Customer Reviews

Swing Away Golf

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

To be honest, I bought the game because I was getting tired of playing Tekken and all the other games I'm interested in are not being released until January. I was a big fan of Hot Shot golf and thought it might be nice to get a golf game for the PS2.

The game is fun - very fun, I think. It was extremely difficult getting used to at first; there is a very sharp learning curve initially because the documentation on simply "how to play" just isn't in the game - neither in the books nor during the "lessons". However, once you get the hang of the controls the game becomes quite enjoyable and mildly addicting. After about a week of recreational play (I typically play for about 45 mins until my wife tells me it's time to eat/clean/"do something constructive"), the learning curve completely disappears and it becomes almost overly easy. However, the 'Gran Turismo'-esque simulation mode is quite addictive...I would definitely recommend it.

Pros: Fun interface without being cute, lots of replay value, a LOT of different multi-player capabilities (typical stroke and match play, but also skins, sudden-death, long-drive, and betting capability), the course generator builds completely new courses ON THE FLY (adds TONS to replay value), and the weather pattern will actually change during course play (not just between holes, but between strokes on a hole...adds some new challenge). Scenery, weather, water...awesome!

Cons: The game does not explain itself well (I still don't know what "H/S" means on one of the 'rating' charts) at all and the in-game characters can get really annoying when you're not doing well. The caddies kinda stink (but the only game with caddies I liked was 'Hot Shots (1)') and the bgm music is vry limited (read as beat your head against the wall repetative).

All in all, a much better than average golf game for a console. Fun for friends and wives, and for people who aren't golf fanatics IRL (I'm not and many of my friends aren't, but the ones who are really enjoy the game as well). And even though the interface is clunky at first, it's quite enjoyable after you beat the learning curve out. IMHO, three things keep it from being a five-star: bgm music, ingame character attitude, and explanation of what-the-heck some of the stuff in the game means. I hope you enjoy, I did...well worth the [price].

Enough already! Yes, the caddies are annoying, but only if you ...! Seriously, there's an awful lot of chatter and the load times (especially when generating a course) seem slow for all of the vaunted speed of the PS2. Those things aside (and they truly are minor given the overall quality of the game) This is a great golf game! Lot's of depth of play, so many different types of tournaments and contests to play in story mode that it's fun for one person to develop their own character or invite over some buddies, drink some beer and PLAY GOLF! If you've played a video golf game in the last 10 years you'll be able to pick up on the swing system inside of 18 holes, not to mention some great tutorials that allow not-so-experienced players to get up to speed quickly. A great addition to your PS2 library. FORE!

I loved Hot Shots 1, Hot Shots 2 was not by the same company and the putting in it was rather awful... so now T&E Soft is back (after working on mario golf?) and here is what they have to offer.

First off, the loading time is horrible. The "slow motion of all the shots" and etc. can be abated by holding down X on the gamepad... it just makes me wonder why this isn't the default mode. The only other nauseating thing about the game is the timing of the swings. It is illogical that the speeds of the swings change depending on your club... the timing should all be rather similar as in the other games, this in my mind is not an improvement.

That being said: the horrible 30-45 min game you are forced to sit through when playing with a computer opponent is actually a good thing, it makes you pace your games. Each stroke is important, as you are making a time investment: approximately 1-2 minutes between your own hits if you are taking turns with the cpu. This, and, the replayability by sitting there, vegging out and playing forever is nil. You are forced to play the game over weeks and months... There are many stats (hooray!) as well as items to unlock like gloves, bags, etc.

As far as the sound issue, be real about it! There has never been any sports game with an announcer, coach, caddie, etc. that didn't get nauseating after a few plays... just turn the sound off or down if you don't like it.

The physics seem phony at times, too. The drives actually bounce and roll quite nicely, but short range chip shots are a pain...

Also, be aware that everything in the game *is* possible after getting the right gear by winning or purchasing.

There are still the problems with goofy putting physics and par 5 holes which are just eagle fodder even at the lowest gear/skill rating, but this is simply the best golfing game in terms of stats, options, skills, and "story" that there is.

This game is tremendous. I usually get the latest PGA / Tiger Woods EA game out for my PC. I will not be getting it this year. This game is wonderful. The story mode on it is a lot of fun. You get to play from month to month (you only get to play in one match per month) and earn new equipment and ratings and eventually you get to go from an amateur to pro golfer and start earning money to use to buy better equipment from the golf shop. I recommend this to anyone from someone who has the slightest interest in golf to a golf fanatic like myself. It's the best launch game of the 5 that I got.

What a fun game! Once you start, you'll probably have a hard time stopping. You get to choose different characters and caddies who have their own strong personalities. The sound in a little distorted but otherwise, the entire game is great. Every time you win a game, you get points to add to your character to improve their game. Or if you win money, you get to buy new equipment. This game provides hours of fun for everyone!

I would actually give this game four and a half stars. It loses half a star because the caddies are annoying and it does load a little slow. Overall it is an awsome game. I think is one of the top 5 titles out for the PS2 as of 5/2001. The play is very realistic. You can intentially hook or slice the ball to get around trees and bunkers. You can hit the ball fat or thin to pop it up higher or keep it low and make it bite or run. As the game goes on you can acquire lots of new equipment as well. The main things I see people complaining about are the load speed and the play characteristics. The load speed is a little slow, but the game has never froze on me, and as for the play characteristics, the people writing some of these reviews obviously don't play real golf. If you hit the ball into a 20 mile an hour wind, of course it's not going to go as far it will in dead calm conditions. You have to take into account wind speed and direction and make compensations when choosing clubs and aiming. The game is very accurate in terms of play and does require some skill and a true understanding of golf. The graphics, sound and story line are great as well. It loses half a star for speed, but even that's not real bad. I would definitely recommend buying this game, it is a must have.

This is a very fun game that is hard to stay away from.

The characters are entertaining for the most part and the game is very playable.

This is a highly addictive game. I've never been much of a golf fan but was after getting this game, I was hooked. The graphics are great, everything is in 3D including the trees (which all sway realistically in the breeze) to the spectators who actually move while you are playing.. the clouds also move across the sky and every now and then you get a rain storm which means you have to play one hole under darkened skies and lashing rain. Deepening the game's replay value, success in competition modes can unlock a variety of secrets, such as new clubs, hidden players, more courses, skill points, and extra game modes.

If you enjoyed Hotshots golf on the psx then you should enjoy Swing away golf. They are very similar in style and gameplay. The game is VERY easy to learn, certainly no harder than Hotshots was. The load times are not excessive, but they are there and that is a little disappointing. The caddies are a massive pain in the butt. But instead of turning the sound down and putting on the stero, why not just go into the options menu and turn narration off? I had several people tell me that the caddies were always there. I don't know maybe they didn't look in the options menu.

If you are looking for a very serious golf game then look elsewhere. This game is certainly not serious. It is anime characters playing golf. If you like Hotshots or want to just joke around with your friends, then this game would be well worth it. 4 player mode can be a blast with some friends and beer. Worth the cash.

This is an excellent game that serves up great competition, the courses are great, and the player animation is great. This is definately a must buy. The caddie, and opponent talking is not that annoying, and they don't talk that much. I bought this game a month ago and still really enjoy playing the story mode which takes you through the golfers experiences. This is an excellent game, and that is why I gave it 5 STARS!!!