Game Rant’s Andrew Dyce reviews Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters
EA Sports has made a habit in recent years of gaining repeat customers with their numerous sport franchises, from football and hockey to soccer and golf. With Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters, the name says everything that fans need to know. While the past few games may have been criticized for adding little to the game’s formula, there is no mistaking the fact that Tiger Woods 12 represents a major shift in the franchise’s direction. But is the move one that will bring in new fans at the cost of current customers?
If you consider yourself a fan of golf or golf video games, then the fact is that Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters simply can not be missed. Some may have seen the addition of the Masters Tournament and Augusta National as a way to take attention off of Tiger Woods’ recent indiscretions, but the inclusion of the legendary course is far more important to the overall project.
From the game’s opening — which could easily be broadcast on network television for the tournament itself — to the artwork and backdrops, EA is making the overall message of the game one of tradition and maturity.
The publisher may claim to still value their relationship with the face of the franchise as much as ever, but long-time fans will immediately notice the obvious absence of Tiger in favor of a tone more befitting that of “the gentleman’s game.”
Whether EA will admit it or not, this game should much more accurately be referred to as The Masters, since the tournament and course are undeniably the star of the game. If you are one of the many golf fans who have been impatiently waiting for a digital copy of the hallowed links of Augusta National to be made available, then you can take the opportunity to jump onto the course as Woods himself. But for those who wish to experience the tournament for themselves, The Masters has plenty more in store.
Masters Moments challenges players to reenact some of the tournament’s most memorable shots and plays, from Arnold Palmer down to Phil Mickelson. Traveling back in time to bring the tournament’s greatest moments to life is a fitting way to experience Amen Corner, but for many players, their golf experiences begin and end with Tiger. The Tiger at the Masters mode takes a page out of NBA 2K11‘ s book, requiring players to replicate all of Tiger’s winning performances over the years. No small task, and sure to give many a walk down memory lane.
Walking the links at Augusta, the time put into development is impossible to miss.
The heart of these games, however, has always been the player creation and career. Following the trend of maturity and realism, almost all of the false or artificial challenges and systems of the past have been removed. Created players enter the game as amateurs, faced with the monumental task of proving themselves to sponsors, making their way onto the PGA Tour, and qualifying for the Masters.
The artificial celebrity face-offs have been removed for a more realistic approach to progression, as simply playing more and more golf is the best way to prove your progress, not going head-to-head with the computer. In addition, the day before each event carries a challenge from a fellow Tour golfer, giving completionists a chance to earn a little extra XP on their way through the season.
Instead of using currency to unlock new equipment and clothing, players work their way up the chain of sponsors — Oakley, Adidas, PING, Callaway — without needing to worry about footing the bill for their newest gear.
The path to the majors isn’t an easy one, but players won’t have to go it alone this time around. Accompanying the player in their quest is the better half of every golfer: the caddie. The caddie is by far the largest change to the game’s systems, and could open the door for a brand new army of beginners.
Before taking any shot, the caddie begins the routine by informing the player of all pertinent information on the course and current lie, and suggests a few possible shots of varying risk and difficulty. While the assistant can be disabled for seasoned players who don’t wish to be pestered, having an AI character hold the player’s hand as they learn the various systems of the game is an inspired way of welcoming the unfamiliar. After all, it’s still the player who has to take the shot.
It’s not enough that the caddie’s facts and advice are normally spot-on, but the voice and demeanor of the player’s guide simply oozes encouragement. The mind-numbing narration of Hank Haney has been tossed aside in favor of a calm, reassuring, and permanently optimistic partner who doesn’t mind when his safe shots are passed up in favor of a more gutsy approach.
Anyone who can refer to a 40-foot putt as a "great chance to be aggressive" deserves 10% of the winnings.
Completing rounds awards players XP to use in purchasing stat upgrades, with the caddie improving his knowledge of a given course with every new challenge completed. These changes may be subtle and disregarded as hand-holding by some, but the overall tone of the game is meant to appeal to far more than the hardcore, so a gentler learning curve is understandable.
Perhaps the most startling change made to The Masters is the fact that EA Sports has simultaneously made the game more approachable and far more punishing to those who underestimate the dedication and skill required to master the various aspects of their game. The driving and short game haven’t seen a great deal of change, but the putting is likely to be the greatest epiphany and the most frustrating change made for faithful fans.
With putting systems and green-reading being given significant re-designs nearly every year, it’s clear that this particular area of the game is a nagging issue for the developers. The shift towards realism rears its ugly head where greens are concerned, with little to no flat spots, unpredictable speeds, mind-boggling three-foot misses, and simple strokes all but extinct.
While other areas of the game have large margins of error, putting combines distance, breaks, strength, and alignment of the club head during the stroke to create a perfect storm of frustration. For whatever reason, players are just as likely to make a putt by flipping a coin as following their caddie’s advice, with a relatively tiny sweet spot and numerous errors to make.
