Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004

"A quick tap in with the putter to make this a great game!"

Introduction

Another EA Sports game in the Tiger Woods series, you can resist the feeling of you controlling a Scottish fat girl and knocking around a ball with a pink golf club in an Antarctic golf green. This golf series gives off more than you can chew and in this issue you get a mouthful as usual. Full of fun (never thought I would say it about Golf) and tons of things to do, this has been rumbling my stomachs ever since its release.

Game Play

So after the brief cut scenes of famous superstars saying the traditional EA Sports catchphrase you will be forced to first get used to the controls in a training ground which concentrates on all different situations in the game, such as bunker shots, rough/chip shots, plain drivers and I could go on for hours mentioning them but it is really a quick easy way to learn the basics to play some simple individuals to fund your own personal golfer. It is quiet common in a game to include create a chracter game play but it still shocked me to find this in a golf game, luckily it has been added in this year giving you the opportunity to create a perfect mirror image of yourself as a golfer or a full out wacky golfer to well just humiliate yourself or others on the wide range of golf courses. So with your chracter and the basics to play you now have to make money to buy clothes/statistics and equipment by winning tournaments making you number 1 in the world getting even more challenges from more big pros to knock you from the top spot. Tournaments range from world tour games to big 50+ tournaments in a whopping golfing calendar for up to 9 years. You can follow a golfing year schedule well for, as long you want while grouping challenges together for medals. While in your golfing career claim hidden trophies, unlocking a wide range of things to unlock. Break world records and win all friends in multiplayer game play, the possibilities are endless to play, the developers have really sunk there head down to bring endless things to do for years making a game of golf extremely realistic which is quite a difficult thing.

The feel of swinging a ball on a cloudily day anywhere in the world really comes out unlike other golf games in the Tiger Woods series. all this is really brought out in this series, which makes it fun to play, unfortunately something completely floors a realism design, when golfing you normally take a guess of what club to use to get best stroke but this game simply picks your club and waits for you to stroke away with little to tamper with to make the game your work, wind speeds adjust your shot slightly but it's the same strokes that help you avoid the water hazards, cliffs and sand bunkers. The controls aren't exactly rocket science to pick up but this elaborate scheme to use them is somewhat disappointing therefore gives off a urge to me to just stroll down a field and crack some balls obliviously not the games aim.

Sound

A decent hit, I have heard the two commentators in EA Sports games many times and I always have different opinions on them, some times there cheesy and sometimes they give off some chuckling remarks so its very varied to listen to them. Some soundtrack hits accompany you on the menu where you are guaranteed to find at least one track you can twiddle your thumbs to. I know I have. Anyway, some basic little notes sound good enough to sound like golf hits, weather sounds etc.

Graphics

Colourful and lovely this game brings out a lovely looking version of the golfers while wandering through some beautiful breathtaking views of the golf sets, so much detail has went into the creation like animals and weather really affecting the game, crowds look like wax models but you can't blame the developers cutting some corners.

Play Time

The game will not take hours complete more like years, once you complete everything mentioned previously you would just have to complete the calendar, tuning into to play on days where the calendar indicates a match, continue playing until you fall a sleep. When you call over your mates you will have no argument playing a golfing tour around the game while squeezing in some simple golf games when you get in the mood, I think anyone can't resist a regular little golf game now and then.

Conclusion

A fantastic game with little to complain about, this game shines off while bringing a golfing spirit. It will keep you occupied well for at least a year while the next golfing game gets underway. Another game to add to EA sports top list and this game will most likely go down as the best golf game yet, well at least till the next one is released!

Percy Boi's rating 8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/07/05