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Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10
EA continues their "wow"
factor not because they are one of the few companies to work with the
new Wii MotionPlus controller but they continue to push the boundaries
of what sports games are all about and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 is
no exception to the rule.
Although golf is golf
and little has changed in the console world in terms of gameplay with
the exception of the previous Wii version which allowed gamers to use
the innovative yet flawed control system of this console to hit golf
balls, things are beginning to look up for the world of console golfing.
Even though accuracy was
lacking in the previous Wii version, with the inclusion of Wii
MotionPlus to the Tiger Woods franchise, dodgy shots and poor accuracy
can be put away with the Dodo thanks to the new control system. Also add
in the ability to engage in the USGA rules of golf and this a dream of
many console owners. Did we also mention real-time weather effects where
you can almost feel the breeze?
In Nintendo's defense,
all I can say is about damn time. The Wii has always been "cute" and
generally the motion sensitive gameplay was really a gimmick. Sure, it
was fun to play for 30 minutes but anything longer became a chore and
tedious.
Yes there have been a few good games on the console but
thankfully Nintendo have addressed the "social", "casual" and gamer
issue by creating a new innovative control system that actually works
and is not just another gimmick which is one of the reasons why Tiger
Woods PGA Tour 10 soars high above the sports gaming world.
Not only
does the game offer a plethora of entertaining gaming modes from short
to long sessions but it successfully mimics real-world golf quite well.
Add in a variety of off-line game modes such as the FedEx Cup or even
verse other gamers in the online mode and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 has a
variety of gameplay for all sorts of gamers.
For true fans of the series, most gamers will play the career mode that
allows you to create your golfer and play the entire amateur circuit
before hitting it out with the big guns on the PGA Tour. The value for
money is definitely impressive as you'll be playing for hours upon
hours.
There are also a variety of mini-games and challenges to assist
in breaking up some of the golfing monotony which is quite fun and as
you progress, your golfer is awarded money and skills.
I must admit
that the online mode is the bees knees of online golfing which allows
the gamer to engage in ranked and unranked matches and even special
tournaments which is hosted by EA. This is where the live weather option
comes into play and if it's raining and windy in the real-world, it will be rainy and
windy in the game.
Gameplay wise, although reminiscent of previous versions, if you have
the Wii Motion Plus which we would highly recommend that you do, you
still need to hold the controller like a real golf club, however the
accuracy is unparalleled.
With this increased realism comes of course
increased mistakes which means you really have to concentrate when you
are about to hit the ball. The way it mimics hitting a real golf ball is
quite uncanny and dare I admit it, the developers have created the
"almost" perfect game of golf on any console which is also the most
frustrating aspect of the title.
If you are leaning the wrong way, your arm is
slightly off or your wrist is turned, this may cause you some grief,
however by "hanging" in, the rewards are definitely worth it.
The way
the game monitors your power is very impressive and by hitting it gently
or hitting it hard, it will in turn react quite realistically. The only
downside to swinging is that at times a perfect swing at low power
sometimes resulted in a perfect swing at high power and we learned that
you can trick the system this way.
When it comes to putting, it has also received
a facelift from previous instalments thanks to the precision putting
system which had us jumping in glee at how easy and accurate this was.
Knocking the ball into that hole is now a joy not a frustration break
your Wii and HD TV experience.
Graphically, the title has received a slight improvement over its
predecessors, however it's still oozing with Wii graphics and really
cannot compare to those high-end consoles such as the PS3 or XBox 360.
The graphics will get you by, with decent animation, weather effects and
environments, however it's still a little bland which is a shame
because the game mechanics are so good. The sound effects are all golf
and does assist with the gameplay in immersing you into this
entertaining and realistic golf game.
At the end of the day, EA Sports have created a truly remarkable golfing
game on the Wii that proves that the Wii is not just for casual or
social gamers. The inclusion of Wii MotionPlus adds a truly unique
realism to the game and as for now, this is could easily be considered
the definitive golfing experience. The only gripe is that the Wii's
graphical capabilities lets the game down a little... however putting
this aside, the game still transcends another level.
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