Buy Antiques Marks

Review by Ben D Over:

Fans of the big-headed, no talent needed to play, Hot Shots Golf series can stop reading. Tiger Woods 2002 is not for you. TW2002 is what I like to call a *great* golf game. The engine has been revamped, and gone is the ... [bad] swing meter (FINALLY!). To swing the club now, you use the analog sticks, and it works better than any tri-click method could ever hope for.EA messed up last year by only including 3 courses, but remedied that this year with 7. The shining jewel in their crown is Pebble Beach. No other golf game has been able to mimic how difficult this course can be, or how important it is to place your approach shots under the pin. Sawgrass is also a thing of beauty. There's 2 more real courses, and then 3 courses EA dreamed up, and what wonderful imaginations their designers have.What I love about the game (and what some may detest) is that the game has you create a player, and then build that player by beating challengers in the Tiger Tourney mode, or by playing in Scenario mode. Performing well in Tiger Tourney (basically its 17 eighteen hole matches...if you win, you earn the right to play as the person you beat, you get a ton of cash, and you open up other extras like another hole on Tigers Dream 18 course). The scenario mode is awesome as well. There's about 25 different scenarios that you must perform well in to earn gold, silver, or bronze. For example, you have to play the 4 Par 5s at SawGrass in 14 shots to get a gold, 16 for a silver, or 18 for bronze. Extremely entertaining and challenging.The requisite other play modes are here as well: Tournament, Stroke Play, Match Play, and Skins. EA has outdone themselves, however, with the brand new Speed Gold mode. It enables you the chance to play 1 on 1 golf in splitscreen against a friend or enemy. The better you do, the more money your opponent loses. Great stuff to be sure.Thanks EA, it's been a long time since I've enjoyed a golf game as much as this. And did I mention the new graphics engine kicks unspeakable [rear end]...butt? Yep. Enjoy!

Review by R. Gorham:

Excellent graphics on Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2002... best visuals I've yet to see on a golf game on any system. Ocean surf pounding the rocks off Pebble Beach, beautiful desert buttes on Copper Canyon, birds chirping and flying by, trees sway one at a time as if a breeze is really touching them one by one, cameras following the speeding golf ball on its flight path over stunning hills and caverns. No swing meter - innovative and thanks to EA Sports for taking that step. Sure it's a bit tough to get used to at first, but once you get the hang of it, the old swing meter on every other golf game seems archaic. Six courses (also included are the famous Sawgrass and Royal Birkdale) and Tiger's DREAM course that needs to be unlocked hole by hole with each victory. One of these days I'll get to create my own course (it's an option). The speed golf option is down-right fun... but obtaining bronze/silve/gold medals is nearly impossible. This SIM also features a practice mode (where you can visit select courses), stroke play, match play, and skins. Announcers are good and fairly low key... and I appreciate them trying not to add humor (to my bad shots). Three things I dislike about this game... 1. Where is the "save" button? It is insane to have to play all 18 holes before being able to save your game, 2. The repetitive triple wave in the early matches after a good shot by Tiger or any of the other golfers, and 3. Hitting the power stroke could have been easier - it's awkward having to swing the club with either thumb back and forth AND repeatedly hit the L1 button for power (it's a coordination thing). I've found that playing a round (on just about any of the courses) will take 35-40 minutes... this includes some time to hit the replay button on your best shots. Listen to your heart... I don't care what my young teenage kids say ("it's boring"). You don't have to be a sports fan or even a golfer to enjoy this game... but by other PS2 games standards this game is kind of dull (there is no killing of any kind, no skateboarders, no running things over with your car, no knife thrusts, no kick-boxing moves, no bombs exploding). It's a realistic golf SIM... period. It's as relaxing as it is stressful... just like the real game of golf. Addictive. Fun. Huge replay value. Note: Hole #3 on Copper Canyon (a short par 3)... got my first hole-in-one here and a special "ball" (and $ cash) to go with it. Super shots will get you more money to go buy more attributes to improve your golfer.