Hot Shots Golf : Open Tee

Reviewed by Leland Bonaparte
January 2, 2006

Developer: Clap Hanz Limited Publisher: SCEA Website: Click Here Consoles Available: PSP Number of Players: 1 (Multiplayer up to 8) ESRB Rating: Everyone

If you have a girlfriend or even a wife, this is not the game for you. I'm not really big on playing golf games, but Hot Shots Golf is very addictive. Since I started playing, my girlfriend has been seeing less and less of me. You don't even have to like golf to play this game. It's not as complicated as Tiger Woods, and doesn't take as long to set up. A couple of my friends warned me that this was going to happen, but did I listen? Well, I guess I'll be looking for another girlfriend very soon.

Screenshot. Click image to enlarge.

One of the game’s highlights and also a key element is the way you can customize characters. By using different accessories, you can determine how effective your character is going to be. There are ten unlockable characters that can be obtained by playing Match Play. Characters earn points based on how well you play, and using certain equipment will gain you the necessary points to advance to the next level. When playing the Challenge Mode you can unlock fifty different outfits, accessories, clubs and balls to choose from. Each outfit or accessory will also unlock a character special ability. The courses look very good and with the addition of six new courses, there is a lot of game play. At certain times during the match it will start to rain or snow, which makes the visuals look amazing. This really gets you into the game. The downfall is that the weather does not affect the ball.

Once the game brings up a course, there's absolutely no loading time from hole to hole, so you can put your PSP in sleep mode and pick up where you left off. You will need this if your better half is bothering you. For a game that was meant to be easy to play, it's deceptively deep. With four different modes of play, it will take a while to complete the whole game. If putting seems to be a problem, try the Putting Challenge. It will help you improve on your putting, and your caddie will give you helpful tips. Don't think that this game is easy because you will have to contend with water hazards, tall grass, and sand traps. In addition, over-swinging can get you into real trouble.

Non-golfers should find this game very easy to play. Controls on the PSP feel good and camera angles are no problem. The replay value is high because it is so addictive. Hot Shots Golf is both fun and serious alike. Hardcore golfers should stick to Tiger Woods and let us casual gamers have this. I would have liked to see PS2 connectivity. A lot of credit goes out to Clap Hanz for taking the time to develop a top-notch game. I really enjoyed playing this game, and I think it has taken golfing to a new level for both young and old.

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