Everybody's Golf
Developer - Camelot
Publisher - Sony
Players - 1-4
Extras - Memory card, Multi Tap
The bit on the box
"Compete in tournaments for trophies
and prize money, or enjoy a round of putting with up to three friends.
Full tutorials, easy controls, the most accessible golf game of all time,
designed exclusively for PlayStation."
Graphics
Ahhhh! Cutesy game alert! The main characters in Everybody's
Golf have definitely been designed in Japan, with smallish bodies and
big heads, with great big eyes. This can be off-putting at first but this
is definitely one of those titles that you should not judge by it's looks.
Although the characters can look horribly cute, the golf courses themselves
are well drawn and detailed, and though you only start with one course
at the outset, more can be unlocked, and definitely improve in looks as
well as difficulty. The fairways aren't too sparse to look at, with trees
and bunkers spattered about to break up the long stretches of grassland,
and there is virtually no load time between holes. Some rain effects have
even been included, which not only have a cosmetic effect on proceedings,
but also effect the game physics too. Take the courses away though, and
the rest of the graphics have a distinct "kiddie" look about them.
Sounds
Trust me on this, go straight to the options setup menu
and turn the background music off. I have not heard music this irritating
in a video game for quite some time. Music throughout the game seems to
stay along the lines of the kiddie/cutesy theme and could make the Resident
Evil fans out there want to barf. The sound effects are just basically
what you'd expect, with the sounds of a golf club hitting the ball, wind
blowing across the course, birds singing and also a small amount of voice
samples for the caddie (who basically just complements on a good shot,
but has no other advice). Being an arcade game and not a simulation, there
is no commentary on offer here.
Gameplay
Everybody's Golf uses a unique idea in only making
one course available when you first begin to play the game. To unlock the
5 other courses you must play the game and earn experience points so that
you can increase your level (very much like a simplified RPG engine). The
control system is the game's best point however, with a simplified sliding
bar that you must click to choose power and direction when playing. It
is a system anyone can use proficiently, even if they have never played
the game before. The first time I played I scored +20, a very below average
score, but only on my second try I was scoring birdies and pars frequently,
and finished the same course on -2 second time around. There are also alot
of options in play mode, where you can play against a computer opponent
(which unlocks new characters if you win), play in a tournament or have
a match against a friend (up to 4 with a multi tap). There is also a small
mini putt course to practice on, which is a nice bonus (and excellent for
practicing putting).
I feel a verdict coming on
Everybody's Golf is one of those games you have
to play more than a few times to really get the most out of it. The later
courses are far more challenging (and entertaining, especially in multiplayer)
than the ones you start with, and so anyone who rents the game will most
likely never get full enjoyment out of it. If you can ignore the cutesy
look to the game then you will find a very competent golfing engine hidden
away here, which can be as simple as an arcade game, but can also utilise
wind factors, weather and other things normally found in a sim. The title
pretty much says it all as this title has things that appeal to every member
of a family, no matter what age, and could be classed as one of the better
party games around (Americans looking to buy the game should note it was
renamed Hot Shots Golf in the US). Fun is the name of this game,
but don't buy it if you're looking for a true PGA simulation.
Review by D.R.T.Barrett
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