After a disappointing showing from the 08 version, Tiger fires back with a winner.
There are some very noteworthy changes in 09, more than you would expect from a yearly installment. Many of the problems that marred the 08 game have been addressed, and the final product comes together very well.
The first major issue that has been fixed is the ridiculous rubberband AI on the computer. The CPU players no longer shoot incredible scores, so you are no longer punished for playing good rounds. This can make the game a bit too easy, but there are always difficulty settings to tweak if you require more challenge.
Tiger 09 also features an immediate feedback swing gauge. No more shots flying wildly off into the trees when you felt like you put a good swing on it. There is a gauge on the lower left that displays your swing path as you make it - when you DO shank one into the trees, you will see that you did in fact drift way to one side with the swing. This makes it much easier to tweak your swing to your tendencies, because the mystery of where you went wrong is gone.
Also new to the series is the Club Tuner. This allows you to customize the attributes of your clubs, such as power, spin, workability, etc. You can juice your clubs up for more distance, but the result is a smaller Sweet Spot, thus making it more detrimental to put a poor swing on a shot. This means that to really maximize your output, especially in power, you really need to be a consistently good swinger. It also means that if you struggle with consistency, you can trade off distance for a larger sweet spot to hit it shorter but straighter.
Finally, the last notable addition is the dynamic attributes feature. To put it simply, if you play well, your skills go up, but if you play poorly, your skills go down. This adds an element of strategy to your play - you can drive that 340 yard Par 4 hole, but if you miss, you'll get penalized on your stats, which makes you more likely to play the game in a reasonable manner. Some stats, like your Short Game, actually require you to play extremely well to get them into the higher levels. Also, you no longer start off the game at the bare minimum, which is nice, because it was always tough to go from maxed in the previous game to a total scrub when you bought the new one.
Finally, the new EA GamerNet interface is a very nice addition. It allows you to undertake challenges in the middle of an event, which adds extra interest and motivation to play well. If you make a good shot, you can upload your challenge for others to attempt on the fly, with a simple and quick interface. On the whole, the GamerNet feature is unobtrusive and smooth, and integrates seamlessly into the flow of the game.
However, despite the wonderful additions, there are a few areas where Tiger 09 does not shine. While the courses have gotten a cosmetic upgrade and look fantastic, the character models are distinctly poor. Specifically, the hair of the female characters looks plastic and stiff, and in general, the models just do not look as good as they should on a next gen console. I am sure some of this is carry over from it being offered on the less powerful systems, such as the PS2 and the Wii. Nevertheless, it is still a disappointment to see bad models from the game. The GameFace feature also generates a golfer that is not mildly recognizable as me, but others have said they have used it to great results, so I may just need to keep plugging away with it.
Also, the equipment options seem a bit limited, and even more skewed toward the ridiculous in order to satiate the standard internet idiot crowd. They offer you a football helmet or a king's crown to wear, but not a standard Greg Normal style straw hat? You can golf in a football uniform or a bunny suit, but you only less than a dozen options for shorts? On the whole, the equipment options are disappointing.
The online play has been improved, and now offers simultaneous play. This is a nice feature if your goal is to play as many games as possible, but if you are just looking to play a relaxed round, it can make it feel a bit rushed. It also makes it difficult to track your opponents shots (it displays them with a line, but it is difficult to read them sometimes, especially when pressed for time by a shot clock), which thus makes it more difficult to formulate a plan of attack. This is nice if you want to play a quick game, and the online interaction is quick and solid.
The bottom line is that the new Tiger is a vast improvement over the previous installment of the series and will provide a lot of fun for fans of the game. The poor character models and lacking equipment options prevent the game from being perfect, but in the end it is a fun game that you will want to keep playing for a long time.