Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 review (X360)

Evolutionary rather than revolutionary is the term I would use to describe Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09. Oh make no mistake, this is a very good quality polished game. But the new features aren't as hot as you might think. This is Tiger Woods tweaked, Tiger Woods refined.

And that's a good thing. EA Sports has taken some excellent features and integrated them more tightly into the core gameplay. Other features which were damn fine to start with haven't been changed just for the sake of it. It's a measured and sensible approach and only rarely is the side let down by odd mistakes or a lack of quality.

Swingers

Thankfully we've been left alone to enjoy the traditional left-thumb swing control once again, it really wasn't broken so there was no need to tinker with it. I'm also rather glad that the optional three-click swing method is only a right stick click away.

It is needed for those rare occasions when EA Sports swing mechanics aren't that intuitive. Hitting the ball distances that require 100 percent of the club are a cinch. Occasions where 60 percent is called for not so easy. In the real world half the swing distance does not mean half the distance, it's much more complex and biomechanical than that.

So judging those part swings is tough and the three-click system is ideal, especially when putting. Should EA Sports have made the swing more intuative? I think not, I prefer it to remain a more natural system and in time you do come to appreciate what kind of swing you'll need for half the power. There's definite room for refinement in the putting and it's the area most likely to annoy - with judging power less than 100 percent tricky at the best of times.

Coach

The big news for this version of the game, or at least the feature EA Sports is most excited about, is the inclusion of Tiger Woods' coach Hank Haney. I'm not convinced. This seems more of a case of Tiger helping a friend with his pension fund.

Hank appears occasionally and delivers dialogue in a way only a man uncomfortable in the limelight can do. His performance isn't really up to much. Neither is the way he is integrated into the game.

First impressions are good though as EA Sports has finally tackled the issue of golfers with uber-stats. Now stats can go up as well as down depending on performance on each round and it feels more natural than the way stats were handled in the past. Creating a golfing superhuman is still relatively easy though but if folks are going to create easy custom courses to cheat their stats then who are we to argue.

Where does Hank fit into this? After each round he offers exercises to help you boost your stats in the weaker areas. But there's nothing detailed in it and it amounts to the same type of work each time, there's no real sense he's your personal trainer or the game is taking much notice of how you play the game.

A deeper problem with player progression comes from the continued reliance on ridiculous items bought from the pro shop. What's the point in boosting stats through play when you can buy a magic ring that improves your play? This kind of thing has no place in a sensible sports simulation and it's time EA ditched the concept completely. Customisation is fine, welcome even, but it should have no basis on stats.

Cash seems to be the reason it hasn't been ditched because this year, if you don't have the in-game moola to buy a magic hat, you can spend real world money via Microsoft Points on any item. And that, my friends, sucks the big one.

Matchplay

Issues of greed aside TW PGA 09 plays a very solid game of golf. There's much to admire in the core gameplay which now seems more balanced than it ever has.

Some niggles remain - the game is still a little easy at times. Tournaments where an aggregate score of 20-under are needed to win show there's some work to be done in bringing AI, tournament construction and difficulty into balance.

Yet out on the courses it feels more together than most golf games you are going to play. The integration of gamer-net challenges is inspired and perhaps the most important new feature of the game. Ghost objectives appear on each hole, uploaded by other players, so you are in-effect playing against the feats of the whole community every time you take to a course. This brilliant move means that each shot gains more importance that it otherwise might.

Multiplayer tweaks are very welcome too. Simultaneous four player matches benefit hugely from not having to wait for each player to take their shot. Instead coloured streaks show your opponents' progress towards the whole. Neat, elegant and well designed.

Presentation

Tiger Woods PGA 09 is a good looking game but there's still a cartoon-like vibe to the courses. There's no sense the hardware is being stretched. Certainly if photorealism is the aim the graphics are still lacking some way. However the water is much better this time round. Spectators remain zombie-like and stuck with a limited range of animations.

The commentary is particular poor this year. TW is not a franchise known for its great commentary anyway but even though they've ditched the annoying Irish guy there's still no improvement. "That may reach the green," is a pretty stupid thing for the commentary to say seconds after your ball has done just that.

19th Hole

Where does that all leave us then?

Tiger Woods PGA 09 is a very strong game. The core gameplay is fun if not that taxing. The new stats system is definitely a move in the right direction and the integration of EA Sports gamer-net is inspired.

The inclusion of Hank Haney seems a wasted opportunity and rather pointless. Yet even though his appearance adds little to the game, some of the features he is involved in are worthwhile. Being able to tune your clubs to suit your gameplay - perhaps adding distance in exchange for a smaller "sweet spot" is just the ticket.

In conclusion EA Sports has put together is damn good game here and one worthy of your money. There's still some work to do though before the Tiger Woods franchise becomes the definitive home of the sport it aims to simulate - as the FIFA franchise has become.