Hot Shots FORE!
Platform: PS2
Developer: Clap Hanz
Publisher: SCEA
Players: 1-2 + internet
The Hot Shots series is for the non-hardcore golf fan. It’s cartoony, has no character development, and requires little dexterity. That doesn’t mean it’s not fun, there’s just not a lot to do besides hit the ball.
This is the 4th game in the series, which makes large improvements over the third release, a game that had only five courses. This time we’ve got 12 full courses, a 3 par 9 hole course, and a mini golf game. Sony has also licensed its characters to the game developers so you can play with Jak and Daxter and Rachet and Clank, among the usual weirdoes created for the game.
The look of the game is okay; the courses have a nice blend of realism and cartoony atmosphere. Mechanics break down to a three button-tap process where the first starts the swing, the second gauges strength, and the third accuracy. Land the third on the sides of the accuracy mark and the ball will slice into the trees. Pretty standard stuff.
Winning courses and tourneys in the larger game will net you money you can spend on items such as clubs and balls, but there is no way to really manage your character like in the Tiger Woods’ series. This is the kind of game you play with your friends when you’re drunk, ya know.
There is an online mode, which has a 4-player mode and a holy-good-God 50-player tournament mode.
Overall, I had fun with this game, even if it’s better suited for a guys drunken party atmosphere.
