There
are a number of tournaments and variations on each course as well, and you
can select either full courses, front or back nine holes and other
options. The game includes several levels of difficulty, though most
should be able to pick up the basics fairly quickly. You can also Players
can choose from a variety of basic modes including stroke play, which
follows the basic rules of golf, a more interesting challenge mode where
you compete against another player head to head and finally a series of
open tournaments where your playing a full round against a field of thirty
players. Out of Bounds offers modes for single players, matches against
opponents head to head and now, an extensive online mode where you can
play via the net with players from around the world. Successfully
completing tournaments at high levels allows you to unlock additional
items such as courses and player clothing, while additional characters can
be unlocked by challenging and defeating them head to head. The game's
online modes are also impressive and allow players to compete in a wide
variety of tournaments, with special rewards given for beating other
online players. The interface for these modes is incredibly simple, with
easy-to-navigate menus and screens making it easy to set up and get into
games quickly. Using the online leaderboards, players can track their
progress and compare their performance with other players, which gives you
additional motivation. As you'd expect, Hot Shots Golf plays just as
smoothly and intuitively online as it does off, making the experience as
seamless and enjoyable as the offline editions.
The biggest change between Hot Shots
Golf: Out of Bounds and previous installments is the new Advanced Shot
system. Players can select this option which gives them more precise and
intuitive controls. Instead of staring at a generic power bar at the
bottom of the screen, players watch their character swing their club and
press the X button when they want the swing to stop, which gives things a
much more visceral feel. Once you've done this, your golfer will begin to
swing towards the ball and a circle will close in on the tee, the closer
it gets, the straighter and farther your shot will fly. Once you get close
in to the hole, a slightly modified system occurs, where you control the
shot and can see an indicator on the course showing you where your put is
likely to land. This works well in practice and makes timing your long
shots and putts on the green much easier and faster, while also giving the
gameplay a more intuitive feel overall. Players who don't like this new
system can still use the game's traditional power bar interface, where you
have to time your shot and stroke strength, but it feels clumsy after
you've played a few rounds with the advanced shot mode. The gameplay is
fairly traditional by series standards, and players can choose either a
standard scoring system based on the number of strokes or an arcade-style
scoring method where you earn points for successful shots and swings, but
lose them when you hit a bunker or water hazard. The game includes modes
with both scoring systems, so you'll need to stay on your toes and master
both styles of play if you want to compete against other players
successfully.
A
large part of Hot Shots Golf's appeal has always been in its charming
characters and arcade style approach to the sport. Out of Bounds continues
this approach on the PS3 and players familiar with previous installments
should feel right at home here. There are a number of cute characters and
their accompanying caddies in the game. As usual, when you swing the ball
a great distance, you'll see your little friend scurrying down the course
to sight your ball. If you hit a really spectacular shot, the screen
explodes in a burst of color and waves. The visuals aren't that much of an
upgrade from previous installments, though some of the course designs and
renderings seem more elaborate with additional light sourcing and special
effects used to give the game a gentle high-defintion upgrade. The sound
effects and voice acting is decent, though the high-pitched voices can
become a little grating after awhile, and the generic background music
repeats too much which makes it annoying as well. These are minor
problems, however and the overall impression most players will probably
have of Hot Shots Golf's first Playstation 3 outing will probably be
positive. The game stays true to the general look and feel of previous
installments and initial impressions might be deceiving. Look a bit deeper
and you'll find a much improved gameplay interface in the form of its
Advanced Shot mode and a much more extensive online mode that should
extend the game's longevity substantially. Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds
is a solid title overall that delivers the accessible, enjoyable golfing
that players have come to expect from the series with some welcome changes
and upgrades that make it play even better. -Michael Palisano
Grade: B
