Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2002

"Best golf game ever."

When most people think about professional golfers, they usually think about one person. Tiger Woods. When most people think about good sports games they usually think about one company. EA Sports. Sounds like a perfect marriage right? Read on...

The Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchise that first started on the Sega Genesis has sure come a long way. While in the last couple of years its popularity has somewhat been eclipsed by the Hot Shots Golf games, the 2002 edition is sure to turn some heads and make people think twice before they buy a golf game other than Tiger's.

First of all, the graphics are great. They're absolutely stunning at times and while they're not perfect, (sometimes the players can look a little weird), they more than do the job. You can clearly see the difference between the fairway and the rough and even between different cuts of rough as you make your way through the seven golf courses in the game including such PGA Tour stops as Pebble Beach and the TPC at Sawgrass.

The sounds are spot on with the roar of the galleries and the ambient sounds present while on the course. The announcers sometimes get a bit repetitive, but since they can give you helpful tips, you probably won't want to turn them off. The thwack of club striking ball is nice and even Tiger himself chimes in with somewhat witty commentary, depending on how you're doing.

The most important aspect of any game (golf or otherwise) is the gameplay. All the spectacular graphics and bells and whistles don't mean anything if the game isn't fun to play. Luckily Tiger shines in this department, as the gameplay is arguably the best part of this gem. No more three click swing here, folks. The new ''Total Precision Swing Technology'' is exactly that. You can easily control your ball around the course, although if you're new at this, you should probably go for the relatively short and very helpful tutor. Other than that you can expect all the golf game staples, such as Stroke, Match, Skins, and Tournaments, not to mention the scenarios and especially the Tiger Challenge, which is the how you unlock the other players and courses. The different modes present plenty of replay value while adding something different in the way of how you get through the game.

If you're a fan of golf games at all, you might as well splurge and buy this game because you definitely won't be disappointed.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/02/02, Updated 07/02/02