Real World Golf
Score: 95% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: MadCatz Developer: In2Games Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 - 4 Players Genre: Sports (Golf)/ Simulation
Graphics & Sound: The models aren't bad in Real World Golf, but the look of the golfers and the environment is not the focus of this game. The focus of the game is the simulation aspect, specifically the synergy with the GameTrak controller. The golfers are simply generic golfers, but they look fairly realistic. This lifelike appearance is helped along a great bit by the game's ability to mirror the player's movements. Once I knew that my on-screen persona was going to mimic my movements with a reasonable amount of accuracy, I found myself concentrating more on my stance, position and swing, rather than that of my digital accomplice. Just because you won't be paying a lot of attention to your character doesn't mean that the game skimps on animation. The golfers will analyze the next shot a bit before some of the shots, much like golfers do in real life. Unlike real life, you are treated to a fly-over of each hole before playing it when playing a round of golf. Not only do you get a visual description, but a narrated one as well. The voice acting takes the form of a coach, whether you're in the tutorials or having the next hole described to you during your flyover in a game. You'll get some good advice from an informed guide. I did find that when I messed up a hole or two... okay, got my fifth consecutive double bogey... the coach would tell me to cheer up and that I could still turn it around - even when I clearly couldn't. A little bit of positive thinking is a good thing. Too much can be downright annoying. The ambient sound and accompanying animations add a nice touch in Real World Golf. You'll be playing a round of golf or practicing at the driving range when you'll see and hear a bird or an aircraft fly overhead. These may be little things, but it's the little things that help to convey realism.
Gameplay: I'm not a golfer. I don't profess to be. I play a mean game of miniature golf (not a great player... just mean), but I've not yet ventured onto a golf course to actually try playing a round of golf. For those of you who, like me, have only played golf at someplace such as Wacky Golf or Celebration Station and who are simply looking for a fun golf game, you get that and more. Real World Golf was developed specifically for use with the GameTrak controller. You can't play the game without it, but with it, you get a natural and intuitive interface for playing golf. You go through the motions of playing golf and the GameTrak Game System determines the nature of your motion, allowing your character to mirror your movements in real-time. Additionally, you can use gesture-based commands to select certain actions in an intuitive way. When you're in the Options menu, you can scroll left or right through selections by raising your left or right hand. When you're playing a round of golf, you can zoom in down the fairway for a closer look by raising your hands out in front of you, as if you were going to take off like Superman and fly to the hole. This is pretty cool. For those of you who are more than casual golfers, my personal opinion may not be educated enough to truly school you on this game. Never fear, I called on a colleague and friend of mine, Danny Nelson, who has played in tournaments, attended golf expos and currently has a handicap of 1. He liked the game, as a golf game, but felt that it wasn't really accurate enough to be a golf simulation. "I was under the impression that the controller would detect swing speed and report that to the game to tell it how far you should hit the ball with that swing. I was disappointed that it just measures your swing arch (how far back you take the club) and swing path (how straight you swing) and uses profiles stored in the game for distance. To me this makes it less of a simulation and more of a golf game with a controller that forces you to burn some calories instead of sitting on your butt (which is a very good thing)." He and I agree that Real World Golf is a good golf game - fun to play and true to the nature of the game. He points out that Real World Golf "...does allow for very reproducible results. If you make the same swing time after time, the game appears to give you the same results time after time, which could definitely help beginning golfers gain consistency." Real World Golf offers a wide variety of ways to play golf. You can play a front 9 or back 9, a full course or even participate in a tournament of up to 72 holes in the single player mode. Multiplayer golf is available for 2 - 4 players in either strokeplay or matchplay formats. You can also practice in the driving range or simply play in a variety of strange games based on golf in the "Party Golf" modes. There's a golf game in here for everyone.
Difficulty: Calibrate the GameTrak for you. I cannot stress this enough. The GameTrak hardware is pretty accurate and works pretty well -- if it's calibrated for you. If you try to use someone else's profile and you're different heights, the game will not be able to accurately determine how you're moving. The other thing to watch is that you maintain the proper stance. While the controller can't specifically see what your feet are doing, it can detect if your hands are further forward or backward from where they we when you calibrated the controller. Also, if you turn your stance left or right, it will throw off the sensors' ability to determine the angle of your grip. For this reason, you'll want to check from time to time and verify that you are standing properly and that the GameTrak hasn't been moved accidentally. There are other aspects that affect the difficulty besides making sure the hardware is properly aligned and calibrated, but at that point, you're down to a simulation of golf. If you're a newcomer to golf, you'll want to try the tutorials. In them, your own personal golf trainer will walk you through the basics and then some. If you need to work on a particular aspect of your game, such as putting or your approach, there are specific modes for training just one aspect at a time. In the end, golf is a game of practice and the ability to accurately repeat a shot. This can only be achieved by practicing and if you practice, you will be able to do it.
Game Mechanics: The GameTrak Game System is not just a cool concept, it works pretty well. Real World Golf works well with it and provides an entertaining golf experience that can serve as a good introduction to golf for beginners. The only remaining question is whether the game is good for more experienced golfers. As Danny puts it, "My ...concern with the game is that because it’s not a [true] simulation and the game doesn’t measure and offer feedback on 100% of your swing features ...I could slip into a bad habit by swinging for the game that would adversely affect my real golf game." So, perhaps the answer is another question, "How good are you?" If you're just starting out, Real World Golf is likely to provide some decent teaching, conditioning and practice. If you're an avid golfer, it's possible that the lack of accuracy in the simulation may adversely affect your game. I think this can be helped a bit by using your real clubs, rather than the Mini-Club prop that comes with Real World Golf -- something that the GameTrak system actually allows, believe it or not.
-Geck0, GameVortex Communications AKA Robert Perkins
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