My review after 8.8 hours of playing - not recommended

[Millertime]

I wrote this up as the Post Review option is there, but after trying to submit I learned that it won't let you before the game is "released". I've played nearly 9 hours at this point and I cannot recommend the game. Below is my review waiting to be published.

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This one is pretty close to a great golf game, unfortunately there are some severe issues that stop me from recommending it. For the review I'll only cover my negative points; anything not mentioned should be considered a positive. There is a lot to like here, and if/when these issues are resolved, it could be one of the greatest golf games yet made.

- Random hits of major input lag. I'm using an Xbox controller with wireless adapter, which I've used for years in dozens of games. I've never had input lag issues so I am very confident this is not on my side. Four or fives times a round the push up to complete a swing does not register. The swing bar just keeps going until it reaches the end, there is moment of nothing, and then the shot is made with a very slow timing note and the ball pushes WAY out to the right. There is nothing more frustrating than having a good round going and then an input is missed and you hit OB.

- Swing timing in general. I really do not understand why golf games cannot get the swing input timing right. For this game you need to pull the stick back very fast, wait for the bar to reach the right power, and then push forward very fast. Even when going as fast as possible I rarely get a fast timing result and frequently get slow timing. There is a golfer specific setting for preferred swing speed that affects the tempo, and I have it set to the slowest available. When I have this set to anything faster it gets worse, to the point where even quickly jamming the stick as quick as possible still results in a slow tempo penalty.

- Graphic glitches. Sometimes bands of player's hair disappears, showing a strip of bald scalp. There are flashes of white on the eyes and mouths sometimes when showing a player reaction, like the textures don't overlap and you're seeing through the gap. The logo that goes across the screen when cutting between shots sometimes has bars strobing.

- No practice range. This really blows my mind... I cannot remember when I last played a golf game that doesn't have a practice range. The closest you can get is to turn on mulligans and start a round, but you have to go through the pre and post shot routine every time. Honestly this is just an embarrassing miss.

- Unable to save rounds in progress. Another facepalm miss - you cannot exit a round in progress and continue later. You have to complete the round or abandon it. These are basic functions that are missing.

- No tutorial or instruction. This doesn't affect me so much as I've played dozens of golf games, but for someone that isn't familiar this game is going to be a quick refund. There is no instruction at all. There are challenges that start with things like "Drive into the fairway" but these aren't really explaining anything.

- Odd camera angles. There are two issues here, one is that when you are near objects such as cliff edges, spectator stands, trees, etc, the view can get pushed to a really awkward angle. The problem is that the swing meter is displayed in an arc behind the player, so it's entirely possible for you to not be able to see the swing meter when the camera angle is adjusted. The second and more severe issue is that sometimes even without the camera angle being affected, the swing meter is displayed against a light background such as clouds in the sky. The swing meter is white and cannot be changed, so sometimes even on tee shots you cannot distinguish all of the swing meter and know where 100% is at.

Overall there is a great golf game here waiting to be revealed. I'm not sure if the release was rushed or this is just EA saying "This is what we have" and not caring about severe problems. I hope this can be corrected quickly, as the course selection and appearances are great.

[Crusader765]

Originally posted by Stugats:

You forgot to add that they force you to pick a pronoun...

Oh no, better deduct 3 points since this dramatically impacts gameplay.

[Evileh]

Im wondering if the steam release isn't the same as the origin/ea app one. I have been able to save mid game anywhere at the beginning of said hole just fine. I haven't heard anyone with crashes on ea app either just steam... I wonder if you all got a bad build

[itstimetorecover]

I'm playing via origin desktop. I won't use the app itself.
I've had quite a few sessions since last Monday and not had one crash.

[itstimetorecover]

Originally posted by Sarumoon:

Originally posted by Os:

and i thought that skipping 2k23 and wait for this instead was the move lol. thanks.

Ya, isn't it great, the options we have for golf is EA or 2K....