Being put into the shoes of Happy Gilmore missing two-foot putts left and right may sound funny, but constantly missing putts without any explanation as to why may be enough to have some players slamming their controllers down for good. The system is without a doubt challenging, but there is no question that it can be substantially mastered with time and patience.
It stands to reason that the Wii and PlayStation Move functionality may expand upon those frustrations exponentially, but softening of the controls could help ease the tension. The putting may be unquestionably the largest source of annoyance within the game, but it truly is the exception.
Move functionality and and the Wii could be a dream come true, or a nightmare.
With Augusta National’s most famous landmarks not only made playable, but accompanied by pro tips from Bobby Jones, the course’s creator, The Masters simply strives to be more than past titles. With the President’s Cup also included for those who favor cross-pond rivalries, buyers will be hard-pressed to find an aspect of golf that isn’t given attention by the game.
The less-than-perfected putting system is something that players will need to prepare themselves for, and the game has yet to make the leap into top-level graphics. Players still move in odd ways, have unrealistic skeletal structures, and waxy complexions, which only seems uglier when placed alongside the game’s stunning environments and brand new 3D grass.
So while the game may not be without a few faults, it’s hard to think of someone who may have interest in The Masters that wouldn’t get their money’s worth with a purchase. Fans of golf in general will appreciate the dedication and integrity with which the new broadcasters Jim Nantz and David Feherty speak about the game, and can also try their hand at the least intimidating title to date.
For those who buy the game’s latest installment every year, enough changes, improvements, and challenges have been implemented to make the purchase a no-brainer. The fourteen additional courses available as DLC will be a treat for the die-hard fans, and only add to the game’s longevity should next year’s entry fall somewhat short.
It truly seems that the days of marginal tweaks and advances from year to year are behind us, at least until Tiger Woods 13 is released. Simply put, The Masters is the new standard in golf video gaming. After hours and hours with the game, one thing becomes abundantly clear: if you have a real passion, a real affection for the game of golf, then you will love this game.
Seriously though, we’ve warned you about the putting.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters is available now for the PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii.
Our Rating:
4.5 out of 5
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It’s good to hear that even though Tiger doesn’t have it, EA does. I’ve never been a fan of any of the Tiger Woods games in years past though, so I’m going to have to pass.
Great review though, Dyce!
Its almost worth giving a try, just to see what the game is all about. Previous years havent really down anything new or innovative, but for some reason this years version seems to have……. hit the sweet spot.
great review.
Best review I’ve seen. Absolutely right about the putting but Augusta makes it worth the cost
I’ve never been to your site before, but thanks for the review. I have been a longtime fan of the Tiger games and I have preordered this. I am a little fearful of your putting remarks, but appreciate you taking the time to write a thorough review.
The Rake
@TheFilmNest on twitter
The worst game ever.
I have owned every version since this game launched and I will now use the demo to judge them from now on prior to buying.
Every shot is automatic. Your caddie tells you exactly where to hit every shot, how hard to hit it, what club to use, etc. As for putting, this review is incorrect: THE GAME TELLS YOU WHERE TO HIT IT. How is that more difficult? And no, there is no setting to remove any of these “cheats”.
If you enjoyed using the “putt preview” on previous versions, which I will stress again, is cheating, you’ll love this. This isn’t a golf game, it is a test to see if you can swing the left stick straight back and straight forward.
The worst $65 I have ever spent on a game. Played it once, will never play it again.
Using the demo to judge whether or not to buy a full game isnt the smartest idea, but it appears that most of the things you said havent had much reasoning or intellect put into them. its probably due to the fact the game can be frustrating at first, but im not too sure. but, as i said, using the demo solely to get the idea of the entire game falls very short to deliver the entire experience. You dont get the career development, the options, the game choices, the customization, the tuning abilities. All you get is the basic idea of gameplay.
Not every shot is automatic. the caddy automatically gives you 2 choices of shots, one to go for the green (safe) and one to go for the pin (risky). You then have a third option to forget what hes recommended and take your own shot setup. i found i did this most of the time, as i like the difficulty of factoring in the wind, the distance, the elevation, the green, the spin, the distance, i could keep going on, but you get the point. Please remember though, you can turn the caddy assistant completely off. And the circle on the green for putting doesnt “show you where to hit it”, it gives you an idea of where you should be aiming. even within that circle, if you miss the putt, you can still travel the full distance away from the cup, come up far short, or miss the line completely. trust me, i did. you also have the ability to turn that one off as well.
i do agree that this game does bring into play whether or not you can “swing the stick back and forward” straight, but again consistency, repetiton, smoothness, and spin all play a part on the course in real life.
