Augusta National Golf Club sits atop the every golfer’s wish list. Getting a coveted tee time takes a lot of connections and a fair bit of luck. But EA Sports and the “Tiger Woods” franchise are finally taking you to the hallowed grounds of the Masters, even if it is digitally. “Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters” is just another step toward turning golf video games into true-to-life simulations. The career mode more closely mirrors the rise from amateur to Tour pro to golf legend — your character has to work his or her way onto the Nationwide Tour, then through Q School, and finally climb the ranks on the PGA Tour.
It’s hard to find fault with the actual gameplay, as it’s as close to perfect as you would hope (though EA will find some way to improve it next year). The big issue “The Masters” has run into is bad press in the blogosphere and on some message boards. The firm has been blasted for having more downloadable courses than ones included on the game disc (16 included, 19 DLC), and it’s another $50 to get all the extra courses — it would feel less like getting ripped off if the company had them split evenly. At least the DLC courses can be used in career mode, unlike in the past. The other issue is the online play. An online pass is needed to compete with other gamers on EA’s servers. A code for this is included with each new copy of the game. However, may people will try to pick up this title used or rent it, where in that case you’d have to shell out $10 to buy the code. It’s understandable that EA would want a piece of the resale market, but it still comes across as being a tiny bit money-hungry.
Despite these two quirks, “Tiger 12” is yet again the best golf sim out there. Just turning on the game brings that air of majesty to your living room, and the subdued yet regal feeling pervades every moment of play. There’s tons to do, even if you don’t get the DLC: Re-create historical Master moments, including Phil Mickelson’s ubiquitous shot from the 2010 tournament; try to best Tiger during each of his wins; complete the huge array of course mastery and sponsor challenges; and then there are always the built-in achievements.
| ‘Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters’ |
| » System: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii |
| » Price: $59.99, $49.99 |
| » Rating: 4 out of 5 stars |
One hugely trumpeted addition is the caddie. Your on-course partner almost takes center stage in “Tiger 12.” He’ll grow alongside you, improving as you do. Still, you can only trust him so much. He’ll make a few boneheaded suggestions (about once each tournament), and you always have to question what he says about the greens (in some cases he’ll say a put is straight when it clearly breaks at least 3 to 4 inches). The inclusion is incredibly helpful for gamers who are new to the series, though veterans may feel it takes away some of the challenge. Thankfully, the caddie can be turned off, but it would be nicer if he disappeared entirely when this is done.
“Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters” is a must-have for any golfer who longs to stalk Augusta’s fairways. And while it may be missing a few things here and there, it still outdrives the competition by a mile. – Greg Prince