I also will pass. I guess it's just impossible, to make a good golf game anymore. That technology seems to have been lost somehow?

You are right about unable to make good golf games anymore.
It's been a long time since we had one.
I don't know if the ea game is good. But I've encountered alarm bell's. It's the usual EA problem.
AI and scripting. This ruins fifa and Madden and it's highly likely this game has the same issues.
Implementing accurate ai costs money and cuts profits.
We also live in the era where people confuse high quality graphics with high quality games. They aren't the same.
Most don't seem to care that games have shocking ai so long as they look good.
I've realised with this game and the 2k game that most don't want a realistic game. They don't care the ai is farcical.
Who is really to blame?
The consumers or the game devs?
Or both!
It's not only golf games they can't make anymore. What about tennis?
How long since a decent tennis game?
And then there's cricket
And then...

[Josh]

Originally posted by itstimetorecover:

Originally posted by Sarumoon:

Ya, isn't it great, the options we have for golf is EA or 2K....

I also will pass. I guess it's just impossible, to make a good golf game anymore. That technology seems to have been lost somehow?

You are right about unable to make good golf games anymore.
It's been a long time since we had one.
I don't know if the ea game is good. But I've encountered alarm bell's. It's the usual EA problem.
AI and scripting. This ruins fifa and Madden and it's highly likely this game has the same issues.
Implementing accurate ai costs money and cuts profits.
We also live in the era where people confuse high quality graphics with high quality games. They aren't the same.
Most don't seem to care that games have shocking ai so long as they look good.
I've realised with this game and the 2k game that most don't want a realistic game. They don't care the ai is farcical.
Who is really to blame?
The consumers or the game devs?
Or both!
It's not only golf games they can't make anymore. What about tennis?
How long since a decent tennis game?
And then there's cricket
And then...

There is a very good Tennis game that's a simulation instead of the aracdy instant gratification triple A ones, its called Full Ace Tennis Simulator, graphics aren't great but its plays realistically.

[itstimetorecover]

Thanks. I'll check that out. I do like a good tennis game

[itstimetorecover]

I've given the game a good chance today and come to the conclusion that this game is just Rory golf reskinned.
I put the opponent difficulty at 90. Its made zero difference.
After round 1 the leaders were 5 under. After round 4 the leaders were 5 under.
This was the us open at brookline and I played as an amateur.
This is exactly how Rory golf played. The cpu players never progressed after round 1. They either stood still or their scores for worse.
Everything about this game is brilliant apart from the one thing that matters.
The AI.
EA never bother with AI. That's why fifa and Madden are unplayable.
They won't fix this game just as they never fixed Rory golf
Why?
Because ea don't fix games and won't think there's anything wrong with it
They don't care anyway.
Avoid this game if you want a proper game of golf.
So there's still no decent golf games to play.
If the ai actually worked then this game would be brilliant.
But its just Rory golf with better visuals.
Apart from that. It's exactly the same game.
Ite ea after all.

[SpottedPineapple]

All of these are false or misunderstood except the odd camera angles. I love how people "declare" something because ♥♥♥♥♥♥ mechanics are so ingrained in them.

"Pull the stick back fast and wait". NOPE. Pull the stick back slowly to match the tempo of the swing you selected. If you pull the club back fast and "wait" you will never get "perfect" contact (which covers most of the other bullets you have about "randomness" - simply put, you're not doing it right).

You can indeed save intraround, I havent seen any glitches graphical or otherwise. Try harder, sounds like a 2k troll.

[itstimetorecover]

Originally posted by SpottedPineapple:

All of these are false or misunderstood except the odd camera angles. I love how people "declare" something because ♥♥♥♥♥♥ mechanics are so ingrained in them.

"Pull the stick back fast and wait". NOPE. Pull the stick back slowly to match the tempo of the swing you selected. If you pull the club back fast and "wait" you will never get "perfect" contact (which covers most of the other bullets you have about "randomness" - simply put, you're not doing it right).

