About the only high point, and refreshing aspect is how Tiger 06 handles training. It is not easy to add a training mode to a game and make it interesting these days. It usually comes off looking, and feeling, cheesy.
This time around you learn how to play Tiger through challenges such as chipping and putting, or a skins game against a PGA Golfer. Completing challenges opens more challenges, as well as unlocks players and courses. Mastering challenges unlocks Equipment Modifiers (more on these in a minute) and better gear at the Pro Shop.
By completing these challenges, as well as playing the game in general, you gain experience points that you can spend to improve your skills such as power boost, spin, and the ever-popular, luck.
Once you complete enough challenges you will unlock the Q-School Tournament at the TPC at Sawgrass course. Successfully placing fifth or better in this four-round event will gain you a PGA Tour card.
But that is not the end of the challenges by any means. It does however open up the main part of the single player game, allowing you to compete on the PGA Tour and go for the holy grail - winning the Grand Slam in a single year.
Other then the disguised training mode this is the same old Tiger. It is a shame that to this day EA will not make any attempt at taking this series to the next level.
One step in the right direction is Tour Mode, which debuts on the 360. Once activated you will see a gallery of people around the course. They will also follow you from hole to hole, yell, cheer, and berate you for that shank you hit into the pine straw. This is a wonderful addition and adds a lot to the perceived realism.
I could envision a TV-style telecast in Tiger, something similar to The Golf Channel or ESPN. Hopefully by Tiger 07 EA will have incorporated the ESPN license. They already have the dry commentary down (which is getting rather old by now), they just need to add the broadcast style graphics and we would have the complete package.
Article comments
1 - Aaman
EA is terrible with control design
I think Links is the best console golf game
The reduced courses makes one think they rushed the game out to meet the release date.
Well, EA roolz:(
2 - Matt Paprocki
Links was fantastic on the Xbox 1. I believe 2K has the rights to the series. It's a shame they haven't done anything with it. Tiger needs competiton.
3 - Ken Edwards
I know Microsoft Game Studios developed Links 2004, and I did not play it at all. I knew someone in college that worked on the PC version of that game for years. It is still a Microsoft IP, so I am not sure about 2K.
Most people (myself included) probably did not see Links 2004 on the radar because EA pushes Tiger so hard. Even though it is a well know franchise on the PC, I don't think it got the respect on the console. But I have played many versions of Links on the PC, great game indeed!
Oh and I had to add my beef about the instruction manual :)
4 - Ken Edwards
EA, rush a game? No way! Six courses seems too slim, considering what we have been used to for years.
On the other hand, the 360 version does have four new ones: Riviera Country Club, Pinehurst No. 2, Carnoustie, and Turnberry, Ailsa Course.
But do you think it would have taken too long to add St. Andrews or any of the other real courses to the 360 Tiger?
I think not. I think it is just EA cutting corners again because it knows it can.
As you say, it needs competition. But it has an exclusive license.
5 - Ken Edwards
This is utterly ridiculous. All the Achievement Points are online based! I have well over 100 birdies offline, but not achievement for that has been unlocked.
I just found out that all the games Achievement Points are earned online only. That is just plain dumb.
6 - Aaman
In Links 2004, you could match your offline play against online players, I think,
But, do you mean you get no kudos for offline play at all? That's dumb and rare to the point of singularity!
We must not let stupidity infect the Singularity!
7 - Ken Edwards
No No Aaman. Achievement Points are something every 360 title has. It is how you get your Gamerscore up. This just makes the Achievements in Tiger harder *shocked*
In your offline game, you still have trophy balls, and trophies for winning majors - all the standard kudos from Tiger games. But those do not get you any Achievement Points. Which is lame. Not everyone is playing Tiger online.
8 - Ken Edwards
Also you take your offline player online. So the better you do offline, the better your player will be online. This also is a problem as all the stupid Equipment Modifiers can artificially jack up your ability past what a player can actually achieve.
The other thing bad about online play is that players can play as Tiger Woods. Even if the player is bad, they can kill the ball and so end up winning because they are using Tiger and not their own created player.