Like or loathe the franchise, EA try to score an Ace - but fall a few feet short. We've been here before haven't we??
Have they done it? Erm….not quite! There ARE some pretty sweet ideas, the usual top-notch representations of the worlds' finest golf courses and Xbox Live is buzzing with tonnes of stuff to get your teeth into. But strip everything away and EA still have trouble with just the basics.
TW09 is prone to glitches galore – and it isn't a new problem either, it dates back years. Some errors make you feel like EA haven't actually tested the game at all and have just thrown it randomly together at the last minute, whilst drunk, juggling kittens at the same time.
I mean, come on EA – how hard can it be? Although there's plenty of detail in the graphics to admire, why does a simple loading screen make a loud popping sound when complete? Why do screens freeze when you put the ball in the hole? Why do some characters literally bend over backwards taking shots? (See the various videos doing the rounds). Why, when taking part in coaching sessions, does your tutor want you to hit balls in a water hazard to pass? This type of tomfoolery is slipshod at best.
So, we can put a man on the moon (allegedly) – but EA can't do a loading screen correctly? Gimme a break!
On a further note of complaint – why do EA continually subject us to the same three of four courses year in, year out? Where have the fantasy courses disappeared to? Nevada's Wolf Creek is the closest thing to a fantasy course, but it's actually real! Where's the ingenuity that brought us The Predator, Highlands and Black Rock Cove for example?
It's a shame, as it does detract somewhat from what really should be an excellent game. In this review, I should be raving about GamerNet (where you can instantly challenge or post the best shots/rounds online). I should be salivating about Simultaneous Stroke Play – which is by far and away, the best thing ever to grace the Tiger Woods series.
I should be going crazy over coaching, which is a helpful addition for Newbies and Old TW war-horses like me – but can get a little too repetitive. I should be banging on about how the Game Face is still the best in the business, and how much online gameplay has improved beyond all recognition over past attempts.
But instead – I'm moaning about the negatives! Maybe it's me? Maybe after seven years, and ten different versions (on varying formats), I've come to expect something more, something ground-breaking.
I'll try and surmise this review with two scores (and average it out) – if you have never ever picked up a Tiger Woods game before, or if you haven't played one in years, then TW09 will blow you away. There isn't a golf game out there that can match the standard and substance that EA can set. So for Newbies, it's a 9/10 – there will still be the same glitches, but you'll be so captivated in your own little Tiger Woods World, you won't particularly care.
But, boy oh boy – if you're a seasoned campaigner and have your own EA Tiger Woods shelf at home for previous games. The glitches and gaffes will hit you in the face like a hot frying-pan as you play around Pebble Beach for probably the 1,000th round in your lifetime. The only hope is DLC and the prospect of new fantasy courses for the future……you got more chance of Sam Torrence (on commentary) actually getting excited about a shot!!
The game is 7/10 at best if you're a TW regular.