The first game in the Hot
Shots Golf series was one of the best games available for the system and managed to
garner a huge following. As with the majority of Sony's hit games, a sequel was inevitable
and Hot Shots couldn't escape the trend. However, Hot Shots Golf avoids
the sequel "curse" and proves that sequels can improve the original game,
and greatly at that. Every area has been updated and a significant boost is immediately noticed in the graphics. The high-res courses show even the most discrete details, but never strays far from the cartoony style the series is already famous for. All of the characters are sprite based, but the great looking animation allows the designers to make these characters individuals. The sheer variety of characters means everyone can find someone to relate too, making this a great game for a party crowd.
While the ambient sound effects can occasionally be distracting, this is what golf is all about. If it gets to a point where you can't take the pressure, the option is available to turn it off and play with in-game music. Both are good enough and fit the games personality.
What made the first game so fun was the sheer pick-up-and-play
mentality. This same style is brought over from the first game and anyone can easily
figure out the games quirks in a short time span. The precise controls allow for perfect
shots on a consistent basis, keeping the frustration level of the title at a reasonable
level.
Of course, mistakes still can happen, sending your ball into the woods or the water. The weather also proves to be a major factor with rain and snow stopping even the most powerful shots. Anyone who knows the sport will have a slight advantage over someone who's never played the real thing, but this is true in any sports simulation, arcade style or not.
Extras are everywhere in the game and are seemingly limitless. New characters, balls, courses, and more are all locked away until specific conditions are met. It will take some time to conquer all of the challenges the designers have created for players, sky-rocketing the replay value. Multi-player fans weren't left out as the game will no doubt bring out the competitive fire inside anybody holding a controller.
For sheer fun factor, very few games can match the appeal of Hot Shots Golf 2. Whether you're a hardcore gamer or hardcore golfer, Hot Shots Golf 2 will grab you and never let go. It's a definite improvement over the first game, so even if you've played that one, this is still a worthy purchase.
