Well, the mini-games found in last year's version (Putting Frenzy, Shooting Gallery) have gone. Also gone is the Confidence and Risk system, which in turn means the confidence boosting micro-games are gone too. And so is online play. Yep, you heard me. Despite online play being included last year, EA have puzzlingly decided to omit it from this year's game. You can still play locally, however. While the missing mini-games might not necessarily be a deal braker for most people, the lack of online play almost certainly is.
The only significant new feature on the PSP version is the EA Sports Cup. This puts you in a league where you play a few holes from each course and then if you're good enough you'll move on to the next part of the competition. You can probably play it to the end in about 15 minutes. It works rather well and is good fun if you just want a quick fix of portable golfing.
What is really irritating though is that EA have completely excluded some of the most compelling new features present in the home console versions from the PSP game. For example, there is no Club Tuner and Tiger’s own coach Haney will not be delivering customized feedback on your performance after each hole. This is extremely disappointing. Come on EA, the PSP is a very capable system and it deserves the same treatment as its big brother.
Now, what’s worse: well, I’ll just come out and say it: the putting is awful. The percentage bar is gone and instead replaced by a meter in the middle of the screen which displays the shot’s power in distance. Thing is, the amount of precision required is way above what is physically possible with the PSP’s analogue nub. Not such a big problem on drives but when you’re on the green it’s really quite an issue and given that putting is largely about accuracy, it’s just plain frustrating.
It’s not all bad though. The graphics have improved somewhat. Courses look more detailed, textures are crisper and the player models look great. Plus, you get the option of a 2/3 click system, a la Hotshots (Everybody’s in Europe) Golf. Also, there is an enormous amount of customization options available, especially while crating your in-game face. You can change everything from the shape, size and position of your eyes to the size and shape of your jaw bones. This does seem a bit like overkill. Nevertheless, it is nice having the opportunity to make an accurate depiction of yourself in the game, should you wish to do so.All in all, if you have last year’s Tiger Woods, there is absolutely no reason for you to spend your money on this year’s mediocre outing. If you do decide to, opt for the PS3, XBOX 360 or Wii editions, the latter of which includes the new ALL-PLAY mode for beginners which shows you exactly where a shot will land.My Scores:Presentation: Same old, same old. Menus are slick and there’s a wealth of customization options. Load times are decent, although you’ll be seeing the “Loading†screen quite often. 6/10Graphics: Courses are rich in detail and player models look very good. Not much else to say really. 8/10Sound: Environment sounds are OK and the commentary is, while sparse, for the most part good. No music while playing yet again.7/10Gameplay: The putting really spoils the gameplay and will ruin your score. The rest just can’t make up for that. The added 2/3 click swing system will entice new/casual players, however. 5/10Lasting appeal: Loads of courses and tournaments and the EA Cup is an added bonus but the lack of online play is a big letdown. 6/10Total: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 gets a 32 out of 50.