A swing and miss, or more than that?

By James Anthony

The Playstation has played host to quite a number of golf games over the years, none of which has been completely successful. This can be put down to two main problems. One, the Playstation, or more specifically television, can't provide the resolution required for a convincing rendering of the game. Meaning anybody who has played one of the great PC-based golf games is going to be sorely disappointed.

Secondly the platform simply isn't fast enough. Golf is supposed to be a leisurely game, but honestly, you could almost boil an egg in the time it takes to redraw a screen or load a new hole on some of the past efforts.

The developer of Everybody's Golf has skirted both these problems with a single solution. It hasn't attempted to produce a realistic (at least not visually) golf game. Instead it's opted for simple, cartoonish figures and little detail on the holes. That's not to say it's an unattractive game. On the contrary, the minimalist treatment looks great. As a flow on effect the time required to load holes and redraw screens is greatly reduced. Even instant replays appear in a snap.

Other minor concessions were made to speed the game up. For example you can't choose which clubs you want in your bag and shot selection is limited. Also, you can only save your game every nine holes. On the flipside the game boasts some interesting innovations such as the power shot. Each round you can play up to 12 power shots, that if hit cleanly result in longer hits. Another is the inclusion of a mini-golf course.

Mechanically it's fairly standard, relying on the same reflex-based system that golf games have used since the year dot. Coupled with the smart controller configuration, which makes the most of the limited number of buttons, it works well. Still multiple-configuration choices would be nice.

Everybody's Golf is an apt title. It's said that you either love or hate golf video games, but I think even detractors will have trouble not at least liking this little gem.

Game: Everybody's Golf
System: Playstation 2
Players: 1-4
Memory Card: Yes
Developer: Sony
Distributor: Sony

Rating: 70%

(Ratings Key/Explantion)

Everybody's Golf is on the shelves now.