AAA golf games have all but died out, which might be why indie developers have taken it upon themselves to pick up the slack. The genre has been blowing up as of late and each new game, from What the Golf to Golf Story, puts a new twist on the standard formula. Cursed to Golf combines golfing with roguelikes.
As bizarre as that sounds, Cursed to Golf works surprisingly well in this combo formula. It is far from perfect but several things could help it reach greater heights a lot more easily. Hopefully, these ideas can be patched into the game at some point in the future.
7 Add Difficulties
Oddly, Cursed to Golf has no difficulty options. There aren’t even assist features which is strange since that has become a trend in roguelikes and indie games recently. Giving players more options can entice those that usually shy away from more hardcore roguelikes.
The more people play the game, the more popular it will become, which can then lead to a possible sequel if sales are good enough. That’s just a theory, but either way, there aren't many games that wouldn't benefit from having assist options. Giving players a way to gain more Par for each hole is one example of a possible assist feature.
6 Add Multiplayer
Cursed to Golf is a roguelike but it is also a golfing game. One of the most fun things to do with a golf game, or any sports game, for that matter, is to play with other people. The game Cursed to Golf currently has an online feature wherein players can link up their high scores.
A leaderboard is nice to include in a game but there is so much more potential here. The developers could add in a versus mode locally or via online connectivity. They could also allow players to team up on holes with a co-op mode. This could be another way to make the game more accessible.
5 Add Dailies
If adding in multiplayer, either versus or co-op, is too hard right now then there are other things that the developers could add to boost the game’s overall package. For example, they could add in a daily challenge instead.
Spelunky is another roguelike and uses this daily challenge option to great effect. There are many other roguelikes out there that typically feature this mode too. Creating a daily challenge can make competing on the leaderboard even more enticing.
4 Add A Music Gallery
One of the best things in the game is the music, especially the Scotsman's theme. The only downside to the soundtrack is that players can’t listen to it in a sound gallery. These types of features have all but disappeared from modern video games even though they used to be more prevalent in the 80s and 90s.
Some games even featured sound effects galleries as well. The fighting game genre, which included popular franchises like Street Fighter, is a good example to bring up when it comes to games that used sound galleries well. The developers should try to revive this long-lost feature by patching it into the game.
3 Add A Better Viewpoint When Teeing Off
Players can look at an entire stage by entering the Birdie perspective. This is a good way to plan out the best route to the hole. However, the range players get to see when teeing off is a lot more limited.
They can only see the beginning of their trajectory and can’t see where the ball might land based on the power used. Most golf games allow players to see this trajectory from multiple viewpoints. The developers should extend the range of sight when teeing off in the next patch.
2 Access The Shop At The Start
Cursed to Golf is a very punny game and one of the best jokes is the shop called Eterni-Tee. Weirdly, players start at this golf shop before a roguelike run but they can’t actually access it. On one hand, it makes sense because players don’t start with money but there are free things in the shop to access such as the card binder.
This tool can allow players to store cards to use on their next run. Why can’t they use it right away? There is also an option to change colors. There is a good amount here like colors that mock Mario and Luigi but there could be more added as well. It might even be cool to swap genders, although that might change too much of the game’s narrative.
1 Add More Save Files
There is one core save file in Cursed to Golf. Players can choose to start a new game and erase the data or they can go into the options menu and choose “delete save.” Creating sports games with only one save file is detrimental to the enjoyment of players.
What if the console is shared by a couple or an entire family? Why can’t they each have their own customizable profile? The standard issue for most games these days is three save files. The developers should therefore add in a few more to make the game a bit more family-friendly.
Cursed to Golf was released on August 18, 2022, and is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.