Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 (Xbox)

Catering for all levels of experience thanks to five well-pitched difficulty ratings, it's an incredibly easy game to get to grips with. Intuitive from the off, you can pick from numerous golfers and courses, each of which are realised exceptionally well. Graphically, the game is outstanding, and given the vast number of gameplay choices available, it's going to last you a very long time.

The drawback is that things really haven't come that far since the 2004 edition. Sure, there are different courses to play on, and welcome they are. Then there's a brand new Tiger-Proof mode that lets you modify those courses to squeeze every ounce of playability and difficulty from them, although it's unlikely to be a feature you'll use that often. And as for the gameplay? It really hasn't changed that much, with those fresh courses the main attraction.

Yet still, you can't go far wrong with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005. Whilst it's disappointing that the game hasn't come on too much in the last year, there is the small factor that it was, and still is, one of the finest sports games on any format. Few games offer quite as much replay value, and that should be ample compensation for the lack of a decent competitor.--Simon Brew

As for the gameplay - it does provide a decent and enjoyable round of golf. It looks good, but does have an arcade look and feel when compared to Microsoft Links 2004 which makes more use of the Xbox's graphics capability.

Mutiplay is always fun amongst friends, but the best option for single play is the PGA Tour Mode which has tournaments throughout the calendar year in a similar style to the real PGA tour. It's good fun 'competing' against other virtual golfers (although you never get to see anyone else play) in tournaments on various courses.

But, like previous TW games - the major flaw with this game is that it quickly becomes too easy. You can win tournaments in PGA Tour mode very quickly, even when your golfer has poor stats. This was a major problem in TW2004, and EA have added Tour Difficulty mode to make things more difficult. While it does make things slightly more difficult (no Caddy Tips for instance) - you'll still find yourself winning most of the PGA Tournaments after a little bit of practice (I achieved -85 in one tournament which is an average of -21.25 per round!!). This means you invariably end up playing yourself - trying to beat your own records instead of competing with the other golfers.

That said, there is no doubt that TW 2005 is great fun to play and well worth buying. If EA could make the Tour Difficulty mode genuinely difficult (make it harder to strike the ball perfectly, make putting more difficult etc) then it would be almost perfect. Come on EA, make TW 2006 a real challange!!


Golf fan or not You'll love this......   November 2, 2004
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Visually stunning, accurate meticulous replications of some of the world most exclusive courses, attention to detail
of all the top PGA tour professionals, down to there mannerisms, expressions and swing make this game feel your
really part of the action.

If your new to the Tiger Woods range there is a well put together tutorial which explains how to perform the more basic straight shots also how to 'hook' and 'fade' the ball, how to increase power and distance on your shots also control spin on the ball whilst in flight. Advice on how uphill / downhill shots, wind speed and ground conditions can affect club selection.

It has every type of competition play you can imagine including Stableford / matchplay / skins / fourball and many more.
Once you have picked up the basics you play against a range of PGA Tour professionals including many golfing legends.
Unlock many courses as you go along, create your very own player profile and earn money on the tour to improve
your performance and also choose from a range of accessories. Being able to play a mass of courses in different weather
conditions seasonal climatic changes different tee / pin position even taylor make your own course. This ensures even after you think you've completed the game you will struggle to get tired of this one. A must buy.....


Its on the Dance Floor!   October 14, 2004
 4 out of 5 found this review helpful

Nice one EA Sports!
After hrs n hrs of enjoyment on the previous Tiger Woods, 2003/2004 I knew this game would be nice, but the best thing of all is the new functions and effort the developers have done to update this game for 2005.
You tend to find with allot of sequels there pretty much the same as the last bar a couple of things here and there, not with Tiger though, loads of new courses, functions, game modes and characters, allsorts to get your teeth into

Even if you already have 2004, go and get it you won't be disappointed with the new things you can do and even more importantly it does not stray too much away from the basic controls of the last versions!


Tiger Woods 2005   October 8, 2004
 3 out of 5 found this review helpful

This is the best golf game ever. I had Tiger Woods 2003 but thought it was a bit too easy. This however is a lot harder and has more options. One of the best things about this game is the Tiger Proofing where you can change the size of the Fairways and Greens. Overall the game play keeps you addicted so if you have a girlfriend she is in for a long wait for you attention


2005 already?!   October 6, 2004
 2 out of 9 found this review helpful

I was very, very good at 2004 - and I'm therefore very, very good at 2005. New courses, players etc though are worth the money, as is the addition of the possibility to move the ball in one's stance to hit high or low shots. Beautiful looking and intuitive to play, this has enough depth for anyone - it will take ages to complete every facet of the game.