Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 (Wii) Review
Posted by Ramon Aranda on 10.09.2007
Are you ready for another round of golf? Let's see if Tiger has something new up his sleeve for 2008.
Title: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08
Publisher: EA SPORTS
Type: Sports, Golf
Players 1-4
Last year’s edition of Tiger Woods PGA Tour came with a lot of promise as Wii Sports’ Golf showed what the Wii could do for the sport. Tiger’s first foray into the Nintendo Wii showed a lot of potential though some issues hampered the overall experience. With Tiger’s second attempt, the expectations were higher and EA managed to get some things right while other issues still remained.
Gameplay
While the core gameplay remained the same, EA managed to add quite a few new options to the game. Firstly, players now have a confidence meter that is affected by how well or how poorly you perform on the course. As you can expect, when playing well, the meter starts to slowly fill up which enhances your overall play. You’ll start getting better puts, better shots and frankly the ball just seems to be going where you want it to go. On the other hand if you’re playing like a twelve year old novice, the meter will slowly drop making your shots even worse. Players will take notice of a loud heartbeat and rumbling Wii remote to make matters more intense. It’s a neat idea that was implemented and works really well overall. As in real life, your own confidence level can really make or break your game and it’s nice to see this added to this year’s edition.
One of the issues last year was the putting system in which many players found themselves in the middle of their backswing when the in-game player would suddenly put. This led to some upset players since clearly that would affect your score. This year, EA refined the putting making the more polished system easier to use. Players can also use the “Preview Putt” to see if their putts will succeed or not. Players can also now manipulate their shots better by adding hooks and slices which helps add a higher level of skill and strategy.
The menus now have a cleaner honeycomb-style look to them which makes navigations a lot easier, giving it a more “next-gen” look. EA has added a whole new allotment of courses and newer players on top of giving you a slightly deeper customization menu for your golfer.
Graphics
Where games like NBA Live 08 and Madden 08 have been built from the ground up, Tiger Woods 08 doesn’t seem to fit the bill. Last year’s edition features some PS2-esque graphics that appeared washed out and I was hoping for a better look for 08. Unfortunately, it appears as though the developers are still using the PS2’s engine as the courses and players still look pale and washed out. The textures appear flat while the lighting seems very last-gen. I don’t really understand why Madden 07, one of EA’s first offerings on the Wii, can look better graphically than a second year Tiger Woods. There’s only one character on screen, and the backgrounds are simple enough so there’s no excuse for a lackadaisical effort.
Sound
The in-game commentary comes off a lot smoother this time around with the announcers even joking around with each other from time to time. It helps to stay immersed in the experience when the commentating is spot on and flows naturally. The crowd reacts accordingly to how you’re playing and it’s funny to hear various fans stand out with their own comments.
Fun Factor
To me, golf is a truly boring game to watch, but playing it is something completely different. The camaraderie, the tense moments of having a friend closing in on points; Tiger Woods 08 does in fact bring about these feelings if only in short bursts. In multiplayer, opponents can fiddle around with the wind and ball spin to try and take you off your game. It’s a minor but fun distraction to include in the game. This of course doesn’t make up for the lack of online multiplayer so unless you’re playing with a human player, you might get bored after a few tournaments.
Lasting Appeal
While Madden 08 and upcoming EA SPORTS games like NBA LIVE 08 and FIFA 08 have online multiplayer included, Tiger Woods 08 strangely enough doesn’t. We already know that PGA Tour can be played online as seen on the Xbox 360, so why was it omitted from the Nintendo Wii? Now that EA has their EA Nation online infrastructure in place for the Wii, there’s no excuse for not including online play from this year’s game. Sure playing with friends is entertaining but the single player career mode will only satisfy for so long. To me, this is a huge missed opportunity for developers to continue adding online play to their EA SPORTS titles.
The 411
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 feels more like an expansion pack to last year’s edition. For gamers who didn’t pick up last year’s game, Tiger 08 will be a solid place to start your golfing career on the Nintendo Wii. Those who have already mastered 07’s rendition might want to rent this one first to see if there are enough changes to warrant another purchase. Here’s hoping 09’s edition enhances the graphics and adds online play.
Graphics
6.0
Paltry, PS2 graphics need a major overhaul for next year
Gameplay
8.5
Some of the mechanics have been improved
Sound
7.5
Crowd reactions and commentary are comical at times
