Well what can I say, it's a Tiger Woods game. If you've played any of them, then you know what it is like. I enjoy these games, but so far I liked 2009 more than I like 2011 (never bought 2010). Like I said if you've played one you've played them all, at least any released in the past few years. It used to be played on made up courses, but these days they are all real courses and a lot are the same from game to game. This years game introduces some online play functionality and also has some courses that must be purchased as add-ons. I think the add-on courses is a lame idea, at least the ones that are add-ons that have been included in previous games....
Over time they do change more and more elements of these games. For example you used to get "Tiger Vision" for putting. Basically you could just push a button and it would show you exactly where to aim, then in the last few years they went to a preview system where you aimed as best you could, used the preview to know what would happen and then have a chance to adjust accordingly.
This latest release builds on the preview. Its the same as it was, but you can do it multiple times per hole. Each use however will cost your golfer some of their "focus." Focus is another new element to me (not sure if it was in 2010). Basically now some of the features I use most such as power boosting on swings and spin control of the ball while it is in the air cost focus. What does this mean? Each time you press a button to increase your shot power or add spin to the ball (or use a put preview) some of your focus is used. If you run the focus meter dry it means no more boosting, spinning, or previewing. To regain focus you must make shots without using any focus, so basically they are forcing you to just pull the stick back and push forward. I guess its probably a little more realistic, but I miss the constant boost/spin ability.
The only other new feature is a "True View" play mode. In this mode you can't zoom up to where the ball will land and aim. You can still zoom up and get a view of the course, but all aiming must be done from the view point of your golfer where the ball lies. Also any spin controlling you do will be done while you watch the ball fly from your golfers stance, no more following the ball until it lands in this view. Basically it's a mode to let you play as if you were really on a course using nothin other than a few markers for distance to determine what club selection to make and where to aim....
It's still a fun game, and once you get used to Focus it isn't that bad, they just force you to try a little harder this way.
Over time they do change more and more elements of these games. For example you used to get "Tiger Vision" for putting. Basically you could just push a button and it would show you exactly where to aim, then in the last few years they went to a preview system where you aimed as best you could, used the preview to know what would happen and then have a chance to adjust accordingly.
This latest release builds on the preview. Its the same as it was, but you can do it multiple times per hole. Each use however will cost your golfer some of their "focus." Focus is another new element to me (not sure if it was in 2010). Basically now some of the features I use most such as power boosting on swings and spin control of the ball while it is in the air cost focus. What does this mean? Each time you press a button to increase your shot power or add spin to the ball (or use a put preview) some of your focus is used. If you run the focus meter dry it means no more boosting, spinning, or previewing. To regain focus you must make shots without using any focus, so basically they are forcing you to just pull the stick back and push forward. I guess its probably a little more realistic, but I miss the constant boost/spin ability.
The only other new feature is a "True View" play mode. In this mode you can't zoom up to where the ball will land and aim. You can still zoom up and get a view of the course, but all aiming must be done from the view point of your golfer where the ball lies. Also any spin controlling you do will be done while you watch the ball fly from your golfers stance, no more following the ball until it lands in this view. Basically it's a mode to let you play as if you were really on a course using nothin other than a few markers for distance to determine what club selection to make and where to aim....
It's still a fun game, and once you get used to Focus it isn't that bad, they just force you to try a little harder this way.
