MLB 12 The Show

(SCEA for PS3 and PS Vita)
By Mike Delano

It’s been a tough run for the Sox as of late. What with last year’s pre-playoff meltdown, Tito getting the boot, boozin’ in the clubhouse… we could use some good news. So when Adrian Gonzalez gets tapped for the cover of MLB 12 The Show, there’s only one appropriate response upon seeing that ray of hope: Red Sox Nation must buy up every copy in an effort to kick start the return to our former glory! Blind hometown loyalty aside, this year’s edition of the perennially excellent baseball sim retains all of the series’ hallmarks, from its gorgeous broadcast-style presentation to its incredible sound and commentary. As always, the annual update brings with it a truckload of tweaks and new features, like PS Move motion control and overhauled ball physics. The best among them, though, is the ability to take your season (and other modes) on the go by uploading your PS3 save onto cloud storage and then downloading it onto the PS Vita to pick up right where you left off. Since the power and graphical fidelity of the Vita rocks, there are precious few of the compromises that gamers are used to when trying to make a console experience portable. That means it was a seamless transition when I brought my undefeated digital Sox from console to handheld to begin a Tampa Bay beatdown at Fenway. OK, we were actually hovering around .500 in mid-April; I’m trying to stay positive.
(us.playstation.com)