Join our club (sorry) (Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 (PS2))

Member Name: theediscerning

Product:	Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 (PS2)
Date:	25/09/03 (238 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Smashing level of playability, Good continuing challenge and career, Voice-overs

Disadvantages: Should have better save procedure and capacity, Crowd graphics, Already "superceded"

How computer games change. The last time theediscerning played an electronic golf game, way back when, all one really had to do was up the size of club, and thus was the system beat ~ from that easy discovery on, the game was really rather easy, if still enjoyable.

Nowadays, however, there is a greater learning curve demanded of our computerised entertainment. And in the golf sim world, there is a sure and pleasant one to be had in the realms of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003, from E A Sports.

OK, so this is a golf game ~ there is therefore no need of a plot or any background to be given for this game. Look Tiger Woods up on google if you need any reason for why he merits his name on the franchise. This shortens the task considerably in reviewing it, and one can concentrate on the few things that would sell the game to the interested buyer.

First, the graphics. These are on the whole excellent. The animated golfers are great, and while all are created by pasting a skin and look onto a basic frame ~ therefore they all create the same movements, dances of success etc ~ they all have their own character (especially the fat one who knocks in dead close puts with the handle of his putter a la a snooker cue). The female ones are, apparently, attractive, too.

The courses look great, and the animation of the camera-work is perfect. The weather effects are fine, with a variety of skies and times of day to play under, and while the seaside courses offer up some odd-looking spray at times, one is certainly given a great help in the ?feels as if you?re there? stakes.

Unfortunately there are downers to this ~ the audience sometimes have to disappear, especially when you are expected to hit through them from the deep rough around the greens, and are on the whole horribly cheap semi-transparent triangular shapes. Some of the trees behave a bit oddly too, and as for the squirrels?

The sound is commendable too, apart from the
awful choice of American soft-nu-metal tracks on the soundtrack (whose playlist is editable). There is a great thwock, apparently very realistic too, on contact with the ball, but best by far is the spread of commentary snippets. Provided by two unheard-of American TV pundits (presumably), they provide many a humorous moment, from the sarcastic (?well, after that last scything attempt??) to the cruel, to the cheery upon success. If you ignore their horrible suggestions of which club to use, they provide nothing but enjoyment, and even after more than a week of fairly strong use, will still come up with unheard samples.

But the playability is surely the key here. And although theediscerning has never tried to play golf, this seems to be emulated just as well as it could be. There even has to be a matchingly unique grip on the PS2 controller for one, especially if one is to get a perfect toggle on the left stick, combined with maximum power-giving pushes on L1. It would be silly to list all the controls here, but one button zooms to the pin (or destination en route) for targeting, one changes club, one the type of shot to be played, and so on. It is in the marriage of power and accuracy needed by the swing and stroke that the skill has to be learnt, just as in the real game.

The manual is at times a bit obscure, and of course would rather detail all the playing options available to create depth, rather than guide you smoothly into understanding the on-screeen percentages, etc (is a red glowing power-ball indicating 100%, or more? is one initial query players will have to work out), but is decent enough.

And so, where, when and who are playing, and how? Well, the licence has provided replicas of some very famous courses ~ even theediscerning has heard of St Andrews, and Royal Birkdale. There are some bizarre American courses too, but the less said about Black Rock Cove the better (grrr!).

The wide range of playing options a
llows one to four players to play a round of 9 or 18 on any unlocked course, or a random mixture of holes. Here one can potter around merrily, making the practise mode completely redundant (and eerily silent), and pick up a little money, for a birdie here, a close approach there, a par-even-though-you-hit-a-bunker,-you-Nellie-award , etc? A full round can also be in tournament mode too, but the bigger prizes, and better chance of character progression, is to be found playing solo.

Tiger Woods has ?himself? (gee, thanks, Tiger!) provided us with a host of scenarios to fulfil, all of which give us a medal and a little pocket money. But the challenges are the ones to go for, as the difficulty in the first range of match-play 9-hole contests is slender, against a medley of weak putters. These provide your character with great moolah.

The point of all this dosh is that it is converted into your attributes. Starting your character on a basic template, buying up in power, accuracy, putting and recovery skills, for example, unlocks a greater ability in your character to succeed, hit those long drives etc ~ as long as you yourself are progressing in your own talents and judgment. It eventually also leads to the inevitable equipment trade-ins.

These challenges also unlock the players you beat, as if they are ever of interest, but more importantly, the more interesting courses. Thus the game opens up, and if played a sensible number of hours per day, whatever your ability, would still take over a week to unlock all the main elements.

Even if everything is open to you, there are still the tournaments, and trophy balls to win ~ awarded from things as easy as a 30?put, to scoring double eagles. The multi-player option will surely provide many a repeat visit, as other people get hooked easily, and join in ~ it?s a shame, then, that one can save only a measly four character set-ups per memory card.

Along the way, as one is upping
your game progression score on your stats screen, there are the rather silly/fun side games. There are different fantasy ranges with bulls-eye type greens to play for, either one or two-player. Also for pairs, speed golf provides a merry diversion, featuring much old-fashioned rapid button tapping, just as old Daley Thompson?s Decathlon had us pressing away like billy-oh to get anywhere.

Of course there will be those playing this, like theediscerning, who have got no nearer a golf club than a day?s drive, let alone a 3 wood drive. For those, the game provides logical assistance, all seemingly in keeping with a professional?s outlook on the game. The wind meter, relative height of pin, distance to target, lie of ball etc, are all portrayed, but can all be switched off, should you think Tiger et al couldn?t possibly be privy to such data. The numbers and screen display are nice and uncluttered, once one gets used to knowing where to look.

Putting in fact relies on numbers, as the ?caddy?s advice? is displayed. Move your target to the exact spot the computer has worked out will provide you with a fine putt, and on the whole you are OK. However they are sometimes wrong, and other ways of approach are available. Take your pick, and knock it in, if you can. Yet never worry that the statistics and so on that golf seems to thrive on will bog you down here. (Someone cleverer than theediscerning once pointed out that golf is a game where every single permutation is measured in progress, feet and inches, career stats, etc, and what does it rely on at the end? Some chap picking his ball up and putting a coin in its place?)

The learning curve, then, is the main feature of the game, as it doesn?t exactly start out difficult, but your character is soon advanced, with just $300,000, to quite a decent player. How complacent you will quickly feel when you switch tee and pin positions to hard levels, and give the groundsmen the day off as the rou
gh grows to long. However there will come a time when Mr Woods himself is the opponent?

Admittedly with nothing to compare it with, theediscerning is mightily impressed with the gameplay on this golf sim. It?s a very user-friendly game that never comes across as deathly difficult, but is still easy to muck up of your own volition. You can squeeze a full round in, solo at least, in under 20 minutes, as the loading times are decent throughout. It is therefore fine for a quick dip (one can play for much shorter a time than that, if just a couple of thousand dollars earnt is your goal), or for much greater immersion, as you perfect your character?s abilities.

(Cheesy op-end alert.)

Anyone with half a mind to buy a PS2 golf sim, really ought to take a look at Tiger. It?s ?g-r-r-e-e-a-a-t?!




(Non-cheesy op-addendum alert.)

Tiger Woods 2004 for the PS2 is out the week of posting this op (the end of September 2003), and that can only mean one thing ~ 2003 will come down in price. Pay for the new model for different courses and options to alter your character?s facial characteristics, clothing licensing and celebratory dances, or just buy a dang good game.

Summary: