Three Speech user, commmunity member and young-un Tom Eccles gets his dirty mits on the Everybody’s Golf for a quick round.

EVERYBODY’S GOLF: WORLD TOUR PREVIEW

The first next generation entry from the Everybody’s Golf team hits stores across Europe today – so in case you’re still sitting on the fence before you part with your hard earned cash wondering if the game is for you, here’s a preview to knock you out of the sandy bunker and onto the clear green.

Clap Hanz’s Everybody’s Golf series (also known as ‘Hot Shots Golf’ in North America and Japan) has always been renowned for its light take on golf, with cheesy anime style characters and cartoon animation, while giving more advanced users the functionality set to make it a fully fledged golf game – and this addition to the series certainly carries on the trend. Pretty much anybody can pick up the game to instantly start playing, and begin hurling perfect shots at full strength down the fairway after a few minutes – which is great, as you don’t get the frustration of failing everything first time round. On the other side however, you have a complex system of calculations to take into account. The use of advanced techniques such as topspin or backspin really broaden your options, while keeping the game simple and accessible to all – the beauty of Everybody’s Golf.

Let’s kick things off with the graphics. The development team have done a fantastic job with their first entry on the PlayStation 3, with a great mix of arcade style, quirky animation, and realistic scenery. The courses look beautiful, with extremely realistic lighting and sky effects (which all change along with the weather), and what really stand out are the trees. Each tree appears to be individually modelled with incredible detail, the foliage gently blowing in the wind as a visual aid to help you with the wind direction. Little touches like your character throwing some grass in the air to test the wind, and celebrations / commiserations depending on how well your shot goes really add to the game, giving it the unique style that Everybody’s Golf is known for.

So, onto the controls. In this rendition of the series, Clap Hanz have introduced a brand new method of playing the game – called the ‘Advanced Shot’ mode. While in the ‘Traditional’ mode seen in all earlier games (and admittedly a whole host of other golf games) you watch the horizontal bar along the bottom of the screen and time it to set your strength and accuracy, using the advanced mode you can simply rely on your character’s physical action to determine the characteristics of your shot. You press X to commence your character’s swing, then as they raise the club you press X once more at your desired strength (further up the club swings, stronger the shot). After this a circle will start to close in around the ball, and for the most accurate shot you must press X when the circle is fully closed around the ball. While it’s noticeably more difficult to calculate the strength of a shot other than full strength, it adds an extra layer of realism to the game and generally feels more fun to play. I felt that it worked really well, and after playing in the traditional mode for a while (both are available to choose from in the game) it makes a welcome change.

As for further control options, you can use the d+pad as you’re hitting your shot to add one of four advanced tactics to your game – backspin, topspin, slice and hook. While to non-golfers these may sound a little complex, the easy accessibility of this game wins out yet again making it possible for practically anybody, with a little learning of what each term means, to use the advanced shots. While you’re setting the strength of your shot, you simply hold down the d+pad button corresponding to whichever after-shot tactic you want to use. After this, unlike some other golf games where you actually control the shot while it’s in the air, the game takes care of how well the effect is implemented by firstly looking at the accuracy of your shot, and secondly the ability and skill level of your character. As you play more, the options to make your shot more advanced will be gradually unlocked, as well as upgrades to your character and more options for your equipment – giving you a nice progressive experience as you make your way up through the game.

With the online mode in Everybody’s Golf: World Tour, you can play up to eight players in a standard game, or if you fancy a tournament you can face up to 50 other players. Your online character can be customised with various clothing items, hairstyles etc, more of which will be unlocked as you progress further through the single player aspect of the game. Before you get into a game, you’re taken into a lobby in which you walk around as your 3D avatar (think Home), where you can talk to other players using a USB keyboard or the Sixaxis pad. There’s also a quick chat option with pre-set phrases, but you’re best off digging out a cheap USB Keyboard to plug in really. Unfortunately, voice chat isn’t supported so those with Bluetooth / USB headsets will be left out in the cold. As for playing the actual game online, it’s rather nifty as you can actually see the other people in your game playing around you – just like on a real golf course. It works really well, as you can’t physically interfere with other players, and it’s a hell of a lot better than having to watch each player take their shots separately. The online portion feels like a lot of effort went into it, making it a smooth and tightly operated experience.

Everybody’s Golf: World Tour is a game that can please both hardcore golf fanatics and new players with no experience in golf at all. The options to turn the game into a more strategy based simulation are there for the experienced, while the cartoon quirky style ensures it’s interesting for all. While there are only six courses included with the game, each one has different layouts to suit your needs and there’s always the possibility of downloadable content to expand on the game. The online component is well worth having a go at, and if your skills are looking a bit damp you can hop in the training section for a few holes and improve your tactics. I’d recommend a vague interest in golf if you’re thinking of getting this title – obviously if you despise golf then this isn’t for you, but it’s definitely open for beginners and the inexperienced.

Tom Eccles