Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 Review for the PlayStation Portable (PSP)

System: X360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP	Review Rating Legend
Dev: EA Tiburon	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: EA Sports	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Aug. 26, 2008	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1-2	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

The character models are an incredible likeness of their real-life counterparts with 27 pros in total including both male and female golfers from around the world such as Vijay Singh, Mike Weir, John Daly, Se Ri Pak, Christie Kerr, and, of course, Tiger. Visually, the PSP version is attractive; comparable to the graphics you would expect on the PS2 version. Each course is full of detail and the outdoor ambience of each location is captured well in the sound effects, which make you feel as though you have been whisked away to each location.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 screenshot

While you still can't see the gathering of spectators watching you play from afar, you can hear them cheering with one funny onlooker in particular who likes to scream especially loud. He adds a level of comedic relief to the game as he hollers slogans such as, "I love this game," and "That's the shot!" But, it still makes no sense that you can hear hundreds of spectators cheering your good shots and gasping in shock at your bad ones, though there is no crowd of people lining the course. I think a gallery would be a nice addition to the game and add a level of realism. For those who like the tranquility of being on an open course all alone, having the option to turn the spectators on or off would be nice.

The commentating duo of Sam Torrance and Kelly Tillman doesn't do much to add any excitement, as their dry observations of the game sound as though they've just woken up from a nap. I find some comments are not even appropriate to what just occurred, though they do have some helpful tips from time-to-time. The soundtrack is good, adding a level of excitement to the relaxed, slow-paced style of gameplay this is; you can play for hours without getting annoyed by the music. What I did notice about this game is there is no option to skip through the tracks or browse the play list to turn certain songs off, which is unusual.

If you haven't grown sick of your 08 version of Tiger Woods yet, there may not be enough new reasons to entice you to buy 09. If you have completely maxed out your previous edition or were anxiously waiting for EA to do away with the pesky Confidence Meter and Mental Games, you may want to check this one out with caution. The lack of new modes and mini-games is disappointing, however.

By Pete Richards
CCC Freelance Writer

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.5

Graphics
Graphics seem unchanged from last year. Detail on each course does a good job of capturing the golf atmosphere.

2.3

Control
Swing mechanics don't work well for the PSP analog nub, making it difficult to gauge power and swing accurately.

3.3

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Excellent soundtrack and sound effects to capture the outdoor ambience. Commentating is dull and repetitive.

2.2

Play Value
Lack of new features and game modes offer little reason to replace previous versions with 09.

3.2

Overall Rating - Fair
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Responsive and easy-to-use game controls allow casual or first-time players to pick up and play immediately. Experienced gamers will enjoy the well tuned gameplay.

Reversal system: For the first time in a football video game you have complete control of the action when players collide. Use well-timed button commands to deliver big hits or break would-be tackles as you determine the success on the field. With the power in your control, never quit until the whistle blows!

Earn an NFL contract as a virtual unknown: You're given an opportunity to lead your favorite NFL team to glory against your biggest division rivals. If you're good enough, you'll challenge ultimate squads, including All-AFC, All-NFC, and All-NFL teams.

Fun and exciting arcade action: Use Turbo boosts to escape defenders, unleash big hits to power up the Smash Meter, and enjoy the all-out excitement of in your face football on both sides of the ball.