The Tiger Woods franchise, now in its eleventh editions, has been a great source of excitement for those who can actually play golf, and been a source of frustration for those who still practice.
Electronic Arts opted to make a few changes to Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, and not all of them benefit the different skill levels equally. The major inclusion in this year's iteration is the fact that player will be able to take part in the Ryder Cup.
For the first time in the game franchise's history, golfers can join Corey Pavin, Colin Montgomery and Tiger Woods in the bi-annual tournament, which pits the US against Europe.
Not only will players be able to play in the tournament, they will also be able to partake in another first. The game includes a 24 player online multiplayer mode allowing game players to compete in the Ryder Cup online.
The title also included a golfer creator, where new players can create their own golfer, with customisable hair, clothing and clubs. The EA Game Face can also be used to download a digital photograph of the player and insert it into the game for a bit more realism.
Speaking of realism, the game seems to be slightly harder than previous versions. The three-click button system can be used, but the analogue swing is still a challenge in the Xbox version.
Although the game will give the player a suggested strength to make a certain distance, that should only be used as a guide under perfect conditions, which is never really the case in practice.
It is also easy to forget that when it rains, the greens will be slower. It goes without saying that when teeing off, wind speed and direction should be taken into account, but luckily on the easier difficulty, player will be able to spin the ball mid-air, allowing for a bit more off-the-ball control. Starting with a new player is a bit of a tedious task, as they virtually have no skill to speak of. That is where the Skill Challenges come in. The Skill Challenges aim to improve of power, accuracy, control and putting.
A selected amount of real-world golfers, including Retief Goosen, will pose a number of challenges with each section, and completing these challenges will earn the golfer more XP. These can be spent on improving skills, but also to purchase various items such as celebrations, new clubs and attire.
The ability to boost the first swing has been retained, but the putting system might prove a bit of a struggle for new players. The game tried to improve the accuracy and precision by introducing a new putting system, but the traditional three-click seems better. It's also difficult to read the greens, and Putting Previews should be used sparingly. This is because they use focus, another new addition to the game. Where the player could previously put added power into the ball at leisure or spin it as they liked, these actions now consume focus. Focus is also used to increase accuracy, but it is in limited supply and replenishes rather slowly.
The graphics seem to have been improved in some areas, but then drag a bit behind in certain aspects.
The level of course detail and shrubbery is well-done, but golfer likeness might need some work. Tiger Woods himself looked better in Tiger Woods 10, even though EA added flowing hair and textured clothing.
The game should only be approached by those who have played the previous Tiger Woods games, but it might also be suited for someone who really enjoys the relative difficulty of golf. The title has evolved to the point where it is no longer a game, but is venturing into the territory of sports simulator.
Those who don't really enjoy golf, or don't take the sport too seriously, will find almost no satisfaction in playing it.
They might even find it incredibly frustrating, as there are just too many factors to take into consideration before making a swing. But those who know what they are doing, truly understand the mechanics of golf and know how to use the system to their advantage, will gain endless hours of joy from it. The level of customisation is highly applauded, as well as the time and effort that went into developing it.
Verdict:
Although the game could be fun, a lot of work in needed to fully understand it.
Developer: EA Tiburon
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Distributor: Electronic Arts SA
Platform:
Xbox 360
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