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.
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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.