You can indeed save intraround, I havent seen any glitches graphical or otherwise. Try harder, sounds like a 2k troll.

The game is garbage because it's using ai ported directly from Rory golf. That game is 8 years old.
If you've played this game in career mode then you would know the ai is diabolical.
Or don't you care so long as the game looks nice.

[Millertime]

Originally posted by SpottedPineapple:

All of these are false or misunderstood except the odd camera angles. I love how people "declare" something because ♥♥♥♥♥♥ mechanics are so ingrained in them.

"Pull the stick back fast and wait". NOPE. Pull the stick back slowly to match the tempo of the swing you selected. If you pull the club back fast and "wait" you will never get "perfect" contact (which covers most of the other bullets you have about "randomness" - simply put, you're not doing it right).

You can indeed save intraround, I havent seen any glitches graphical or otherwise. Try harder, sounds like a 2k troll.

I don't know what to tell you, I've tried swinging by matching my stick movement to the club swing, and I got -3 to -5 slow every single time. When I pull the stick back as quickly as possible and hold, then push it up as quickly as possible, I get around -1 and sometimes perfect timing. I never get a fast timing.

I've had enough people argue against me that I believe there must be some other variable. I've tried with an Xbox controller on wireless adapter and a PS5 controller via USB and get the same result.

The option to save game during a round is there for career mode games, but not other modes.

[Crusader765]

Originally posted by itstimetorecover:

Originally posted by SpottedPineapple:

All of these are false or misunderstood except the odd camera angles. I love how people "declare" something because ♥♥♥♥♥♥ mechanics are so ingrained in them.

"Pull the stick back fast and wait". NOPE. Pull the stick back slowly to match the tempo of the swing you selected. If you pull the club back fast and "wait" you will never get "perfect" contact (which covers most of the other bullets you have about "randomness" - simply put, you're not doing it right).

You can indeed save intraround, I havent seen any glitches graphical or otherwise. Try harder, sounds like a 2k troll.

The game is garbage because it's using ai ported directly from Rory golf. That game is 8 years old.
If you've played this game in career mode then you would know the ai is diabolical.
Or don't you care so long as the game looks nice.

True, except the graphics are 10x better.

[Valec]

Originally posted by Michael236:

Originally posted by Crusader765:

Oh no, better deduct 3 points since this dramatically impacts gameplay.

it does not impact gameplay, no, but that message is still part of the game.

You think people that complain about these things don't care, but they truly do. Wake up, brother

Yes, but we are ignoring the people who care(and complain) about those things. They can't seemingly live and let live, but we can by just paying them no mind.

[servo75]

Originally posted by Stugats:

You forgot to add that they force you to pick a pronoun...

Well you know we have to be like woke and inclusive and stuff. It's nonsense and I wish more people would speak up about this. The more people are silent, the more this t****g***** garbage gets normalized. It's part of the bigger picture and those who react with anger or sarcasm to your comment, I pity them, they've been brainwashed into this transgender nonsense. People want to feel like they're doing good. "Inclusivity" has nothing to do with being inclusive or tolerant, it's about a political agenda and the more angry responses received to this, is just the more proof that I"m right.

[servo75]

Originally posted by Michael236:

Originally posted by Crusader765:

Oh no, better deduct 3 points since this dramatically impacts gameplay.

it does not impact gameplay, no, but that message is still part of the game.

You think people that complain about these things don't care, but they truly do. Wake up, brother

HEAR HEAR!!!! I wish more people had the guts to say that. And to the people who are offended by your remark, the useful idiots who promote this DEI stuff under the delusion that it has anything to do with bringing people together, I truly feel sorry for them. This is not "transphobic" or "racist" it's common sense and science and I guarantee you the list of people who are sick of this crap is growing by the day.

[pizza7]

main problem is too many spoilt gamers nowadays