Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004

"Good clean fun."

It's a golf game. Excited yet? Probably not, because if you're like me, golf video games have always seemed tedious and boring, and there are so many other more exciting games that you could be playing. That's the attitude I had when I picked up this title, but it quickly drew me in and hooked me, and now it's even inspired me to write this review. You probably still need persuading, so read on.

Starting out

The first thing you have to do is create your own character, and the options here are almost overwhelming. The most important things you have to decide are your name and gender, since you won't be able to go back and change those later. A whole lot of things will be totally different between a male and female character such as clothing, animations, and accessories, so creating a second profile of the opposite sex later adds a good bit of replay value. Once you've created your character, there is a short tutorial that teaches you how to perform different shots and gives you your tour card so you can start playing.

Control

Not much to complain about here. The controls are easy to learn and pretty intuitive, but it still takes some practice to get really good with them. The controls help give an arcade feel to the game that makes it fun to play. You have to pay attention to several different factors when choosing your shot, but even if you set up everything perfectly you still have to execute it. The only thing that some people may not like is the putting, though I don't really have a problem with it. Also be aware that to get the most out of your tee shots you'll need to tap the power boost button pretty furiously, and that gets kind of tiresome after you've been playing for a while. Only minor quibbles though. I like this game's controls a lot.

Gameplay

I don't have room to tell you everything about gameplay here, but rest assured it's very satisfying. I kind of touched on this when I talked about the controls, but it's the arcade style of gameplay that makes this game so fun to play and so very, very addictive. Changes in wind, tee and pin position, and your character's skill level keep the courses different every time you play them, and there are a generous number of courses and game modes to play. Variety is good.

Gametypes

Lots of fun to be had here. The most fun is in World Tour mode, where you play 1v1 against different golfers, some real and some fictional. World Tour starts out pretty easy for your inexperienced character, and it's a great way to earn money. The second main part of the game is the PGA Tour Season Mode. It's a little more boring than playing against someone, and playing the same course four times in a row may get somewhat repetitive, but it's still pretty fun and a good way to earn money. One mode that I'm not really a fan of is the Real Time Event. To unlock certain items in the Pro Shop, you have to beat challenges on certain days, such as characters' birthdays or holidays. It's an interesting idea, but really all it does is force you to change your system clock when you want to unlock something. I doubt many people will use this feature like it was meant to be used. There are a few other modes in addition to these, such as Scenarios, and overall the wide variety means that you'll always find a mode that you feel like playing.

Options

Options, options, options. You can do just about anything you want with your character, from buying clothing and accessories, increasing attributes, and even entirely changing your physical features. You really just have to play the game to appreciate the amount of customization available, and the huge amount and variety of options is just another thing that makes this game so addictive.

Multiplayer

I haven't played a whole lot of multiplayer, but what I have played has been very enjoyable and a nice change of pace from the usual shooting or racing. If you have a memory card you can take your character to a friend's XBox for a game, and you can actually win good money by playing multiplayer. It's no replacement for a Halo LAN party, but the multiplayer in this game is still solid.

Conclusion

Did I mention this game's addictive quality? For the first week or so you start playing you won't be able to put it away, and after that you'll still be going strong. There's a lot to do in this game and a lot of replay value, so it will definitely keep you entertained. Many people will skip over this game, but if you're reading this review and considering a purchase, buy this game now. You will enjoy it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/12/04