Kotaku
Wealthy men walking with sticks. This is what I see every day when driving past the exclusive country club down the street from where I live, and about my only real exposure to the real world of golf. The closest I get to playing golf these days is the Hot Shots Golf series, which features cutesy characters with sticks, sans walking. Now Sony and developer Clap Hanz bring the franchise to the PlayStation 3 with Hot Shots Golf: Out Of Bounds, and I've gone several rounds with the title to see how the series fares on Sony's latest console.
The handicap differential in red and blue, after the jump.
Loved
Advanced Shot System: While the original metered swing system is still available, the Advanced Shot System is one of the most natural golf swing mechanics I've encountered. Judging your power seems like it would be a crap shoot without a meter, but somehow they've made it work.
Multiplayer Tournies: Mutliplayer tournaments for up to 50 players work very nicely, with each player taking on the hole simultaneously, returning to the scoreboard once they sink the ball, where they can comment on the losers struggling against the clock on swing 10 on a par 4. All it lacks is voice chat.
Online Game Lobbies: While waiting for an online tournament to begin you get to run your customizable avatar around several nifty online lobbies, complete with railings to slide down, seats to sit in, and other people to bother. You can even doublejump!
Graphics: The golfers look more like action figures than computer-generated models thanks to the power of the PS3. Courses are nicely detailed, with foliage swaying in the breeze almost making the wind indicator on the top right of the screen redundant.
Variable Difficulty: Players just wanting to smack the ball around can stick with an amateur character their whole career, but those wanting a deeper golfing experience can move on the the more advanced characters.
Hated
Unlocking Courses: It takes forever to unlock new courses in the game, which is pretty standard for the series. By the time you unlock the third course you'll be completely sick of the first two.
Lack Of Character Customization: Character customization is limited to variations on the characters' standard costumes, with goofy dress-up items limited to your online lobby avatar. I miss the customization of Open Tee for the PSP.
Install Time: A console game should be playable within a minute of putting it into the machine. Having to wait 12 minutes for a game to install is a pain in the ass.
For the most part Hot Shots Golf: Out Of Bounds is a fine addition to the Hot Shots franchise. While it doesn't deviate much from the already established formula, the extended online play and new Advanced Shot System partnered with some fine graphics gently ease the addictive series into the current generation, while the long install time painfully reminds you that the current generation has issues it needs to work out.
If you're a PlayStation 3 owner with even the slightest interest in the sport of hitting balls with sticks, you'd be doing yourself a favor in picking up Hot Shots Golf: Out Of Bounds.
Hot Shots Golf: Out Of Bounds was developed by Clap Hanz, published by Sony Computer Entertainment and released on March 18. Retails for $59.99. Available on PlayStation 3. Played through 5 levels of single player challenge mode, multiple multiplayer tournaments.
Comments
In Europe it's known as Everyboy's Golf, I've always been a fan of the series, preferring it over Tiger Woods and Links
This is a definite purchase for me.
How is an install process a detriment?
I understand not wanting it to be required, but...it's a one time deal.
It takes more time to go to the store and buy the game than it takes to install.
I think we're going to have to learn to accept console game installs. I know it may be rough now, but we must endure.
Hot Shots Golf: Out Of Bounds Review: A hole in one!
I was going to pick it up at lunch today, now I'm even more stoked.
Bummer about the long initial load time, but hey, what are you gonna do?
I beer = 12 minutes. Perfect.
For once I wish there was a score for the review, so here's mine:
10. Ace!
9. Eagle
8. Birdie
7. Par
6. Bogey
5. Double Bogey
4. Out of Bounds
3. Pick up Ball/Walk/Gimme etc.
2. Beat the Caddie Into Submission
1. Kill the Whispering Commentators
why did it take so long between Japanese and US release?
@Groodle: Our review process asks us to simply record what we loved and what we hated about the game. I hated the install process. It's that simple. I think that console developers should be encouraged to avoid having lengthy installs become the norm.
