reviews

Game: Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds
Genre: Golf
Platform: PlayStation 3



I just want to get this out of the way: I don’t like golf. I don’t like playing golf, I don’t like watching golf, and usually, the idea of a golf video game makes me want to take a nap. To me, it’s not the most interesting of “sports”, and I use the term loosely. I also have no idea what gamers typically want out of a golf video game, not particularly being a fan of the genre. I assume some kind of clubs and balls are involved, but beyond that I’m a little clueless.

On the other hand, I do enjoy sports games that don’t take themselves too seriously, and I have been dying for a good PS3 multiplayer experience, and Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds definitely fulfills those requirements. It also exceeded any expectations I had for it, and for the first time, made me love a golf game.

I am new to the Hot Shots Golf series, which originated back on the PS1 in 1997, but it apparently has enough of a fan following to warrant a number of golf games on the PS1, PS2, and PSP, along with a couple of tennis spinoffs. Out of Bounds, however, is the first next-gen entry in the series. Hot Shots is characterized by its cute, cartoony golfers, each of which has a different personality, as well as a uniquely humorous approach to the game. Even though it looks silly, Hot Shots works on a realistic golf engine, with big, green courses complete with typical sand traps and water hazards.
 


It should be noted that this game does have a mandatory install, similar to Devil May Cry 4. However, it takes less than ten minutes to do so, unlike DMC4’s half an hour, and is only 4 gigs. It’s also well worth it, because this game looks gorgeous, has fairly short load times, and as far as I could tell, had nothing in the way of technical problems. The golfers, while cartoonish in nature, are still very well designed, and the courses are beautifully detailed.

In addition to the traditional style of golfing used in the previous Hot Shots games, Out of Bounds introduced a new Advanced set of controls for seasoned golfers. Each method uses three clicks of the X button to determine strength and accuracy, and the D-pad is used for aiming the shot. This makes the game accessible even to newbies like myself. At first, keeping track of wind changes, which club to use, and the layout of the course can seem a little overwhelming, but is really easy to get accustomed to. It won’t be long before you’ve got it all down and are trying to perfect your power shots.



Although the game starts out with only two golfers and one course available, there are plenty more to unlock by playing through some single-player rounds. You can also unlock several outfits for each character, adding a little more variety to the game, and an assortment of golf clubs and balls. Though there will eventually be many characters to choose from, picking the same one repeatedly increases his or her loyalty and makes him or her a better golfer, a feature I found interesting. The only thing the game feels short of is courses, as there are only six; a few more might have been nice, but that’s not really much of a complaint.

The multiplayer aspects of the game, both offline and online, just make this title even more enjoyable. Online, there are tournaments starting every fifteen minutes, and all you have to do is pick a time that’s right for you and start golfing. Tournaments can have up to 50 players, or you can just pick a standard eight-player game. Offline, up to four players can golf together. It’s actually because of this game that I had a reason to use my second PS3 controller for the first time.



The only thing I would have liked to see more of are customization options for both the characters and the courses. As nice as the game-created players are, I would have loved to be able to create my own golfer from scratch. A create-a-course mode would have put this game right over the top as well. Again, though, these complaints are minor, and don’t actually refer to anything technically wrong with the game.

Believe me, no one is more shocked than I am about how much I love playing this game. At $60, it is right up there with other high-end PS3 titles, but is one of the best exclusives the system has to offer. The replay value alone makes it worth the price; as long as there’s someone to play with, you will never get sick of this game. The only real problem with the game is that it’s a little short on courses and customization, but hopefully the next game in the series will build on what’s already there. Other than that, it’s everything I could have wanted it to be: a well-made, fun, humorous game that has excellent single and multiplayer experiences and a lot of replay value, and it’s only available on the PlayStation 3. Hey, how many other games can you say that about?

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