Hot Shots Golf Fore! offers a deceptively deep golf game that's enjoyable despite a few flaws.
User Rating: 7.9 | Hot Shots Golf Fore! PS2
Sony Computer Entertainment America has defined the Hot Shots Golf series as "golf for the people." On the surface, it would seem that the Hot Shots series does just that with cartoony characters, annoying caddies, and the liberal use of the three-click swing system-- as opposed to migrating to the analog swing like EA's Tiger Woods series has done. With Hot Shots Golf Fore!, developer Clap Hanz maintains the same feel as it has in its previous Hot Shots efforts and at the same time delivers a deceptively deep golf experience. Although the analog swing is nowhere to be seen in the play mechanics of HSGF!, players will very quickly learn that factors such as elevation and ball lie play an integral role in carding low scores. If you stick with that 7-iron from an elevated tee on that par-3, chances are that your ball will be swimming with the fishes. Failing to account for that crosswind will be the difference between landing a drive on the fairway and landing it behind a tree. The rule here: Don't be fooled by the game's appearance. HSGF! plays a much harder round of golf than Tiger Woods. The three-click swing system is also a bit deeper than some players may think. There are options for "super backspin" and "super topspin", as well as a "perfect impact" feature that can be crucial when trying to chop your approach out of the rough over a water hazard. All of these options are triggered by D-pad and button combinations during the swing, and once these skills are mastered, they go a long way towards taking some of the bite off of the game's various courses-- some of which make repeat appearances from Hot Shots Golf 3. Players are also allowed a certain number of "power swings", which add distance, and can choose a new type of swing: the "Full Power" swing. Full Power swings, when timed correctly, can fly farther than Power Swings can, but beware: if your timing is off, there's no telling where your shot will end up. It's a "risk vs. reward" feature that is welcome in this game. Putting has been an issue in this series since Hot Shots Golf 2, and continues to be the proverbial thorn in players' sides in HSGF!. Despite having a grid to help read the greens' breaks and rolls, it's still not all that easy to read just how far a putt will break and there is a natural tendency to leave putts short of the cup. Having some extra sort of guide, like a projected putt path, would help make putting less painful; however, putting isn't exactly easy in real golf, so fans of the sport may appreciate this difficulty. The single-player game revolves around two main modes of play. The first challenges players to take on new characters in match play scenarios in order to unlock them for future use. Some of these characters are new, some are returning characters from older Hot Shots Golf games, and others are special guests from other Sony games. The other mode is a tournament mode, in which players must attempt to win various tournaments and collect enough experience to move through the ranks and reach the upper echelon of golf. As players reach a certain level of experience by winning tournaments, trials open up that present different challenges at different courses. These challenges can range from adding extra strokes for hitting trees or landing in sand traps to having to use a specific character or being forced to play on a specific course. Completing these trials triggers a promotion in ranking. Players receive points for their play, such as hitting greens in regulation, sinking birdies and eagles, making long putts, and chipping in from off the green. These points can be used to buy a plethora of goodies from the shop, including new clubs and balls, new character costumes, new camera angles, various wallpaper, and other goodies. Some items become available with time, while others become available after accomplishing certain feats in the game. It's also worth noting that bad shots in the course of a round can also take away from your point total, so dropping an approach into a water hazard or having a wayward drive land in a sand trap will penalize players with more than just a challenging follow-up shot. Visually, HSGF! looks quite good. There are a bunch of new, sweeping camera angles that follow the path of your golf shot, and some angles can make those with weak constitutions a bit queasy. The trees in the background now sway more realistically in the breeze and are an indicator of just how hard the wind is blowing, which is vital in planning the trajectory of your next shot. The water effects are as stunning as they were in Hot Shots Golf 3, and there is some occasional wildlife to add a little detail. As you'd expect, the frame rate rarely stutters in this game, and the animations and ball physics are very smooth. Perhaps the weakest part of the game lies in the quirky character and caddie design, which are stereotype-driven and may not sit well with everyone. Without a doubt, the sound in HSGF! is its weakest point. The voice clips will quickly annoy most people, as they are also stereotype-driven and happen much too frequently. From the redneck "Let's do it for America!" to an Irishman whining about his lucky charms, Clap Hanz seems to be an equal-opportunity offender. There are also pokes at famous people like Sean Connery and Sir Paul McCartney in this game. The music doesn't fare much better, as much of it is a repeat performance of the elevator music found in Hot Shots Golf 3. Granted, at least Clap Hanz got some sound effects right, such as the sound of a driver connecting with a golf ball off the tee, but that's really not saying much. It's also important to note that HSGF! is online-enabled, which certainly adds value to the game when you have unlocked everything and don't have any friends available to play face-to-face. Having the ability to play golf with opponents in different states or countries is certainly a great feature, and seeing how you rank with the best players around is a barometer of your skills. All in all, Hot Shots Golf Fore! is a deceptively deep golf game that can certainly be enjoyed if you're willing to overlook a few flaws. While the game doesn't carry the bells and whistles that EA's Tiger Woods franchise does, it is a much deeper golf experience that could actually teach you a thing or two about real golf, in spite of its presentation. If, for whatever reason, you haven't played a Hot Shots game up to now, Hot Shots Golf Fore! is certainly the game to get and for everyone else, it'll serve as a buffer while waiting for Tiger to prowl again on your PS2.