The game is so much fun, the mandatory install time wasn't a big deal at all. There are barely any load times because of it.
Ah, Microsoft Golf '97.
...huh? Hotshots what?!
@notalkjustrock:
Yeah i don't see the big deal.People put up with 3 or 4 cd installs and dvd installs on PC.I think it's blow out of porportion.I may have to pick this up since the Army of 2 AI may cause me to stab a hole in my 360.
Ooh I didn't even know it was out! I'll have to pick that up this weekend or something.
Twelve minute install? Huge game breaking bug issues needed to be fixed by immediate, post-release patches?
Why did I give up on PC gaming again?
I'm a sucker for golf games, but the last Tiger Woods drove me mad. I'll throw this on my Gamefly list and give it a go. Anyone know how many courses there are?
Where in the 10 Commandments of Console Gaming is it stated that "console games should be playable within minutes?" That's a "nice to have," but certainly not a "must have" feature in my book. Sounds like someone needs a paradigm shift.
@Groodle:
The install process on a gaming console makes me scratch my head, and ponder how long it would take the game to boot up if I didn't install. As a 360 and PS3 owner, among other platforms, I am not impressed with the PS3 long install times, long download times, and long system update times. First I download, then install, hit PS button several times, accept user-agreement, and then, after a restart, I get to use my PS3.
I don't want to start an argument about which console is better, because they all have good and bad things about them. But, having played a few games on both the 360 and PS3, I have to give the 360 the edge when it comes to load times, especially factoring in the sometimes very long initial install. I don't have the same experience with XBLM or 360 games
This is an excellent game. I highly recommend it. Somewhat of some RPG elements were included in this game (so basically the longer you play the more you unlock; including improved clubs, balls, courses, stats, charachter loyalty).
Its alot of fun!
I downloaded the demo for everybody's golf from the PAL store. I assume that's a pretty accurate representation of the NA release?
@Mike Fahey: Pretty much every single PS3 game I've gotten lately requires an install. Wonder if that has to do with limitations of the PS3 blu-ray drive read speed.
Hot Shots Golf is a hoot though. It is a generally well-done game, though I have a hard time telling if the weather is actually affecting the game play beyond the ball drive distance.
Anyone else dig the music in this game?
i never understood why you have to install a PS3 game to play it.
oh right. they're trying to be like PC games.(maybe?)
I await the PSP sequel. Something about Golf on the go just does it for me.Online golf is appealing, but I think the Open Tee 2 will have online also.
Why is there no voice chat?
Why isn't that listed under hated?
@Groodle: Because the reviewer didn't like it . That's how.
omg. i wish everyone would shut up about the stupid install. the game is rad, the install is short (it took like 3 minutes for mine) and it saves me from having to sit through loading times while i'm actually playing the game. get over it.
@Groodle: if installs become the norm, it'll become harder for people with large game collections to "revisit" a game. reason for this is because of the hard drive limitations. and not everyone is tech saavy to replace their own hard drive... a game console i believe shouldn't require hardware upgrading.
while personally, i do not find game installations an issue, i am against requiring them as i think they will have a negative impact if requiring them becomes the norm (i digress more about it here blog entry).
@Erwin: sounds good, except you might want to elevate 2/10 to 11/10 on your scale ;)
@ElReyMysterioso-PBUH:
I think it has more to do with the fact that it has a guaranteed hard drive. Game makers loved the original XBox for that reason, being able to cache things. The next logical step would have been to do installs. But the current market leaders, the 360 and the Wii, don't have one guaranteed, or have one at all.
It's just one of those issues of taking advantage of the hardware at hand.
That, and the Blu-Ray speed issue has been greatly exaggerated. Yes, it is a bit slower, but it also has at the lowest 5x the information to dig through to find what it needs.
All that being said, it's annoying as hell and needs to freaking stop.
ok new reason of bashing the PS3:
Install times.
