A solid but sadly unspectacular new addition to a franchise that will need a major make-over in the coming years if it is to enjoy the sustained success it has previously shown, and which is almost definitive of every EA Sports series.
EA Sports will have been encouraged recently by the resurgent form of the player they still count as the undisputed face of their flagship golf franchise, as Tiger Woods has defied recent expectations to move back within genuine contention for the US Masters title. Because rather than jumping ship permanently on one of their biggest game brands (and one of the few remaining "named" brands in sports gaming), the developer decided to return Tiger's name to the front cover, despite his overall drop in form and the social "activities" that saw him unceremoniously dropped from cover duties last year. But in more ways than one, Tiger Woods is back, and though he know shares his cover with Rory McIlroy (who will probably replace him if EA Sports do eventually decide to go with another star player), and though the title is now slightly dilluted of his influence, it seems the developer still have faith in the golfer's ability to sell games. In all honesty, the latest Tiger Woods game is a lot like the recent form of the titular sporting hero: there is certainly a whiff of the grand old master coming to the end of its current generation. But while Tiger Woods has been working on a new swing, and pushing himself to change alongside the sport, the EA Sports franchise doesn't appear to be quite so interested in evolution. And its certainly beginning to show. For once, the game also looks like it's been made to a smaller budget than we are usually used to with EA Sports, and there is definitely not the kind of slickness that usually comes hand in hand under the publisher's banner. Presentation as a whole is still very good, but if you pick away a little bit, the finish isn't quite the top level: characters look somewhat unrefined and environmental elements are similarly shoddy in places, not only on the field of play, but also, most noticeably in the new Legacy mode, whose nostalgic sepia-toned glaze does nothing to hide the sparsity of its environments. In fact, that entire new game mode could have done with an awful lot more - it is presented as a Story Mode, charting the progression of Tiger Woods' career through every pivotal moment on his road to success, starting when he was a toddler, but it isn't particularly well written and it feels rather flat. It doesn't help that the backstory sequences, which could look much better given EA Sports' access to the best technology on the market, are accompanied by narration from the man himself, since he doesn't have what anyone could call a charismatic voice. There are some other new features as well, and though the game generally will be criticised for its lack of slickness, there can't be any grumbles that it's merely a dressed up duplicate of last year's game with a few unnecessary frills added. The addition of online country clubs and invite-only competitions will look like the major new draws on the surface, as well as the ability to unlock or buy additional off-disc courses, but the most noticeable developments come when club is in virtual hand. EA Sports have completely redeveloped the swing system, not least in the feedback system, which is far more detailed, and makes the whole system a lot more helpful, and geared towards applicable corrective measures to iron out player errors. The actual analogue-based control mechanic remains the same, but EA Sports have included a new stroke meter, which offers real-time feedback on your backswing, and an after-strike readout showing the player's thumb movement. Both offer corrective objectives, so you can see exactly where you're going wrong as your ball flies infuriatingly into the rough, or wildly dog-legs into the trees thanks to a crooked backswing. The focus has almost certainly been switched to education in the game experience, not only in the improved swing and shot feedback, but also in that afore-mentioned addition of unlockable additional courses, to which access can be earned through meeting various Course Mastery objectives. But all is not quite as it seems with that mode, which is badly unbalanced in favour of players having to fork out points to buy their way onto courses, because it takes so long to actually earn the required amount to get there naturally. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 comes with PS Move and Kinect compatibility, depending, of course on your console preference, and on the version tested the Kinect responsiveness was mostly very good. Voice control, which controls club selection and asking your cabby for advice is precise and the motion control system is simple and responsive, which makes for a successful hands-free experience. Admittedly, there is a slight compromise in shot precision and fine-tuning aim when you go for the Kinect control option, and it is a far more rewarding experience to go with the conventional analogue controller, but there is certainly some fun to be had in the alternative. All-in-all, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 is a solid but sadly unspectacular new addition to a franchise that will need a major make-over in the coming years if it is to enjoy the sustained success it has previously shown, and which is almost definitive of every EA Sports series. Of the new additions, the motion compatibility is probably the best feature, but there has certainly been an unfortunate drop in quality overall that seems to hint at a lower budget. Perhaps the world, and EA Sports haven't quite forgiven Tiger of his various indiscretions, and this muted new series addition is his punishment.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 is available to buy now on XBox 360 and PS3.