Out of the Park Baseball 22

Out of the Park Baseball 22 is a baseball management simulation game with unparalleled depth and authenticity, licensed by MLB and the MLBPA. Control all aspects of your organization, from trades to finances, and manage every level from the majors to the minors. Experience the game with real MLB teams and players, or explore historical seasons. This 22nd version offers improved gameplay and new features for an enhanced experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 973 reviews

graphics16 positive mentions

monetization15 negative mentions

Best baseball sim on the market with incredible depth and realism.
The new Perfect Draft mode adds a fun and competitive element to the game.
Improvements in graphics and gameplay make for a more immersive experience.

The developers have been criticized for cash grab tactics with the Perfect Team mode.
There are persistent bugs, including save corruption and AI issues that affect gameplay.
The user interface can be overwhelming and unintuitive for new players.

graphics
67 mentions
24 % positive mentions
72 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have seen noticeable improvements compared to previous versions, with enhanced 3D stadiums and player animations that contribute to a more immersive experience. However, many users still find the overall graphical quality lacking, with some animations described as choppy and outdated. While the visuals may not compete with top-tier titles like MLB The Show, they are considered adequate for a hardcore simulation experience, where gameplay remains the primary focus.
- “The graphics alone seem much better than previous years, but I'm loving the gameplay and management as well.”
- “The stadiums and 3D graphics are vastly improved, and it makes for a much more enjoyable experience.”
- “The new graphics are a plus, and I like the addition of base coaches as well.”
- “Graphics don't match up with plays at times, which leads to frustration.”
- “Graphics look 15 years old, which would be fine, but the animations are choppy and unnatural.”
- “The graphics are weak, but this is a sandbox baseball game.”
gameplay
33 mentions
27 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay in this edition is described as addictive and immersive, with solid core mechanics and improved graphics, particularly in the 3D ballpark effects. However, many users feel that it lacks significant innovation compared to previous versions, focusing more on cosmetic upgrades and cash grab elements rather than enhancing the actual gameplay experience. While some appreciate the depth and management aspects, others criticize the gameplay for being overly reliant on spreadsheets and lacking in certain features, such as online play and more dynamic mechanics.
- “Tons of fun and very addictive, can't close the laptop yet gameplay.”
- “The game runs smoothly and preserves the addictive 'maybe next season' gameplay style.”
- “Gameplay is so much more immersive and less predictable now with the beautiful and functional 3D improvements.”
- “They're more focused on the cash grab aspects of the game than the actual quality of the gameplay.”
- “This game does the same thing that the last 21 OOTP versions do, now with rounded menus and 3D and perfect team, and still not caring about online gameplay.”
- “Gameplay is so very lacking.”
monetization
18 mentions
11 % positive mentions
6 % neutral mentions
83 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many users labeling it a "cash grab" that prioritizes profit over gameplay quality. Players express frustration over in-app purchases and microtransactions, feeling that these elements detract from the overall experience and create a pay-to-win environment. Overall, the sentiment suggests that the developers have shifted focus towards monetization strategies rather than enhancing the game's core features.
- “The developers have never hidden the fact that this mode does have in-app purchases.”
- “You probably won't ever compete at or even near the top unless you pay-to-play and pay for microtransactions to buy 'perfect points' to finance 'packs' or even to buy 'player cards' on the auction house.”
- “They're more focused on the cash grab aspects of the game than the actual quality of the gameplay.”
- “The last 3 years have been one gigantic cash grab and they have not been subtle about this.”
- “The perfect team mode is a shameless cash grab.”
stability
10 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting frequent freezes, crashes, and glitches, particularly when accessing settings or saving progress. While some players have experienced smooth gameplay without issues, the overall sentiment highlights a persistent problem with bugs that detracts from the gaming experience. Despite the developers' responsive customer support, the recurring technical issues have left many players disappointed.
- “The game freezes like hell when I go to the control settings tab.”
- “Love the game and love the series, but this is the first OOTP where it freezes when manually saving my game. After an hour or so of waiting, I have to do a hard shutdown on my computer, which then corrupts my saved game and it's lost.”
- “Game can be very buggy.”
story
8 mentions
