Obviously, it’s not perfect; but for the price, it’s come surprisingly close. It does pretty much everything you could want a wacky golf game to do, and the graphics, gameplay and amusement value are all top-notch. Heck, there’s even an on-line mode there too. It’s almost too much for us to register in one go. Perhaps it is just the fact we’ve only just reviewed NFL Street 2 (which is essentially exactly the same as the first just with an online mode), so by comparison, this just seems like almost unsurpassable value for a brand new release. This does what a real sports sequel should do, which is to make its predecessor entirely obsolete by being unarguably better in every way. You might end up spending one hella long time unlocking all these additional bits and pieces, which is a bit annoying if you wanted to launch straight into a multiplayer extravaganza the minute you unseal the game; but that also works nicely to offer a compelling and long-lasting one-player challenge.
The major point of criticism really comes down to the comedy personality of the game. On the one hand, some people might not like the silly sense of humour, and on the other hand, even if you do, there’s only so may times you can find the same joke amusing. It’s a danger inherent in trying to make video-games funny, because even the greatest stand-ups and sitcoms don’t tickle the ribs when it’s the 243rd time you’ve heard the joke. So, eventually you will tire of the commentary… but then again, you can always just turn it off and return to your own script of put-downs and insults. Everybody’s happy (apart, possibly, from Mr Woods).
SPOnG Rating: B+
Although we were fans of the original, we weren’t expecting a great deal from Outlaw Golf 2 at this price. But instead, we suddenly have a new contender for the best golf game ever. The basic engine is excellent, the gimmicky touches do genuinely work as central features and the unorthodox course design is superb. Take into account the on-line mode and the mini-games and you’ve got one of the best value titles released this year. If you have an appetite for golf, a PS2 or Xbox and £20 spare, buying this at the end of the month is a very good idea.