I enjoyed this years upping of difficulty, if you dont use the assisted caddy. i also think it gives casual gamers the options to play fairly well, given they put a bit of swing time in before they get all pissed off and say its the worst game theyve ever spent money on.
if you seriously dont want it, ill give you my adress, you can send it to me.
Bryan:
I don’t play the game for the development of the characters. I am really good at the game, as is my neighbor, and we play match play against one another and absolutely nothing else (no career, no online play, etc). Call me boring, but that’s the best part of the game – the competition with friends. Sometimes we both use Tiger, but that gets monotonous as you can copy each others shots around the course. Mostly we choose players with like but different strengths (one match up we always used in 2011 was Kim vs. Rory).
Anyway, back to the main point, and that’s the caddie feature: I searched all over the game on how to turn it off, and looked online as well and found nothing. If this is true and you can actually turn it off, please let me know how this can be done. I have the PS3 version of the game if that matters.
Like I said before, I don’t want a game that tests if I can swing the left analog stick straight. I want to be able to see the wind, the elevation and know my player’s distances so I can pick the right club and shot in order to hit a great shot. I want to be able to read the putt myself with no hints of “about where to hit it”. If that exists, I will play this game maniacally like I have in past versions. If it doesn’t exist, it will be given to my one buddy who liked to use the “Putt Preview” cheat as this is right up his alley.
When you’re in the Caddie preview shot, isn’t there an option to ‘Disable Caddie’?
Thats correct. when it shows you the shot over the caddies shoulder, you cat hit B, i think it is, and it disables the help. Also, if you turn up the difficulty in the gameplay options, it makes the game a lot more realistic as well.
I hope that helps Dan. I dont like to hear when people are having issues not getting options and setups to a way they like to the point of giving up on the game.
Brian
Yeah, you can turn off the caddie so he stops talking to you, but you can still see the club he suggests you hit, which basically takes all of the fun out of thinking through the shot. And if you guys can completely ignore the square that says “6 Iron 94%” then you are much more talented than I am.
Just so you know how I like it – when we play, we play every single difficulty setting at the hardest. Lightning fast greens, fast fairways, expert tees, pins and Gusty winds. I tell you this because I want this game to be challenging and it isn’t in its current design.
It sucks, because I REALLY was looking forward to playing Augusta. This will be given to my buddy who likes the cheating aspect of the game….
Slammed my controller down for a missed 2 foot putt. Then I found this article, I guess im not the only one. Off to practice!
practice makes perfect. i used the waialai course to help out on short irons and putting. after a few round i found the sweet spot, and got a feeling for the new putting controls.
putting in this game is as difficult as putting for real. but the trouble is i know im a duffer on the course but i would like to at least be a decent virtual golfer. dont know if i will get used to it or not. i liked tiger ’10
I am really glad to hear that others are struggling with the putting system. I have to say though, once you reach the pros, the putting should react in kind. Boning a 2 footer is almost unheard of in real pro golf. I agree with you on the pastiness of the players. They still look like cheaply rendered Sims characters. I am at the point where I am about to put the game on the shelf for a very long time, if not trade it in all together. The putting was what made the previous versions of TW fun. You could bone a few puts or even a round, and still rely on your expertise on the greens to win. Not so anymore…I have even managed to miss a 6 incher! WTF!! I have broken a controller so far and I don’t want to smash anything else. I won’t say it is the worst $60 I have spent on a game to date, but if they don’t offer some kind of DL update for the putting system, this game will be on my top five of bad purchases. Just like to add…what is the deal with the XP? I have barely scratched the surface on my % of full upgrade completion, and already one move of the bar costs 5000 XP? That’s like a full 18 holes just to move the bar one centimeter? I say, gaming is meant to be vicarious. If you want THAT much realism, get out on the links for real. At least out there you can swear profusely and smash the cover off the ball on the next tee to vent your frustration. On a scale of 1 (bad) and 10 (awesome), I give this game about a 3.5. EA has far missed the likings of this long time TW fan. Let the buyer beware.
I’d also like to add this link: http://www.gamershell.com/tv/31288.html
I am going to try the recs of the video narrator and see if I can improve my game. I am not ready to throw in the towel just yet, but I need a little something more than constant frustration. Hope someone finds this helpful!
On the Tigger Woods 12 how do you use the XP and Caddie points
I am done with this game. When you can manage to bone a 6″ put, the mechanics are shot. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME! it sucks and the whole “caddie” idea is bogus. He is as clueless as you when it comes to judging a putt. EA…you have killed the drive for future purchases. If you destroy Madden in the same fashion, you have only yourselves to blame. PISS POOR!!!
Why after my attributes reach a certain point does the game no let me use my earned xp points to increase my skills?
For anybody who has ever golfed – putting is the hardest, and the putting is not that bad if you are good at playing the game. And is for nack – EA butchered Madden years ago and it still sucks – this is by far the best game they have released in awhile – other than NCAA which is usually pretty good year in and year out