PGA Tour 97

"It's a Golf game, what do you expect?"

Introduction:
I have have never had that huge of an interest in golf, while I never really loved the sport, a good golf game was just the thing to get the majority of my family around the TV. Our long time favorite was Hot Shots Golf for PSX, and when I saw PGA Tour, I was hoping for another game in the vein of the PSX classic. I am sorry to say if you want something like Hot Shots golf, this is not the game for you. Truthfully only fans of the sport will find something to like in this game.

Graphics: 6/10
While I didn't expect too much from the Saturn, this is still disappointing. Not so much the golfers themselves, but the fact that there is a noticeable pause between the completion of your swing input and the beginning of the swing animation for your character. The courses themselves don't look to hot, with the down course trees looking like a mess of colors, and the ones close to you not looking much better. Overall I'd say this was below average, even for the Saturn.

Sound: 7/10
The game is golf, so blazing symphonies aren't required. What is provided does the job well, the provided sounds including birds chirping, the wind blowing, and commentary. The commentary quality is alright, nothing poor, but no Academy Award winning performances either. Other than that there isn't too much to say about the sound.

Gameplay: 7/10
It's Golf, the sport is represented fairly well here, with two courses, TPC at Sawgrass, and Spyglass Hill. and a list of Pros. Your swing mechanic is the one still in use today, you start the meter moving, stop it at the top, and stop it again at the marked area in the bottom. The HUD gives you all the relevant info you need, including wind, distance to pin and how high up/down it is. There is nothing revolutionary about the game, but nothing that is glaringly bad either. Wholly average.

Overall: 6/10
I can't really recommend this to anyone other than Golf fans. Games like Outlaw Golf and Hot Shots Golf, take a serious game and lighten it up, while still keeping the core of the game the same, PGA Tour 97 keeps the game pure, which is really it's only fault.

OOOWWWW Have Mercy!!!

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 08/15/05