Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07

Can Tiger sustain another year's release?

	Version PS2, All	Developer EA Redwood Shores	Publisher EA	Genre Sports

By Ian Dransfield

There really is very little that can be said about Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 for owners of any recent versions of Tiger Woods - depending on which version you're playing, it's the same thing again, with mildly better presentation, the same fun control scheme and a handful of extras thrown in to justify the new-game price-tag.

One-ball is easily the best of the very few additions - a mode where two players face off, using only (can you guess?) one ball. Great fun. Other than that, what is there to recommend this to people who already own 06, 05, 04 or whatever else? Not much. Previous owners - save your money or buy Everybody's Golf, a far more over-the-top fun experience without the ridiculous straight-facedness of Tiger and co., even if it doesn't have the licensed golfers or swish control system.

What about people who don't own any previous Tiger's? Well that's a different story, as the series is undoubtedly one of quite some quality. A plethora of play modes complement a great game engine, with the now three time mentioned control scheme being a figure of adulation or utter hate - swing the analogue stick back to swing your club back, and I'm sure you can guess the rest. Presentation is top-notch, even if the soundtrack to such a sedate experience as golf is as jarring as it is and commentary proving irritating if not accurate, and the look of the game even on the Old Man PS2 is pretty damn good, with real-life players looking like their real-life faces.

OK, so we included a couple of 360 screenshots as well...

Less real-life faces can be created in the create-a-golfer mode, which covers a heck of a lot of things to aid players in making a masterpiece (or monster) of golfing glory - it's hard to have a create-a-whatever mode in any game and mess it up, and it certainly works very well in 07. Created golfers can be used in any mode and their stats can be upgraded through constant use until they are the greatest golfing master of all time ever. Plus they can be made to look a lot more fun that Colin Montgomerie.

New players to the series should certainly give Tiger 07 a look - it is a great golfing game and is sure to last a long time, especially with the huge emphasis on multiplayer this time around and a much more stable online mode. Having said this, people who own any versions from the last few years may as well stay clear - there's no point in splashing £30 or so on a game that you almost already own.

Many complain about EA's policy on annual updates and none of them ring truer than with the Tiger series; nothing has been added to make any game of the last couple of years a worthwhile, full-price update and it's starting to get annoying. Even FIFA seems to be trying harder to change every year, whereas Tiger seems content with being a good game. If you own 05 or 06, avoid. If you don't, pick it up - but pick up Everybody's Golf as well - it may not have the control scheme, but it's slightly less cynical. Plus there's no Colin Montgomerie.