GAME OF THE WEEK: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 .3 cert, EA Wii (also PS3, Xbox 360)
Tiger Woods gets his latest outing with new courses, modes and gameplay tweaks. PGA Tour 11brings a few changes to the series, some cosmetic, some that make it definitely worth the buy. The most noticeable one is that Tiger is no longer a solo act on the front cover – Rory McIlroy makes his debut.
One of the most important changes, however, is the addition of the first-person camera view, known as True View. Not only does it make the game more immersive, but it also makes it a lot harder. You also ditch the focus circle; you pick your shot, and without the required camera angle to see where it lands, you’re in the dark until you hear the crowd’s reaction. The TrueAim option makes the shots more realistic.
So say goodbye to your run of perfect shots. It’s far more realistic, a good bit harder, but infinitely more satisfying when you pull off the perfect shot.
Another addition is the Focus element, which restricts certain moves (putt previews, power-ups) to what you can trade from your focus bar. It’s easily depleted, so use it wisely.
EA has also added the Ryder Cup tournament as a playable mode. You can take your spot on the US or European team, depending on where your loyalties lie, and captain the squad through the three-day tournament. There’s also an online element that allows you to play in a 24-man match.
The graphics have been tweakedand the elements of the course seem more realistic, although it’s not perfect just yet. This is more apparent in the Xbox and PS3 versions, but the Wii format doesn’t look half bad, making this is one game where the Wii has the edge over its console competitors – for now.