Looks like the PS3 haters ran out of reasons
@Gambare: Actually, I'm sure there are plenty of reasons to bash the PS3 still. Just like there are still plenty of reasons to bash the wii and 360. The more you wine about it and try to defend it, the more it turns from valid complaint to "haha, let me rub this (insert company name) fanboy the wrong way". People have opinions, and apparently the install is not favored. DEAL.
Picked this up upon release and enjoy playing. Definitely a fun game to play.
wait. it took 12 minutes to install the game? mine was sooo short like less than 5 minutes.
I really am enjoying the game so much. unlocking the characters, the costumes, the clubs and balls and then unlocking accessories for my online avatar. man, there's a lot of things to do in the game. I really am enjoying the online tournaments. I suck but I do play it. Probably put in over 10 hours into the game just in the online. now add offline I say 5-10 hours. Oh and I hate the odd Virtual Keyboard. sorry. really. i don't like texting on phones. and i don't feel like doing it in the game ;3
I love this series but I really wish they would bring back the mini golf holes from the first game =(
I purchase this. Although I like the advance shot system, I still find it hard to guage the power of the swing. Maybe I'm not doing it right...but I like the old system better.
@Complaining about installs: I just can't take this - people that advocate delaying a game for months to make sure it's properly polished can't wait 12 minutes to ensure that it takes advantage of every resource available to it, to bring you the best experience it can?
That said, I do think installs should be optional, due to HD space limitations.
Omg 12 minutes!?!
Go get a PC and then complain :p
God, I would love this if it had remote play..No more boring lunch breaks.
@Islandkiwi: There is a total of 6 courses, 15 golfers, and 9 caddies.
I love it and the advanced shot mechanic, but like he said you play a lot of the same course, mirrored, long tee, etc before getting to the new and much more difficult ones. It is also a 3.5 GB install.
@nxp3:
I find the adv. shot is easier to use because i can make the ball go further and have more control of how the fall spins and such. Takes some practice but Adv. >>> Traditional at least to me.
The only reason we have to deal with install's is because the read speed of current generation blue ray drives is comparitivly REALLY SLOW. so they can not effectively stream content of the disk yet.
which is why we get massive installs and no noticable difference in loading when compaired to the 360
I picked this up over the weekend and am having a blast. I've been a hot Shots fan since 3! We should have a Kotaku tourney. Fahey! Make it happen!
It sucked while having to sit through the install time, but the amount of enjoyment the game provides quickly eclipses the memory of the the waiting.
and I find that HD install is done right. at least during the online portion of the game. rather than keep reading off the disc to load everything during Tourney and such it's already ready to be read faster <333
As much as I've enjoyed playing the HSG series, $60 for a golf game gets a pass from me (or any sports game for that matter).
Yeah I don't like the trend of install times for console games. That has been an edge that console games have had over the PC I see no reason to loose. Optional installs I think are great. Streaming to the HD in the background(invisible installs) to speed loading is great. But here is the issue with mandatory 4 gig installs. If you have a 20 gig system thats only about 4-5 games you can install and with the 40 8-10 now this isn't the worst thing that could happen but this means it harder for me revisit older games as well as less space to use for videos music etc. This also forces me to manage my data more. And if I want to simpy show a friend a cool thing in the game 2 years from now I will likely have to wait once more just to install it.
It's not another 5GB install, is it? That would be three already. I think I'll plop a 250GB drive in right off the bat when I pick up my PS3. Sadly this absent-minded trend is catching on (I blame you, Capcom.)
i wonder if mgs4 will require a 40 minutes to an hour install time considering how "big" it is with all it's uncompressed videos and audio.
I've unlocked only one character so far, the Tsundre richgirl loli, but it's really fun. Been forever since I last played any hot shots, so i'm trying to relearn the game.
So far, haven't had to deal alot with spins and hooks or such, and i've come pretty close to eagling a few holes. Tend to get par's and birdies.
"The golfers look more like action figures than computer-generated models thanks to the power of the PS3."
lol