Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 comes out swinging! The Review.

Does the latest instalment of this long-running franchise come out swinging?

PGA Tour 13 is the latest work from the EA Tiburon and comes jam-packed with a host of new modes but in all honesty, these tweaks won’t have you shouting from the rooftops instead the new gameplay mechanics will.

The swing physics in the game have been altered, changed and beautifully refined to allow players really connect and give further input into their shots.

Some of the game’s new features allow players to setup their shots with a host of new options including: tempo, swing plane and shot power controls. Take for example the tweaked “swing arc” function that shows you how to hit the optimum shot with your chosen club.

A new addition to the game, gives players the option to, change the position of their feet so to manipulate the flight of the ball, fine-tune the exact point you hit the ball and an even open or close your stance to create “fade or draw”.

One piece of gameplay I couldn’t of survived without was the caddy, who was always there to dole out helpful hints and tips on the best way to approach a shot.

For those of you using playing the game on an Xbox 360, PGA Tour 13 is the first game EA Sports game to give motion control a huge part of the game. Full body movements are tracked beautifully with the Kinect and create, in my opinion; the most advanced and authentic swing to date in a simulated golf game. Using the Kinect and a host of voice commands provide truly unique gameplay, not seen before in a sports sim.

Being the latest in the series, all the current favourites are available on the roster including Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Ricky Fowler, Jim Furyk and Bubba Watson to name but a few.

For any die-hard golf fanatics, EA have thrown in the Legacy Mode, which thrusts players into the role of Tiger Woods in various stages of his career – from playing as toddler Tiger, to him chasing his 19^th major tournament.

Now to the graphics of the game; EA have long won the awards for beautiful looking games and PGA Tour 13 is no exception, each of the courses are masterfully created, players are near photo-realistic and the improved weather engine brings a touch of realism we haven’t seen before.

All in all, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 is fun, challenging and in-depth golf sim and a must buy for all golf fans.

Right off to practice my swing!

4 out of 5 Stars