Review: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 won't disappoint

Sports games (that aren't FIFA) aren't very popular in these parts, so games like the Tiger Woods PGA Tour series are pretty much outcasts here. Like Test cricket, golf doesn't make for an ideal spectator sport. But just because the sport itself doesn't evoke excitement from the average gamer, it doesn't mean that a video game based on it can't do so. I'm here to tell you why it can, and why Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 in particular does.

If you're neither a golf fan nor a fan of sports games, you're probably thinking that this is the perfect example of a game you would never play. But you would be wrong. Sure, golf fans can probably see the science behind the game and speak the language it speaks, but for the rest of us, for whom this is something new, this game has a totally different appeal. In fact, I look at it more as a puzzle game than a sports simulation. It's all about getting from A to B by negotiating tricky level design, challenges in the form of changes in terrain, sand bunkers and water hazards, and dynamic changes in wind and weather conditions that make you alter the way you play.

The game doesn't bog you down with technical jargon like a Madden or a baseball game would. There really isn't much of a learning curve here either and most of what you do on the course will come to you instinctively. For instance, when teeing off, if you see a 20kmph wind blowing from left to right across the fairway, you would instinctively aim your shot further to the left to compensate for the wind and ensure the ball lands where you intend it to.

When putting in a downpour, you would naturally put more power into your putt to ensure that it travels the distance over the wet turf. You don't need to be a golf expert to know these things; its just common sense. Yes, you will need to use different golf clubs based on your location on the course, but the game does a decent job of selecting your clubs for you, and once you get into the swing of things, you'll even start picking your own clubs and play the way you want to.

For those new to golf, here's a quick 101. Each course consists of 18 holes and these holes are of varying length and difficulty, denoted by Par. For example, a Par 3 hole means that your aim is to get from the tee (the starting point) into the hole in three shots or less. Taking more shots will give you a positive score (over Par); putting the ball in the cup in less than three shots will give you a negative score (under Par), while getting there in three will leave you at an even zero. Negative scores are good and the player with the highest negative score at the end of the 18 holes wins. So the real challenge here is consistency. The 18 holes are essentially 18 levels, and you'll need to do consistently well to end the round under Par.

The PGA Tour is the main game mode, where you're required to create a golfer and level him up from an inaccurate weakling to a pro, who can match the likes of Woods, Singh and Mickelson shot for shot. A calendar system guides you from tournament to tournament. Your golfer's stats are broken up into Power, Accuracy, Short Game, and Putting. Short Game refers to approach shots that get you from just outside the putting green onto the green. These are probably the most challenging and critical shots of any hole. You don't just have to keep in mind the power and aim, but also the trajectory and the top/back spin if any.

All of this can be manually decided, although again, the game does a great job of picking the ideal shot for you and letting you focus on power and accuracy alone. Matches can get pretty intense and you'll often find yourself on the edge of your seat as you line up that putt for Birdie. This is where the game is at its best and even after long 18-hole rounds, it will keep you coming back for more.

What's great about your stats is that they rely solely on how you play. If you're great at driving off the tee but unable to putt accurately, your power stats will increase, while your putting stats won't. In fact, playing poorly in any one area will actually reduce your stats. So you don't just level up; playing poorly will level you down. Playing well earns you money, which can be used for clothing and equipment, and buying more advanced equipment also has an effect on your performance.

There are two ways to play the game -- a three-click power meter system like in Hot Shots Golf, and the more intuitive stick shot which relies on the golfer's swing animation to determine power. You can switch between the two whenever you want. While I preferred the latter, with the swing animation being so fast, it becomes quite hard to manage subtle changes in power, although that's probably how it is in real life.

Online, there's a neat Live Tournaments mode where you can not only compete with other players, but with real pros as they set scores in real-life tournaments currently underway. Four-player online co-op, which was introduced last year, also makes a return.

The biggest changes to the game since Tiger Woods 09 though have been the inclusion of dynamic weather -- varying from sunny and overcast to drizzles and heavy downpours, and the inclusion of the Precision Putting system. Now, the game will pick the ideal putter for you and a power bar will guide you to the optimum power needed to make the putt.

However, the system does not take into account the slope or elevation of the terrain or the weather conditions, so putting still heavily relies on your judgement. Rainy conditions do affect gameplay, slowing down the ball's movement considerably. Very often you will move back and forth between dry and wet weather and you'll be required to change your game accordingly.

This year, Tiburon have also made huge improvements to the crowd atmosphere, especially surrounding the putting green. Spectators begin to get excited as you make your putt and the level of noise increases as the ball nears the hole, either ending in disappointed sighs or an explosion of cheers and applause, depending on whether or not you made the shot. You also hear crowds cheer and react to other players' performances around the course.

The cheerleader-like synchronised crowd animations have also been done away with, and different spectators react to events differently now. While player shot animations are great, celebrations after a good shot just look plain weird. You'll see your golfer celebrate in ways that no self-respecting pro ever would, and it just feels out of place in a game that otherwise places so much emphasis on realism.

Visually however, the Tiger Woods PGA Tour series has always been a step behind other EA Sports franchises, and it's no different here. There is little detail in the character models or the architecture surrounding the courses. But thankfully, framerates have seen a major improvement over last year's effort.

Menus follow the same design as other EA Sports franchises like FIFA and NHL, which I'm not a big fan of, but have got used to over the years. Commentary is pretty uninspired, with almost no back-and-forth between the two commentators. Music is mostly instrumental. It's light, soothing and very Gran Turismo.

If you've played a PGA Tour game before, then you know what you're getting into with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10. If you own 09, there are a few improvements this year, but probably not enough to warrant a purchase. If you're completely new to the series however, I strongly urge you to give this game a shot regardless of whether you like golf (or sports games for that matter) or not.

You don't need to know golf to play it, and it's thoroughly enjoyable on many levels. Like I mentioned earlier, you can approach it more as a puzzle game than a sports simulation, and if you're looking for a challenge that's a little different, this game won't disappoint.

(+) Multiple ways to play, each of them equally fun
(+) Tense, edge-of-your seat gameplay
(+) Doesn't overwhelm you with technicalities and jargon

(-) Not enough substantial improvements over 09
(-) Visually uninspiring

Score: 7/10