I also need to say something about the instruction manual, or utter lack thereof. When EA cuts corners, they do it with panache. Four pages does not cover all of Tiger 06 much less any Tiger game. I don’t know what all these lightning bolt icons mean. Imagine if you are new to Tiger and didn’t know what a fade shot was, or how to accomplish one in the game! There is no excuse for a well-written manual. Good manuals for games (software, etc) are getting harder to find but Tiger is a complex game that needs to be explained to fully enjoy.
In the end, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 on the Xbox 360 looks amazing. Yes, I have said that twice now. The stunning visuals are its only saving grace. After all, the core game play is the same. Unfortunately that is not nearly enough reason to buy this game. This is a rental at best, even if you are a die-hard fan of the series.
If you own Tiger 06 on any other platform I cannot recommend the 360 version on looks alone, not to mention the hit in the features department. You could also save yourself $10 and buy Tiger 06 on the PS2/Xbox/GameCube and walk away with a more complete Tiger experience.
I only hope next year’s Tiger, as well as Madden and NBA Live, are full featured games and not ghosts of their former selves.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 is a rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB. This game can also be found on: GameCube, PC, PS2, PSP, Xbox, and Mobile Phone.
(** out of *****)
Be sure to read our other review on this game by Matt Paprocki.
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.