Tiger Woods 08’s tenuous control, iffy online play, and a general lack of new content for a disappointing game. But just as Tiger does not let torn ligaments and a broken leg keep him from winning the U.S. Open, EA Sports have not used the short development cycle associated with the annual game as an excuse. Instead, it has worked to make the control more user-friendly and further integrated online gamernet function. The result is a game worth carrying Tiger Woods name.
Tiger Woods 09’s control is not very different from TW 08, but they are much more forgiving. You start your swing by pulling back on the analog stick and then beat the ball by moving the stick forward. A more traditional three-button-press option is available at any time by clicking the right analog stick. Last year, the smallest deviation left or right under your swing would result in a terrible shot, especially if you use a golfer with low qualifications attributes. This year, not only are you punished less severely, if your swing is not perfect, but you also get instant feedback via an onscreen meter that shows exactly how you move the stick. By monitoring the feedback, you can learn how to smooth your swing or compensate for your natural swing by adjusting your goals or adding a draw or fade the ball with a touch of a button.
The addition of Tiger’s own coach Hank Haney to TW 09 framework makes the ball easier as well. You can now head to the driving range and adjust each of your clubs that best fits your playing style. For example, if you are fighting for accuracy off the tee, you can increase the sweet spot on your driver. This will help to ensure that your drive stays in the fairway, but you will sacrifice some distance. This level of adaptation is often intimidating in sports games, but here the process is simple and worthwhile.
TW 09 includes 16 golf courses, which is the same number as last year. New courses include Wentworth, Sheshan, Wolf Creek, and Bay Hill. The Gary Player Country Club in South Africa is an excellent addition to the mix, but it is disappointing that there are not more courses - especially when you consider how quickly EA was to charge for downloadable courses in 08. Roster of male and female professional golfers is about the same as before, but there are a few new faces, such as Se Ri Pak and Darren Clarke. As in the past repetitions, you can create a golfer using the game deep alignment tools, and you can even import your own images to create a lifelike version of your mug (you can even add eyebrows this year).
Money is earned by playing on the PGA Tour or by filling in events such as beating golfers head-to-head, driving the ball several yards, had a particular score on a group of holes, and more in the Tiger Challenge mode. Cash can then be used to buy new gear, some of which bear a little skill bonus. Unlike in the past, you will actually have to earn most of your attributes on relations with the new dynamic skill progression function. After each round (and most challenges), bus Haney will raise or lower your driving, accuracy, short game and putting attributes based on your results. Rather than penalize you for playing poorly (although he still does), Haney gives you the chance to earn a few points back with a little challenges, where you try to hit the ball in a large circular target. The new system is not perfect - sometimes Haney would tell you that driving into the bushes, put you in an impossible lie, or lower your set attributes even when you set a course record - but it is a great way to make the character progression feel organic .
No dramatic changes have been made with regard to online games, but a few tweaks and additions go far. The main change is that now you can play with up to three other people at the same time online. That could all hit at the same time really speeds things up, although the colored pens to show other players’ balls are sometimes distracting. With gamernet function, you can quickly upload a shot, the hole in front or back nine, and even an entire round, with a touch of a button. Then is able to go online and play an almost endless stream of challenges. You have to filter through some ridiculously easy and impossibly difficult shots for the best experience, but even if you do not want to search, you can still enjoy the function thanks to periodic challenges (long drive, closest to the pin), to pop up under the Single rounds. Last year’s game had a wealth of problems when it came to play online, downloading of photos, and upload gamernet clips, but so far all TW 09’s online features work great.
Friendly control and excellent courses, and a wealth of challenges and game modes, making for outstanding gameplay, but there are a few areas that could have been better. Putting is still a little easy, although you will be punished a little more than before, if you go to the left or right with the stick. For some unknown reason, you still can not skip the age of CPU golfers, making head-to-head play take forever - especially if the AI can not figure out how to get around the tree, which happens from time to time . Training courses and golfers in general looks great (especially water, which is great), but non-existent preswing-to-swing transitions and some glitchy load screens are unsightly. A new advertising team to take the microphones in years, but this is about as boring as its predecessors and will lull you to sleep in a hurry. You are better off just listen to the game’s soundtrack, which is excellent.
The real-time swing meters, club-tuner, and the advice of Hank Haney do to get the perfect swing easier than ever before. Dynamic skill progression, while not perfect, is a welcome addition, not only because a new system was necessary, but also because it makes all important swing - even if you win or lose by 10 strokes. Some more courses would have been nice, but otherwise there is very little not to like with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09. It is amazing how a few small changes can make a game so much better.
