Everybody’s Golf Review
Everybody’s Golf
Publisher: Sony
Developer: Clap Hanz
Genre:
PEGI: E10+
Comments:
I’ve never been one to play authentic golf titles, and although I did enjoy The Golf Club 2 which launched earlier this year, it still wasn’t what I was looking for. It’s been a while since we’ve had an outstanding arcade golf experience like Mario Golf or Hot Shot’s Golf, but that has all changed today with the release of the Hot Shot’s successor, Everybody’s Golf! Grab your clubs and get ready for an RPG golfing experience, one that is sure to both delight and frustrate you to no end!
The first thing you will do in Everybody’s Golf is create your character, and the game provides you with a robust character creation menu that you can easily spend multiple hours in. You can change almost every aspect of your appearance, with little left out in terms of customization. Early clothing options are minimal, but as your progress through the game you will unlock specific pieces, and complete outfits of the characters you beat in VS play!
Sony has indicated that at anytime, you can completely recreate your character!
A Slow Start to a Great Experience
What you need to understand going in is that there is a ton of dialogue you will need to get through before ever being able to hit the links, and even after you finish your first front or back 9, you will have to sit through even more dialogue. Fun fact, Everybody’s Golf is full of dialogue, and the game slows considerably as you move from one event to the next.
Thankfully, however, the golf itself is fast paced and exhilarating at times, as you wack and hack your way to victory on the five included courses (with two additional courses being offered as DLC in the future). Getting all these courses unlocked, however, will be a grind, so be prepared to play and replay numerous tournaments and challenges just to reach those higher golf levels.
Yes, Everybody’s Golf runs on a fairly simple RPG mechanic where you level yourself up through gained experience while also leveling up the clubs in your bag. You will increase your power stats, approach ability, and putting ability as you progress through the single player story line. The more you use a specific club, the better your character will be when using it in the future. It’s a simple RPG mechanic to be sure, but one that will likely bring in a new audience to the arcade golfing experience.
The RPG elements are not limited to the players and clubs levels however. During the course of gameplay, you will unlock specific ‘bosses’ – well really just golfers who want to challenge you. Each challenge is likely to not result in a regular game of golf, but rather one where points are awarded for different things. For example, in one scenario, you will get a better score overall if you sink long putts or chip in from off the green. These are both interesting gameplay twists and frustrating, anti-progressing moments.
In general, the goal with golf is to hit the best shots possible to score the lowest possible outcome. With the previously mentioned boss, however, you would be rewarded for undershooting or overshooting the green, just to score additional points for a chip-in. It’s an interesting twist that takes you out of the regular flow of traditional golf, but at the same time, throws everything you’ve been working towards out the window.
While the solo player experience can definitely be grind at times, overall, the experience is pretty solid and the golfing mechanics are great. The three button swing system works really well, and isn’t overly complicated, making Everybody’s Golf for….everybody!
Online Fun – The Mode to Play
The single player experience is definitely a grind, and you’ll want to get through all of that to open up all 5 included golf courses and the ability to fish and drive carts. Then, the rest of your Everybody’s Golf experience will probably live online. Being able to hop in with strangers from around the world is incredibly fun, whether playing a legitimate game of golf, messing around in Turf War, or simply just messing around with Karts on the course, there is tons of fun to be had with people online.
Turf War is really fun once you get the hang of it. Players are split into two teams and have to compete on various holes to ‘win’ them for their team. Whoever gets the best score on a specific hole, wins that hole. Players can fly all over the course in carts and golf any hole they wish, so making sure you are aware of which hole your team doesn’t currently have is really important. This mode is almost worth the price of admission all on its own!
Accessibility to All Players
Everybody’s Golf really is a simplistic golf experience, one that is made for…everyone! Let’s face it, many people would play golf games on their home consoles, but games like The Golf Club are incredibly intimidating. In Everybody’s Golf, the pattern of progression is very simple and easy to understand. Simply put: you play matches to earn experience and coins. Experience will increase your player level to unlock new challangers (which progress the game forward), while experience on your clubs allows you to hit further, have better contact, etc. Gone out the window is the days of buying new clubs. Clubs are upgraded while you play, and balls are earned as prizes or purchased through the shop with coins you have won.
That’s basically it for Everybody’s Golf. Outside of it being a real drag to unlock the 5 included courses, I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the links. Playing with friends, or online with strangers, is a really rewarding experience, with little knowledge of golf needed. If you are looking for a fun, arcade experience that is accessible to all, Everybody’s Golf is a great title to invest in!
Trailer
Article By Adam Roffel
Adam Roffel has only been writing about video games for a short time, but has honed his skills completing a Master's Degree. He loves Nintendo, and almost anything they have released...even Tomodachi Life.
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