Do you have to be a golf fan to enjoy all that Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 has to offer? Keep reading to find out if this title for the PS3 is worthy of a purchase.
Despite the fact that Tiger Woods’ reputation and career have taken a hit in the recent past, it has not stopped EA Sports from releasing his yet another edition of his popular golf title. It seems like the series has been around forever, and it has provided golf fans and casual gamers a nice detour from some of the action-packed titles that seem to dominate the gaming landscape. While Tiger Woods PGA 13 is a solid release, it is probably not for everyone, and now is the time to take a closer look and find out why.
The gameplay
Before we get into the look of the game, the presentation, and the various modes it has to offer, let’s dive into its most crucial aspect – the gameplay. Quite often, gamers complain that sports titles fail to differ from year to year, other than a few new animations and player rosters. While you could certainly argue for or against that point for days on end, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 is one game where it is not the case. Why? The swinging mechanism has been drastically updated.
Dubbed Total Swing Control
Dubbed Total Swing Control, this new swinging mechanism was implemented by the game’s developers to revolutionize the way players swing their clubs. Just like in real life, there are several factors that come together to determine whether a shot is successful or not.
Swing tempo and speed determine the power behind a swing and how far it will hit the ball. A fast tempo swing will obviously lead to shots that travel longer distances, while those with a slow tempo will not travel as far. The strike meter allows you to aim your golf club’s sweet spot at a specific part of the ball. Depending on the placement, you can affect such things as the ball’s spin, trajectory, and even power. To help you visualize your swing for improved form, the swing arc will appear. This arc serves as a guide so you can adjust your swing to achieve the power and trajectory you desire. Lastly, shot setup works to help you choose between different types of shots, such as those of the full, draw, fade, and chip variety. Here you can tweak the position of your aiming marker, adjust your golfer’s stance, and more to serve up a plethora of shot styles to satisfy a multitude of situations.
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Theme of the story
Now, the fact that the developers incorporated such realism and thought into the swing is a plus. Getting all those factors to work in your favor, however, is another story. If you are looking for simplified meters and preset shot types to guide you through each course, you are out of luck. Many consider golf to be an art, and you will have to practice to perfect the different types of swings and learn how the multiple swing factors can affect your shots. Every little movement counts, which could be seen as a positive for some golf purists, and a negative for more casual gamers.
Sure, pulling back the left analog stick and then slamming it forward is simple enough, but it is the tempo, direction, and motion in which you do it that will determine your level of success or failure. At the very least, you can say that Total Swing Control is a perfectly descriptive moniker, as it is you and only you in complete control of the swing.
So, with Total Swing Control revamping the series’ gameplay, did the developers at least include some helpful tutorials to help you along the way? Not really, and that can definitely lead to some frustration, particularly if you are new to golf. Learning to swing the correct way is truly a matter of practice makes perfect plus trial and error. You have to get the feel of each swing down to a science to become a true ace in this game. Some descriptive tutorials would have been nice to make the overall experience as a newbie less painful.
Game modes in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13
As for the game modes in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13, Tiger Legacy Challenge gets the nod as the most interesting. It is basically a career mode that mimics Tiger’s accomplishments across various stages in his real life. This is not only interesting for the casual user, but also fans of the sport that have followed Tiger through the years. The mode begins in the 1970’s when Tiger is just a toddler. Here is where you learn the swing basics. The mode then shifts to his early golf tournaments between the ages of 7-10. You also get to experience his rookie year on the PGA Tour, the height of his career when he won four majors in a row, and all the way to present day and the future. There are a lot of sometimes boring tasks to be completed in Tiger Legacy Challenge, but those are outweighed by his positive historical moments that you get to replay.
Standard career mode
Other modes are highlighted by the standard career mode, where you progress through a career as the player of your choice. Throughout the game you can use the coins and pins pseudo-monetary system to enhance your abilities and improve your chances for success. There are also several opportunities to unlock new clothes, clubs, and more to give amp up your golfer’s style and substance. If online play is your thing, the online country clubs feature should catch your eye, as they allow you to team up with and against friends for action in more private, exclusive settings.
Regarding the look and presentation of the Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13, player models appear lifelike and so do their animations. There are 22 golfers in all, including Tiger himself, Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson, and Rickie Fowler, just to name a few. Courses are serene and full of color and mimic their real life counterparts with plenty of detail. Other than that, the commentators and overall presentation style is satisfactory.
Worth purchasing game for golf fans
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 is certainly a game that is worth purchasing if you are a golf fan. The addition of new golfers and courses was expected, but its introduction of the new Total Swing Control is what makes it noticeably different from its predecessors. If you have the patience to withstand some growing pains, the satisfaction achieved by solid swings which you have complete control over make Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 a must-have for golf lovers.
