Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 - (Wii,PS2,PC,PS3,Xbox 360)
Developer: EA
Format: Wii,PS2,PC,PS3,Xbox 360
Genre: Golf

Bogey or birdie? We take Tiger all the way to the nineteenth hole.

Without wanting to sound too fan-boy (but inevitably doing so), we love Tiger Woods. We love the guy, we love how he's made golf more accessible to the mainstream and we love the games he puts his name to. Well, nearly all the games as last years outing was a bit of a disappointment thanks to EA meddling a little too much with the gameplay mechanics - and foisting a bug-ridden online experience onto an unsuspecting golf gaming public.

Fortunately, the Tiger series is back to its best in this 09 outing - and we're all the more thankful for it. First and foremost, the classic control system is back. Wave bye-bye to countless slices and hooks as seen in the over sensitive 08 incarnation and say a warm 'welcome back' to a fun-to play thumb analogue system or three button combo - for the old school players. Attention still needs to be given to the staple obstacles such as wind trajectory and terrain - but from the start, this 09 version feels much more enjoyable to get to grips with.

The inclusion of an in-game coach is also a welcome addition to this golfing package. Tiger Woods' real life coach Hank Haney guides players through their career right from the start - helping to improve your skills as you play each of your rounds. The coach is constantly watching performance and assessing areas for improvement, providing tips on how to increase skills, and as skills improve as does overall ranking - opening up new challenges and courses.

Turning our attention to online play and we're glad to see marked improvements. An all-new four player online mode allows players to compete in a four person round in the same time it takes to play single player. Finish the hole first and switch over to spectator mode where you'll see your partners characters as they finish up the hole. It's a slick and rewarding experience. - just like the offline version.

EA has delivered the goods with Tiger Woods. A new benchmark golf game is here - and about time too!