GENRE
	Sports
	DEVELOPER
	Tiburon
	PUBLISHER
	Electronic Arts
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1-4
	WI-FI ENHANCED
	No
	DS COMPATIBLE
	No
	BUY NOW AT

It's a given that any particular entertainment hardware platform is going to, at some time or other, get an entry in the Tiger Woods PGA series of games. It just so happens that the Wii got its first such entry a little off-schedule, in March of this year. That being the case, when Tiger Woods PGA Tour '08 came out at its usual time, it seemed like the last game in the series had literally just come out, even though it had in fact been several months. With the interval being so short, the question begs to be asked: Is half a year enough time to make improvements upon the already-established Wii Tiger Woods formula? Surprisingly, the answer is yes.

visuals

If there was one aspect of the game that could be considered least improved from the '07 version, it would have to be the graphics. There's nothing particularly wrong with the way the greens, fairways, and character models look, but it still seems like they could have been done on the GameCube, which means the game likely isn't pushing the hardware to its limits.

On the other hand, the Game Face feature is as versatile as ever, letting players sculpt their customizable characters any way they see fit. It's possible to make the golfer look like a mirror image of the player, or to go in the completely opposite direction and create an alter ego or even a grotesque monster to go hit the links with Davis Love III and company.

audio

EA did a great job with the soundtrack in this edition. While the background music is still comprised of licensed singles as usual, this time around, the tracks are nearly universally instrumental-only, which really helps increase the ambiance. While pop and hip-hop singles work well with games like Madden, golf has a much more subdued atmosphere and the mellower tracks fit much better. Also, the ever-present announcers have been toned down a bit since last year, leaving players fewer reasons to hurl the Wii Remote across the room.

gameplay

Just like last year, Tiger Woods PGA Tour '08 can be controlled either with the Wii Remote and nunchuk or the Wii Remote alone. Of course, seeing as how the motion controls aren't really used with the nunchuk setup, using the Remote itself provide the preferred method of play. Swing mechanics function largely the same as in the previous edition, but the control has clearly been tweaked since last time around. There are far fewer errors in direction and accidental swings, although the game occasionally still thinks a complete motion has been made when only the backswing has been started.

Shot Confidence is one of the new features in Tiger Woods PGA Tour '08. The confidence meter is displayed before any given shot, showing the player's confidence in his ability to make the shot. This plays a factor in the outcome, and as characters make specific shots, their confidence meters will appear fuller before similar shots later on. This doesn't affect the way players will swing specifically, but does impact decision-making during play and adds another aspect to the game.

As always, there are a ton of features to enjoy. Tiger Woods is literally one of the deepest games available. After creating a character and choosing a wardrobe and set of clubs, there are several different game modes to tackle. The classic form of play is the PGA Tour, in which players can set off upon literally years' worth of PGA events, rising up in the ranks. The Tiger Challenge seems to fare better for fans of casual play, as it has shorter, more skill-focused events that can be completed in shorter periods of time, such as putting contests, long drives, and match play against single opponents. The end goal of this is challenging Tiger Woods himself to a one-on-one, winner take all match, although playing against the game's namesake is a big challenge.

Players are rewarded for events with experience points which, like in previous games, can be used to upgrade player stats, making the character a better overall golfer. Money can also be earned, both from winning tournaments and from endorsements, to purchase better equipment and a wider variety of attire.

multiplayer

Like its predecessors, Tiger Woods PGA Tour '08 has several different multiplayer modes, including stroke play, where players attempt to get the lowest score, match play, where players try to win individual holes, and skins, where each hole is worth a specified amount of money. In addition, alternate game modes like One-Shot, where players take turns hitting one ball and the person to sink the putt wins, and the new Mini-Putt mode, where players play a game of putt-putt golf, are available.

Also new this year is the ability to taunt, which actually has an impact on gameplay. Holding the A and B buttons while an opponent is swinging will issue a horn blast from the Wii Remote, and in addition to adding incorrect spin to an opponent's shot, players can also blur the screen while an opponent swings and change wind direction during play. Most... well, all of these would be considered illegal during actual golf, but, then again, how often would anyone actually play against Tiger Woods in real life?

The only thing really missing from this year's endeavor is online play. While Madden '08 makes use of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, Tiger Woods PGA Tour '08 does not allow its players to take on other Wii users online. Add that in, and the game really has the whole package.

overall

Other than the lack of online play, Tiger Woods PGA Tour '08 really delivers. It offers improvements upon previous efforts and may be one of EA's best efforts this year. The game offers the choice of motion-enabled control or a more standard option for those who may not be as able to move around (or might be suffering from the unfortunate Wii-related injury), and also, unlike most other Wii titles, only requires one controller for everyone to play. With bolstered controls and a development system as deep as most RPGs, Tiger Woods is still the game beat when it comes to golf.

8.9/10