its rivals. While praised for its polish, the game’s technical execution remains a mixed bag, with platform-specific flaws tempering an otherwise strong launch.
Replay Value
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85
PRAISED FOR REPLAY VALUE MLB The Show 25 dazzles with Diamond Dynasty, Road to the Show, and Diamond Quest—a mix of deep customization, competitive modes, and randomized challenges that keep fans hooked. Critics like IGN and GameSpot call it a sports genre standout, ideal for veterans and newcomers. But Gameliner and GamingBolt flag repetitive gameplay and minimal new content for some, while NintendoWorldReport notes technical hiccups. Still, the consensus? It’s a must-play for baseball lovers, with updates and variety ensuring years of returns.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR REPLAY VALUE
Replay Score
85
Positive Reviews (80-100)
79%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
21%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the replay value.
TL;DR
replay value
PRAISED FOR REPLAY VALUE MLB The Show 25 dazzles with Diamond Dynasty, Road to the Show, and Diamond Quest—a mix of deep customization, competitive modes, and randomized challenges that keep fans hooked. Critics like IGN and GameSpot call it a sports genre standout, ideal for veterans and newcomers. But Gameliner and GamingBolt flag repetitive gameplay and minimal new content for some, while NintendoWorldReport notes technical hiccups. Still, the consensus? It’s a must-play for baseball lovers, with updates and variety ensuring years of returns.
Overall Verdict
78
MONSTER
OVERALL SCORE DISTRIBUTION
Monster Score
78
Positive Reviews (80-100)
80%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
20%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing all available reviews that scored and critiqued the game.
TL;DR
MLB The Show 25 is a polished, authentic baseball sim with stunning visuals, innovative modes, and near-perfect gameplay, hailed as the best in the series. But its steep learning curve, graphical hiccups, stagnant features, and technical flaws on Switch limit its appeal. While critics debate its "must-have" status, its depth and refinement cement it as a top-tier pick for fans, despite missed opportunities for revolutionary upgrades.
78
MONSTER
Reviews
56 reviews found90
Forbes
Mar 21, 2025
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
MLB The Show 25 is considered the best baseball video game ever made, with a score of 9 out of 10, despite some areas needing improvement.
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90
LevelUp
May 21, 2025
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
MLB: The Show 25 is praised as the most complete entry in the franchise, offering a rich experience for baseball fans and newcomers alike, making it one of the best sports titles of the year.
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90
GameBlast
Apr 9, 2025
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
The game is highly rated at 9.0, indicating strong overall performance despite some drawbacks.
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90
But Why Tho?
Mar 19, 2025
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
MLB The Show 25 successfully builds on its legacy with minor improvements, making it an excellent addition to the franchise that fans will enjoy.
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90
Impulsegamer
Mar 25, 2025
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MLB The Show 25 is a refined and immersive baseball experience that solidifies its position as the premier baseball simulation, making it a must-have for fans.
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90
Digital Chumps
Mar 24, 2025
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
MLB The Show 25 is considered a solid upgrade with improved gameplay, innovative features, and stunning visuals, making it a top choice for baseball fans.
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90
Shacknews
Mar 30, 2025
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
MLB The Show 25 is considered the best in the series, with meaningful improvements and a wealth of content despite some technical issues.
90
IGN
Mar 20, 2025
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
MLB The Show 25 offers solid gameplay improvements and engaging modes, but some areas, particularly the Negro League storyline, feel stagnant, making it a worthwhile but imperfect upgrade.
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90
COGconnected
Mar 25, 2025
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
MLB The Show 25 is a solid installment that builds on its predecessors, with improvements in gameplay and modes, despite some minor technical issues.
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86
Atomix
Mar 24, 2025
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
MLB The Show 25 is a standout title that celebrates two decades of the franchise with significant improvements and innovations, making it a must-play for baseball fans despite its high price point.
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