Reviews

Posted by: jkdmedia

As a dedicated fan of the Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchise, it’s great to see the series always make an appearance as a launch title for a new console or gaming system. Whether it’s the Nintendo DS or Sony’s PSP, the Tiger Woods games are there. So it wasn’t a surprise to find Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 among Microsoft’s new gaming machine called the Xbox 360. Yet some launch titles have the reputation of being a rushed production and, sadly enough, it’s the case with this version of EA Sports much-loved golf franchise. The good news, though, is that it’s still worth your attention if you like golf.

The game has been released on all consoles before the launch of the Xbox 360 and the result was yet another amazing golf game with all the things we love about the series plus some much needed changes. The Xbox 360 is much like the other console versions in terms of the tighter controls but when it comes to game modes things are looking very slim. Where are the fun little putting challenge mini-games and where are the various other courses that add more challenges and variety to each fairway? Well they’re not in this version of the game, that’s for sure. The result is a game that feels unfinished or quickly made up to look pretty and slap on the main playing modes.

There are some game modes aside from the game’s main My Career mode like Stroke Play, Match Play, Skins, Stableford, Alternate Shot, Best Ball and Four-Ball. They are fun modes indeed and even better when you share them with a friend, especially when it comes to a game of Skins. The main attraction here, though, is My Career and it’s great fun. You start by creating your character using the returning Game Face feature (stilled filled with plenty of options to create a player that looks just like you) and then putting them on the green. The events that unfold at the beginning are simple: Tiger Wood’s amateur Pro-Am partner has dropped out and you have been chosen as his replacement. You’ll start off with Tiger himself by your side as your partner and work your way up the PGA Tour ladder. Of course, you’ll have to go through the required Q-School training that quickly becomes a drag. Other than that the game mode modes along nicely and is nicely challenging.

Unfortunately, you’ll hit another snag along the way and it comes in the form of a lack of golf courses. There are six in total that range from Pebble Beach, the Riviera Country Club, Pinehurst No.2, TPC at Sawgrass, Carnoustie and Turnberry Ailsa course. This leads to seeing the same courses and holes in the other game modes available. The six courses that are good enough either way so while you’ll wish there were the other courses you get in the other version of the game you’ll find yourself nicely challenged. The courses have all the right sand traps and hazards you’d expect from these courses.

Control-wise this game plays just as smoothly if not better than the other console versions. The 360 controller just makes the swing controls feel a lot more comfortable. You still have the swing stick and it works well but thanks to the shoulder buttons the littlest thing like switching club and the max putt really do make the difference. Now add solid AI for the pros and you have yourself a nicely challenging golf game.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 on the Xbox 360 will not blow you away. You won’t feel like you’re playing an all new game where everything around you looks like it’s been dramatically revamped to take advantage of the console’s amazing graphical capabilities. It’s a tad easier on the eyes than the other console versions and that’s not bad at all. We’ve seen how good Pebble Beach looks before but now it’s just crisp and even more detailed than before. Players like Tiger will look like the real thing even from a distance. Even your created player displays some impressive details.

Birds will chirp and the sound of your sand wedge kicking up sand in a sand trap can be clearly heard if you have a good sound system hooked up. Again, the commentary team are quick to point out mistakes and poor swings and if you leave the controller alone they’ll even say a few hilarious things about neglecting your console. There’s the usual stable of EA Sports Trax that aren’t bad (new Dave Matthews Band, for example) but we heard better from the series. You’ll even hear your created character shout out in frustration.

There’s more to a game than just its visuals and somehow EA Sports manages to forget this. Sure Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 for the new Xbox 360 looks as good as Tiger’s swing but it sacrifices the modes and courses that make the game such a treat to play. This doesn’t mean the game is bad … it’s really the opposite of bad when it comes to the controls and its My Career mode. If you’re a loyal fan of the series like I am then you’ll want to buy this game. If it a perfect golf experience you’re looking for this year, however, I suggest you buy the Xbox version instead.

Gameplay: 8.5
The controls feel good on the Xbox 360 and you’ll be glad that the swing controls are just wonderfully responsive. Everything from putting to reading the green is handled good enough but the removal of some beloved game modes and the lack of various courses is heartbreaking. EA Sports, you broke my heart.

Graphics: 7.5
The game’s graphics are a lot tighter and a bit more detailed than the original Xbox version but other than that don’t expect a radical change. It’s great to see some familiar courses looks cleaned up and that Xbox 360 water looks amazing. Your created player looks just as great as the familiar pro golfers.

Sound: 7.5
The commentary is still as great as the other console versions and there’s a great deal of ambient noises that sound just like being outdoors. You’ll hear from your created player and the spectators sound a lot better in this version. There’s an eclectic mix of tunes that aren’t bad at all.

Difficulty: Medium
Playing against rivals and top PGA players will have you working hard and that’s just the way fans of the franchise like it.

Concept: 7.0
All the usual goodies to unlock from past Tiger Woods games are available and they’re usually items you can use in the Pro Shop. The player creation tools haven’t changed at all but at least your created golfer looks just as detailed standing next to Tiger. The multiplayer is worth sharing with friends.

Multiplayer: 7.5
The offline and online multiplayer options are nice additions and will be the reason you’ll still be playing the game long after you’re done with the single-player My Career mode. You can play against up to four friends or team up with a friend in a co-op game. Online the game moves at an ultra smooth framerate and with EA Sports sponsored tournaments you had better start practicing now.

Overall: 7.7
While it is a lot prettier than the other console versions, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 for the Xbox 360 feels like a rushed production that plays well enough but still not up to the standards of the new console. If you’re a fan of the franchise the game might be well worth the money but as it is you might just want to stick to the Xbox version instead.