29-Oct-2006 A new year, a new Tiger - but is it really worth teeing off with the latest edition? THE WORLD'S MOST successful golfer he may be, but even the unstoppable Mr Woods isn't averse to the EA dollar. Having lent his name - and face - to the series since the last century, this year's version again joins the pantheon of EA Sports titles that clog up the letterboxes of games magazines around this time of year.
So what's new in this year's title? Not a lot, to be honest. While the console versions offer a slew of new (albeit mainly superficial) features, the PC would appear to have been overlooked. What you get is a vague mish-mash of previous games, seemingly slung together to fulfil a contractual obligation.
The only tangible addition is that of the Team Tour, whereby you select a four-ball of golfers and go head-to-head against other quartets. What this actually means is that you spend a lot of time watching the other players, or indeed hitting the Escape key until it's your turn.
In its defence, the courses are reasonably authentic and the licensed golfers are mainly recognisable. The trademark mouse-based swing mechanism works well enough, but is far too easy, with even the shakiest of amers able to regularly score 100%. Aiming is an imprecise affair, and you generally end up taking the default option, simply slugging away until you're on the tee.
The Game Face gimmick is old hat now, but if you've got the time and inclination you can create a mildly deformed version of yourself and set about becoming a professional golfer. Ultimately though, it's a lacklustre affair that we've seen many times before. Sound familiar?
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