Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 - PS2

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Also for: PC, Power Mac, Xbox, GameCube
Viewed: 3D Combination Genre:
Sport: Golf
Media: DVD Arcade origin:No
Developer: Electronic Arts Soft. Co.: Electronic Arts
Publishers: Electronic Arts (GB)
Released: 29 Nov 2002 (GB)
1 Nov 2002 (US)
Ratings: 3+
Accessories: Memory Card, Dual Shock Joypad

Summary

Although Electronic Arts' soccer franchise FIFA may be losing its grip somewhat on the crown of kick-around footy action, the PGA series has never faltered.

Never one to miss a licensing opportunity, especially one that just stinks of money, EA combined the gaming prowess of the PGA series with Tiger Woods, the most successful golfer in recent times and some would argue, the best golfer ever to strut the course.

As ever, a full range of real-life courses are available from the PGA Tour, including Pebble Beach Golf Links, Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass, The Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Princeville, Torrey Pines, Poppy Hills, Spyglass Hill and Tournament Players Club at Scottsdale. Each has been lovingly photographed and rendered onto the PlayStation 2 DVD, making for as realistic a console golf game a player could hope for.

Furthermore, players aren't shackled to the Tiger, and are able to pick from a colossal range of pro golfers, including such household names as Ty Tryon, Charles Howell III, Notah Begay III, Brad Faxon, Vijay Singh, Jesper Parnevik, Jim Furyk, Mark O'Meara or Mark Calcavecchia. Erm, at this point it's probably best we admit that we don't really know anything about golf. But we do know all about golf games, which is what we are discussing here. So here's how this one shapes up.

The standard 'timing balanced with educated guess' game mechanic is employed to brilliant effect in Tiger 2003. After selecting a club, you decide in the direction of play. Then, you activate the shot, tapping the button at the precise moment the bar on the screen indicates the amount of power you wish to deliver. As it returns, more exact timing is needed to exact spin, cut or slice on the shot. It's a tried and tested formula and is working here to full effect.

Not content with delivering the standard season-based golf sim, a bunch of additions have been included for your check-trousered satisfaction. These include a series of mini-games designed to enhance your golfing prowess, going by the name of SkillZone, in which a bucket of balls is taken to a somewhat engorged crazy golf course, riddled with challenges designed to bring on putting, shipping, driving and so on.

Plus, there's commentary from David Feherty and Bill Macatee, who, we are told, are very famous golf commentators.

Until this time next year, this is by far the best golf-sim on the market.