The career mode is as before; create your own golfer and set off to conquer the world of golf. The character creation is relatively basic compared to other games but it is quick and easy to create someone to send out on the course. If you are looking to create an identical clone of yourself however then you might be disappointed. Naturally you can’t just send out your player until you have picked a suitable outfit and clubs. The standard gaming rules apply here, the bare minimum is available from the off and the rest you will need to unlock. You can if you like, choose a different outfit for each of the 4 days of tournament play; just imagine the shame of being caught wearing the same outfit 2 days in a row.
The start of the career is interesting, it treats you like a newcomer. Of course, you are a newcomer but I’ve never really felt like I’ve been treated as such. The tournaments you enter at the beginning are all full 18 hole rounds but you don’t get to play all 18 holes. Instead, you get a handful of holes to play as if you aren’t capable of completing all 18. For the holes you don’t play, the game uses your attributes to decide how your player performed. What is more interesting is the order of the holes. At one point I was about to tee off on the 17th and noticed the number of holes left. I began to wonder if there was a beer drinking mini game for the ‘19th hole’ but no, instead of playing the 18th next I was back on the 9th hole. Peculiar but it does mean you can whizz through the initial tournaments.
Graphically the game is very nice and not surprisingly, the best looking golf game there has been. The user created character wouldn’t look out of place on the last generation of consoles though. I also do find a little grainy look around some edges at times and the courses seem to have a fly problem, or perhaps the camera man just needs a wash. Naturally the glorious weather and the very scenic US based courses add to the visual appeal more than the Scottish courses do. On the audio side, a special mention has to be made for the commentary team. Babbling away are Rick Lerner and Frank Nobio, I’ve no idea who they are but the commentary is very good and just like on the tv. It does need a little more variety and I was most disappointed that they didn’t stop talking to praise my chip from the rough that went right into the hole. The game itself appreciated it with a slightly slow motion speed and a heart-beat like vibration through the control pad. Of course, these touches were needless as I knew it was in the moment I hit it. Perhaps.
Where the game does seem to fall short is with the number of course and golfers. This doesn’t seem to have gone down well at all and understandably so; there seems to be no justification for much less content than previous games. I played this using the 10 hour trial from EA Access so it hasn’t been an issue for me but based on how much they charge for the full game, the complaints are worth paying attention to. EA have promised some free content but it should have been there at the start. The release coincides with the Open taking place which is perfect timing but since there wasn’t a game last year, I hardly think they were pushed for time. In amongst the minimal course selection are some fantasy courses as usual and the one based on Battlefield is a particular delight both visually and from the commentary, the way the commentary team casually mention a destroyer as if it is as standard part of a golf course is very well done.
To accompany the career is the nightclub challenge mode. There seems to be very little in the way of dancing but it is a night setting with plenty of neon lights. It looks nice and makes a change from all of the usual green. The challenge mode setup is a little like a mobile phone game in that there is a path through the stages with 3 stars to be won for each one. The rules of golf get a little more relaxed here with things like turbo boosts for your ball to give it extra height to get through the hoop. It is a bit of fun and naturally the challenge rises. There is also an online mode with a variety of modes but I’ve not dabbled yet, the career mode has always been my main interest.
There is a distinct lack of content and EA have been slated for this in many reviews. Whilst I do agree with the criticisms, I also think the game should be primarily judged on what is there rather than what is missing. This is a good game of golf and I’ve enjoyed my time with it, well, until I try to putt that is. The aiming arc is a great addition for me but there is little else that is new. Whilst it plays well, people will need to question the price tag based on the level of content.
Rory McIlroy PGA Tour
Pros
- Aiming arc is useful
- Plays a fine game of golf
- Commentary is very good
Cons
- Lack of content
