Tiger Woods PGA Tour (PSP)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 8.2 (4.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Ryan Davis
• Reviewed on: 03/24/2005
• Updated on: 03/25/2005
• Released on: 03/23/2005
• Originally published on GameSpot: Tiger Woods PGA Tour (PSP) Review

He may not be the unbeatable prodigy that he used to be, but Tiger Woods has become just about the only game in town when it comes to golf video games. Bolstering this standing that much more, EA Sports kicks off the launch of the PSP with a game simply titled Tiger Woods PGA Tour, which is basically a shrunken-down version of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004...with a little bit of 2005 mixed in for good measure. It's almost boggling that such a complete package can be had on a handheld, and it's one that will be difficult for anyone with a taste for golf (or just golf video games) to resist.

Established fans should feel right at home with this handheld Tiger.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour features a solid implementation of the analog swing mechanic the series has been refining for years now. It's extremely intuitive. You just push down and up on the PSP's analog disc, and you'll watch your golfer move in tandem. Any deviations off the vertical axis will result in some curve on your ball, though the game isn't particularly punishing in this regard. The right shoulder button can be tapped while you're swinging to give your shot a little extra kick, and while the ball's in the air, you can use the right shoulder button in tandem with the analog disc to control the spin on it. Those already familiar with Tiger will be able to pick up the game instantly, and thanks to the forgiving mechanics and a good hands-on tutorial, it's pretty easy to pick up...even if you've never played a golf game before.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 introduced the "Game Face" feature, a character creation system that let you customize the appearance of your golfer to an almost absurd level. Game Face comes through in Tiger for the PSP, though it's not the "Game Face II" found in Tiger 2005, which added even more depth to the process, including a swing editor. Still, the character creation system here will likely exceed the needs of most players, what with 36 specific physical traits for you to play with.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour streamlines the different modes of play that have been available in the past. At the top of the list is the efficiently self-descriptive quick play mode, which is, as you might anticipate, good for playing a game...quickly. The legend tour represents the most substantial mode in Tiger, putting your custom golf pro through dozens of head-to-head and tournament games that have been broken up into rookie, pro, and legend ranks. The legend challenges mode represents yet another repackaging of the old scenario mode found in past Tiger Woods entries. As before, these challenges present you with a series of specific scenarios, whether it's coming back from a string of bogeys or playing the toughest greens the game has to offer. As established Tiger players should expect, these scenarios are rather good at testing specific sets of skills.

Beating your competitors in the legend tour and winning medals in the legend challenges mode both earn you a fairly substantial cash prize, as will the various sponsorships you'll pick up along the way. And all this glimmer can be put to good use in the pro shop, where you can purchase a ridiculously wide array of performance-enhancing gear. The money can also go directly into your character's skill stats. The game doesn't start off particularly brutally, and as you improve your character, it actually seems to get easier in some respects, though the computer-controlled opponents you'll face will do a good job of matching your impossible string of eagles. By contrast, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 was considerably easier. So it seems EA Sports has learned its lesson and decided to retune the game a bit for the PSP.

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• 4.5 stars

  "This game is hard not to enjoy!"

  by uneek78 on September 26, 2005

• 3.5 stars

  2 out of 2 people found this helpful

  "Relaxing, but not memorable."

  by jrob0t on April 27, 2005

• 4.5 stars

  "Sony and EA did a nice job."

  by jpaosu on March 25, 2005

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