The Golf Club 2 Review
The Golf Club 2
Publisher: HB Studios
Developer: HB Studios
Genre:
PEGI: E
Comments:
When I played The Golf Club a few years back, I saw a lot of promise marred by some inconsistencies and lack of content that ultimately made that experience short lived. I was skeptical when I heard The Golf Club 2 was being released, but wanted to see if the developers had learned from past mistakes. The short answer is yes, and The Golf Club 2 proves to be a fairly deep and accurate golfing experience.
More Than Just a Course Designer
The big selling feature of the original Golf Club title was the ability to design your own golf courses. Unfortunately, that was about all the original title had going for it, making me wonder if perhaps how The Golf Club 2 would rectify that issue. Well folks, the course creator is back and (frankly) better than it ever has been, but this time around that isn’t all.
First though, the course builder, which most Golf Club fans will be familiar with. While I found the original titles builder a bit confusing to understand and manipulate how I liked, I found the way it was outlined in The Golf Club 2 was much better. Unfortunately, I cannot verify whether this is because things have drastically changed, or because I spent so much time doing this in the first game, that it was second nature here.
Either way, I found the system easy to use, easy to understand, and easy to manipulate. Obviously, the more time you spend using the builder, the better you will be.
Other Game Modes
Career Mode makes an appearance in The Golf Club 2, allowing you to move up the ranks of the tour as you complete course after course, and tournament after tournament. The golfing mechanics are top notch, as they are across the game (more on this alter) but it is customization here that is really king.
In Career Mode, you obviously will get to create your own golfer, which you can use offline or online. The number of customization tools is astounding, rivaling the best that other sports franchises has ever offered and put them into one suite so you can get the golfer you want. I lost hours customizing my character to look like myself, and although I might be the minority who enjoys doing that, it’s still a worthwhile feature to talk about.
Societies however, is where a lot of the replay ability lies for The Golf Club 2. Inviting friends to partake in your tournaments and take in your club house is only the beginning of what this expanded mode offers in this second iteration. Prize money can be used to customize your club, changing the interior, and making improvements across the board. As you gain members, your society will grow. It’s a somewhat complicated, but definitely enjoyable, experience overall.
Golfing Mechanics on Point
Lots of modes are only great if the actual golfing mechanics are fun to play with, and I think in this area, The Golf Club 2 stands out as one of the best. Working on that backswing, straight follow through, and accurate club selection are only a few things you will have to take into account when working on each shot. This game doesn’t hold your hand: golf itself is frustrating at times, and so is The Golf Club 2. There is a learning curve, but one that accurately reflects the golfing experience.
Graphics Lacking
It seems that the developers have done almost everything right with The Golf Club 2, but fell short in one area: the graphics. When the camera pans over each hole, it definitely looks impressive, but once you get down on the course, things take a slight turn for the worst. For a sports game being released in 2017, gamers will definitely feel cheated when the get up and close with these courses. Golf, of all sports, has the opportunity to offer the best vistas and views, but unfortunately that isn’t the case here.
This is a minor issue, as I quickly settled into the golf mechanics and basically ignored the jagged edges, tearing, and sometimes disappointing views as I moved from hole to hole, but it’s still worth pointing out.
Conclusion
The Golf Club 2 is a step in the right direction for the franchise, and I hope they continue to work and give us a third iteration of this franchise next year. With a few more modes to choose from in the future – may be include a few arcade like experiences you can add to your clubhouse! – and improved graphics, people will be talking about The Golf Club in 10 years, rather than the long running EA franchise!
Kudos to the developers for the steps they took forward in The Golf Club 2. I cannot wait to see what next year brings!
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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