|
|
             |
|
|
|
||
|
Platform: Xbox Genre: Sports Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: EA Sports ESRB: E (Everyone) Released: Q4 2002
Support AE! Buy Games Here:
Be notified of site updates. Sign-up for the Newsletter sent out twice weekly. Enter E-Mail Address Below: |
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003Score:
9.0 / 10 |
||
|
Pros: -
-
Amount of customization available is overwhelming - Speed golf mode is totally fun
|
Cons: -
Character model graphics aren’t too good - Controls take getting used to
|
Related Links: Review: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 (Playstation 2)
|
|
|
"Golf
videogaming has never been so fun.
|
|||
|
Tiger
Woods is absolutely the best golfer on planet Earth. No one else comes
close. So is it any surprise that his endorsed golf videogame, Tiger
Woods PGA Tour 2003 (TW2003), is the best golf title around?
I’m
not a golf fan by any stretch of the imagination. The extent of my golf
experience comes down to 18 holes on the miniature golf course at Nifty
Fifty’s. And as far as golf videogames, my tastes are more along the
lines of Mario Golf on the N64. But the inclusion of more modes and
features than just your standard 18-hole golf game in TW2003 actually
made me enjoy swinging the ol’ virtual golf club for the first time in
a long while. There
are features in TW2003 to please both simulation and arcade golf gamers. For
the simulation gamer, you won’t find a better and more accurate golf
title. There is a large selection of actual PGA Tour golfers included or
you create your own golfer and take him on the tour. With the money won
in various golf contests you can increase your custom golfer’s stats
to the point where he will be able to challenge Tiger himself for links
supremacy. Stroke play tournament mode allows you to compete against
golf’s best in an 18, 36, 54 or 72-hole tournament on one of nine
real-life courses, including St. Andrews, accurately and beautifully
modeled to the smallest detail. Also available are skins, match play,
and dormie modes. You can even go online and set up an account that will
rank you (until January 1, 2004) against other TW2003 golfers from
around the world to see who really is the best.
When
you first start playing, TW2003 has two features that help out the golf
illiterates get comfortable with the control setup. One tutorial helps
you figure out how to hit various shots, depending on the situation. The
second explains caddie tips that appear on-screen, which give you tips
on how and where to hit your upcoming shot. Without the caddie tips, I
would have been frustratingly lost on the green, especially when it came
to putting.
TW2003’s controls do take some getting accustomed to, especially on long drives. The left thumbstick is first pushed down, which starts the club’s swing to the desired point. A higher placement produces a harder swing and vice versa. The tricky part is the follow-through. To get the maximum hit on the ball, the thumbstick must quickly be pushed up from the initial swing move. After a while timing will be developed that makes getting a good hit on every swing possible. But initially it will be hit and miss on good shots until that familiarity is reached.
As I said before, I don’t enjoy the standard 18-hole game of golf in a videogame. My golf preference is more arcade-oriented like that found in Outlaw Golf. TW2003 has that covered too. Three fantasy courses are here, as well as a bunch of fantasy golfers (both male and female). Six mini-games get gamers off the normal course and into some unique competition, including the golf equivalent of h-o-r-s-e, T-I-G-E-R. The best mode by far is the Speed Golf mode. This mode is great against another human player.
Speed
mode starts you out with an equal amount of cash. The goal is to
complete a task before your opponent to steal as much money from his
bank as you can. The first player that hits the ball off the tee gets
some of his competitor’s cash.
The announcers calling the action are what you would probably expect if you’ve ever watched ten minutes of golf on television. One good touch is that if you listen close enough, the announcers provide useful tips, particularly on club selection for the shot you’re currently attempting. Sound effects include the crowd reactions to shots and birds flying overhead. A cool effect is heard (and felt with the vibration feature on) when a great long shot is hit. You can actually hear and feel the golfer’s heartbeat as the ball is in flight on its way to the cup. When this happens, you know you clubbed the ball real good.
This
title has the familiar customization features that every EA Sports game
has. Don’t feel like playing 18 holes of golf? Just play the back
nine. If you actually know what you’re doing, edit the clubs in your
bag to suit the course that’s being played. If you want, the depth of
the rough can be set to short, medium or long. As you get more seasoned
by playing the game’s various modes, the game also keeps track of your
resume, documenting how many tour events you have won, trophy balls
accumulated, all-time records held, and the total hole-in-ones and par 5
eagles you’ve sunk. When
selecting your Xbox golf choice, think like Chris Rock in the movie
“Down to Earth”: “Tiger Tiger Woods, y’all!” The staggering
volume of features helps tag Tiger Woods PGA 2003 as the best golf game
on the market no matter if you want a true simulation or desire Outlaw
Golf-style links action. Golf videogaming has never been so fun. -
Lee Cieniawa (December 6, 2002)
Search for Related Topics:
...More Sports Game Reviews...
...More Reviews of Games Developed/Published by Electronic Arts... |
|||