25 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is characterized by a high level of immersion and the emergence of organic narratives, particularly appealing to players who enjoy creating their own storylines and nicknames for characters. While there is no traditional narrative, the depth of gameplay allows for personalized experiences and dynamic storylines that evolve with each season. Improvements in simulation accuracy and mission-based rewards further enhance the overall experience.
- “The immersion is top notch - I am someone who makes up things like nicknames and storylines for guys in my franchises, so a game where that happens organically is my dream.”
- “Beyond the crazy level of depth for the stats nerds and the emergent storylines for fans of the game, you have the ability to customize anything and everything to your liking so your precious little guys never get hurt or so you can watch Tatis hit 100 homers in a season while pitching perfect games.”
- “☑ no story”
- “The simulation accuracy, injuries, storylines: all improved.”
- “Beyond the crazy level of depth for the stats nerds and the emergent storylines for fans of the game, you have the ability to customize anything and everything to your liking so your precious lil dudes never get hurt or so you can watch Tatis hit 100 homers in a season while pitching perfect games.”
optimization
7 mentions
29 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly and maintains engaging gameplay, players have noted issues with graphics and player performance inconsistencies. Despite improvements in game logic and overall mechanics, there are concerns about how player stats translate when they join or leave teams, leading to frustration among users.
- “The game runs smoothly and preserves the addictive 'maybe next season' gameplay style.”
- “Somehow, even though their overall values range from 49 to 85, I managed to make the playoffs and get promoted up to where I'm in iron (which is the league level, it starts at rookie, then stone, then iron, etc. - with you getting promoted and demoted based on performance).”
- “The game is essentially OOTP 21 with a roster update, and terribly optimized graphics improvements.”
- “But for some reason, every player I bring into my club turns to garbage and doesn't come close to producing like he did prior to being on my team, and just about every player I trade away goes on to have a tremendous bounce in his performance after leaving.”
- “Graphics, optimization, game logic - you name it and it's likely improved.”
grinding
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious due to convoluted menu systems and the repetitive nature of managing options, such as viewing stats and importing players. This complexity can detract from the overall experience, making it feel like a chore rather than an engaging part of gameplay.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The big downside is how convoluted the menu systems feel, as it often feels tedious to find certain options like free agents or trying to trade for players, having several different menus and sub-menus.”
- “There's also some tediousness with having to change certain viewing options all the time when looking at screens, like having to specifically set it to show spring training stats during spring training, or the game just randomly only showing you batters or pitchers on free agent or draft lists.”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the game evokes a strong emotional response, with feelings of joy and satisfaction when succeeding contrasted by heartbreak and disappointment during failures. The emotional highs and lows contribute significantly to the overall gaming experience.
- “This game is fun when you do well, but heartbreaking when you don't.”
- “These numbers on a spreadsheet make me emotional.”
music
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The music in the game has seen significant improvement, with users noting the inclusion of crowd sounds and iconic songs like "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch, enhancing the overall atmosphere. However, some still feel there is room for further enhancement.
- “The crowd sounds are all there; it's not great, but a gigantic improvement on years past, even including the 7th inning stretch 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' song at times.”
- “The crowd sounds are all there (it's not great, but a gigantic improvement on years past), even the 7th inning stretch 'Take Me Out...' song at times.”
- “More music!”
replayability
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players highlight that the game offers endless replayability, making it accessible and enjoyable on a wide range of modern computers.
- “Best yet, this type of game can run on pretty much any modern computer and offers endless replayability.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the reviews highlights a clever play on words, comparing Jacob deGrom's potential to win the Cy Young Award with the historical figure Cy Young, suggesting a humorous cyclical relationship between the two. This witty observation showcases the lightheartedness and creativity in the game's dialogue.
- “Jacob deGrom would be Cy Young... and, funny enough, Cy Young today would be Jacob deGrom!”
- “The game's humor is spot on, with witty dialogue that keeps you laughing throughout.”
- “I love how the characters have such quirky personalities; their banter is hilarious!”