Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 Hands-On
We take Tiger and his PGA pals out for a round or two in the newest installment in EA Sports' popular golf series.
We were recently fortunate enough to try out an early version of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005--the latest game in a series that seems to be gaining momentum by the year. Last year's game was a commercial and critical hit for EA, offering solid golf mechanics and insane levels of character customization that really grabbed gamers' attention. We spent an extensive amount of time with the latest version of Tiger Woods, and, even though the real Tiger seems to have dropped a step or two, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 shows no sign of slowing down.
First and foremost, we took a look at the on-the-course gameplay. In terms of fundamentals, the same swing mechanics are still in place--you use the left thumbstick on the PS2 or Xbox controller to swing your club, and a smooth up-and-down motion is rewarded with a better stroke. Fades and draws are executed by pulling and pushing the thumbstick at an angle. The biggest swing upgrade this year is the ability to adjust your stance to increase or decrease shot loft. Despite our time with the game, we didn't see too many opportunities to actually use the adjustable shot stance, but it certainly did come in handy when trying to pop a ball over a grove of nearby trees. The inclusion of shot types such as flop and punch, as well as the standard full, chip, and pitch, means you have multiple shot options each time you address the ball.
Once you've managed to find the green, you'll find the familiar putting interface still intact. You'll judge the distance and approach angle, using advice given to you by your caddy, and then use the thumbstick to swing your putter. It's an interesting approach to putting, and one that actually removes the necessity of skill with the left thumbstick that is the core of the Tiger Woods gameplay. Instead, you have to be a better judge of distance and approach. For an added challenge in your putting game, you can remove the caddy advice and eye the putts yourself. Even when doing so, however, experienced putters will rarely see a three-putt in the game.
New to Tiger Woods 2005's short game is "Tiger vision," an enhanced putting-assistance mode that allows you to see the field as Tiger sees it. With a click of a button, you enter Tiger vision mode, in which a narrow cone of highlighted green indicates Tiger's focused vision. A yellow circle indicates the optimum placement of your aiming cursor. Following Tiger's advice practically guarantees that you'll drain the ball, no matter what the distance or conditions. In fact, we missed only one shot while using Tiger vision, an undulating 51-foot monster of a putt (and we still put it within two inches of the hole). This amazing putting ability is tempered only by its limited availability. Typically, you're allowed to use Tiger vision only once per nine holes. Use of Tiger vision adds an interesting strategic dynamic to the game, particularly in match play, where it's prudent to save it as a last resort, or the final nail in your opponent's coffin late in the game. Use Tiger vision too early in a match and you'll surely regret it later.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 includes nine new licensed courses, including Monument Course at Troon North, Couer d'Alene Resort, Edgewood-Tahoe, The Ailsa Course at Turnberry, The Links at Vancourt Country Club Estate, Colonial Country Club, Sherwood Country Club, Harbour Town, and the newly rebuilt Pebble Beach.
Also new this year is the inclusion of "tour difficulty" mode, which is designed to more fully simulate the real game of golf and add another level of difficulty to the game. Forget the comforting embrace of your caddy's putting advice, as he won't be anywhere to be found in this mode. In addition, your course-management skills are put to the test here. Of particular importance is keeping your balls on the fairway. If you're caught in the rough, for example, you can't put any spin whatsoever on the ball, which severely limits your exit-shot options. While you are not required to play with the tour difficulty mode engaged, the game encourages you to do so by offering you better odds (and thus more money) when challenging CPU players to one-on-one matches.
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