Review
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 Review (Xbox360)
Last year’s title, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09, was a superb golf game that wasn’t lacking in many areas. It was well-received by both critics and fans, so it’s no surprise that the formula hasn’t changed too much with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10. This isn’t exactly a bad thing since everything that worked last year has returned with a few new additions that spice up gameplay. EA Sports has delivered a fine tuned sports game that should please golf aficionados.
The most noticeable addition many gamers will become aware of right off the bat is the real-time weather effects. Now, when gamers are on the course putting for birdie, they have to take in effect the weather conditions that are directly from the authentic course at that single moment of the day. So if it’s raining at the Pinehurst Resort, you’ll see it pouring as you struggle to line up your putt. While it’s a surefire entertaining addition when it comes to the graphical effects, the weather doesn’t significantly alter the gameplay. The real-time weather effects are nice, but they shouldn’t have gamers salivating at the mouth to play Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10.
While the weather effects – which are fed to the game via The Weather Channel – aren’t the most earth-shattering additions, EA Sports has made sure that online gamers have enough replay value to hold their attention until next year’s release. The primary focus for Tiger Woods 10 are the Live Online Tournaments that essentially allow players to record scores against human opponents, along with real pros who are currently playing on the course. Opening up the online world to face against scores from professional golfers, the Play the Pros option is a neat addition for golf enthusiasts. Also, players are able to compete in daily and weekly events, along with saving replays to EA Sports GamerNet of their shots or an entire round for other players to challenge.
As for the changes in gameplay, players now are assisted with a new putting mechanic called Precision Putting. Its implementation into the game is said to provide a more authentic golfing experience – but I don’t agree with that assertion. The mechanic is tied to the left analog stick as you pull it back and push it forward in a straight line. This is easier said than done, thus you’ll have a handful of shots missed that should’ve been made due to the controller scheme. While the removal of switching between handfuls of putters is a delight, the learning curve for the Precision Putting isn’t in the favor of gamers who are new to the prestigious golfing series. Thus, it’s recommended that players who aren’t going to be dedicating their spare gaming time to Tiger Woods 10 spend their time putting with the Classic Putting mechanic that returns from last year.
Gamers who strive for a visual experience aren’t going to be terribly impressed by the graphical improvements. Looking and playing like last year’s title, the changes aren’t noticeable to the common eye. There are a few new courses to play on such as Bethpage Black, Torrey Pines, Oakmont and a couple others, but that shouldn’t be the reason to pick up Tiger Woods 10. Even the Photo Game Face didn’t provide satisfactory results like years in the past – many colleagues and I had to run through the process two or three times to get the face we wanted. So even with the improved foliage, addition of weather effects, and new courses to play on, Tiger Woods 10 doesn’t have a huge graphical leap over last year’s version.
In the audio department, Scott Van Pelt and Kelly Tilghman provide commentary throughout the matches. Their work together isn’t cohesive, but Van Pelt is excellent when it comes to adding emotion to the game. Tilghman’s contributions aren’t anything out of the ordinary and, most of the time, falls flat in excitement. Lastly, the crowd reactions are supplementary to the exhilaration of the game, but could use more volume in next year’s edition.
Is Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 the premiere golfing game of 2009? The answer is a resounding yes, but only because the sport doesn’t have many options in the simulation genre. If you’re still playing Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 and want an upgrade in the online options, Tiger Woods 10 is a viable option due to the amount of replay value presented. Otherwise, Tiger Woods PGA Your 10 is an excellent weekend rental for casual players who don’t have time to devote to the online options.
Top Game Moment: Scoring an eagle to get an advantage over your friends and family.
The most noticeable addition many gamers will become aware of right off the bat is the real-time weather effects. Now, when gamers are on the course putting for birdie, they have to take in effect the weather conditions that are directly from the authentic course at that single moment of the day. So if it’s raining at the Pinehurst Resort, you’ll see it pouring as you struggle to line up your putt. While it’s a surefire entertaining addition when it comes to the graphical effects, the weather doesn’t significantly alter the gameplay. The real-time weather effects are nice, but they shouldn’t have gamers salivating at the mouth to play Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10.
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| Rain or shine, you must compete with the best golfers online. | Many of the golf courses are picturesque. |
While the weather effects – which are fed to the game via The Weather Channel – aren’t the most earth-shattering additions, EA Sports has made sure that online gamers have enough replay value to hold their attention until next year’s release. The primary focus for Tiger Woods 10 are the Live Online Tournaments that essentially allow players to record scores against human opponents, along with real pros who are currently playing on the course. Opening up the online world to face against scores from professional golfers, the Play the Pros option is a neat addition for golf enthusiasts. Also, players are able to compete in daily and weekly events, along with saving replays to EA Sports GamerNet of their shots or an entire round for other players to challenge.
As for the changes in gameplay, players now are assisted with a new putting mechanic called Precision Putting. Its implementation into the game is said to provide a more authentic golfing experience – but I don’t agree with that assertion. The mechanic is tied to the left analog stick as you pull it back and push it forward in a straight line. This is easier said than done, thus you’ll have a handful of shots missed that should’ve been made due to the controller scheme. While the removal of switching between handfuls of putters is a delight, the learning curve for the Precision Putting isn’t in the favor of gamers who are new to the prestigious golfing series. Thus, it’s recommended that players who aren’t going to be dedicating their spare gaming time to Tiger Woods 10 spend their time putting with the Classic Putting mechanic that returns from last year.
Gamers who strive for a visual experience aren’t going to be terribly impressed by the graphical improvements. Looking and playing like last year’s title, the changes aren’t noticeable to the common eye. There are a few new courses to play on such as Bethpage Black, Torrey Pines, Oakmont and a couple others, but that shouldn’t be the reason to pick up Tiger Woods 10. Even the Photo Game Face didn’t provide satisfactory results like years in the past – many colleagues and I had to run through the process two or three times to get the face we wanted. So even with the improved foliage, addition of weather effects, and new courses to play on, Tiger Woods 10 doesn’t have a huge graphical leap over last year’s version.
 |
 |
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| The crowd will react accordingly to your clutch shots. | Bethpage is one of the new courses introduced. |
In the audio department, Scott Van Pelt and Kelly Tilghman provide commentary throughout the matches. Their work together isn’t cohesive, but Van Pelt is excellent when it comes to adding emotion to the game. Tilghman’s contributions aren’t anything out of the ordinary and, most of the time, falls flat in excitement. Lastly, the crowd reactions are supplementary to the exhilaration of the game, but could use more volume in next year’s edition.
Is Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 the premiere golfing game of 2009? The answer is a resounding yes, but only because the sport doesn’t have many options in the simulation genre. If you’re still playing Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 and want an upgrade in the online options, Tiger Woods 10 is a viable option due to the amount of replay value presented. Otherwise, Tiger Woods PGA Your 10 is an excellent weekend rental for casual players who don’t have time to devote to the online options.
Top Game Moment: Scoring an eagle to get an advantage over your friends and family.
