Hands-off with EA’s golfing return

It’s been quite a while since Electronic Arts dabbled in golf. Home to the PGA Tour since the early ’90s, he hasn’t had a new game from EA Sports since Rory McIlroy in 2015.

Meanwhile, HB Studios and 2K Games have successfully closed the gap, first with The Golf Club and then with their own PGA Tour licenses.

But now EA is about to return to the fairways with a new addition to the franchise. It looks like

We’ve been involved in hands-off demos of the game and walkthroughs of its features by some developers. This is how it looks.

on the course

The EA Sports PGA Tour is the publisher’s biggest golf game ever. It’s exclusive to current generation consoles (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S) and PC, so there’s very little compromise when it comes to graphical fidelity. Anyway, from what was streamed in the online demo.

The development team switched graphics to Frostbite. It renders player models (real world and created) with great fidelity, as in the latest FIFA, Madden and NHL games, as well as a photo representation of the 30 included courses. There is also realistic detail.

This is because all courses are mapped using multiple methods. Helicopters using LiDAR technology, high-definition camera drones, and how to take thousands of photos on the ground. Augusta gave developers access to a tree health system that accurately maps all flowerbeds, trees, and other types of plants to place them exactly where they are in-game and in real life.

Impressively, this level of detail helps the game feel as much as it looks. The ground bumps are in exactly the same places, as are the fairway and green imperfections. So when the ball interacted with the course, it was said to move across these small spots just like it does in real life.

This is further improved through the use of two other third-party data sources, PGA Tour’s ShotLink and TrackMan. This not only provided the team with the actual mechanics of ball movement thanks to the thousands of shots saved from the PGA Tour itself. It also includes player motions and behaviors that provide animation specifications to each licensed professional in-game.

EA calls out its new stroke engine, Pure Strike, allowing gamers to take shots in a smoother, more natural way.

It doesn’t matter if it’s not that swing

The gameplay we saw showed a new swing arc used for shot accuracy and power. Power is determined by the small lines on the arc that meet during the backswing (using the thumbstick). Follow-through speed is also important, and it reminds me a little of the mechanics of PGA Tour 2K23. However, EA has not performed a full simulation in its efforts. There are still options for boosts and other gamified elements from previous titles in the series.

One of the big new features is the ability to choose not only club selection, but also shot type from 20 pools every time. Each club in the bag is also assigned its own customizable shot type. Previously, clubs from different manufacturers had their own stats. This is gone, but it may feel different for different drivers depending on the type of shot. Inspired by the experience of professional golfers and real-world tours, it can be adjusted according to your playing style.

This combination of realism and fun is something I look forward to testing further when I get my hands on the game.

It was also said that last year’s old 3-click shot method would return as a playable option, although it was not active in the demo.

The putting has changed a bit this time. Probably even more modified than the main shot system. You’ll get suggested lines to read the greens properly (which you can turn off in the settings), but the putting meter certainly isn’t what it used to be. It has a small swing overlay that hints at power and acts like a main shot arc. Again, before I can elaborate on how it works, you’ll have to try it yourself.

Thrilling

Perhaps the most impressive part of the EA Sports PGA Tour so far is the amount of licensed content in-game. 30 courses, apparel, clubs, shoes, a variety of tournaments (including all majors), and a healthy selection of PGA and LPGA pros to play with or against. There are also great commentators who use dynamic phrasing to make their presentations feel like broadcast television. They recorded unique audio clips of points of interest on the course that they would never hear, such as bouncing a ball off a particular fence signaling a sentence about a real-life event.

Of course, it’s not just licensed players, you can also use the detailed editor to create your own players and take them to amateur tournaments, the Korn Ferry Tour or the PGA Tour first and put them on the road to greatness. increase. itself. And if you want to play as a woman, Amundi Her Evian Championship is also available.

In short, EA has taken a seven-year hiatus from golf while ensuring it will return with the widest range of offerings to date. It certainly doesn’t do things half-heartedly.

First impression

It’s hard to give an honest opinion on a game we haven’t physically played, but everything we’ve heard and seen so far shows great potential. Although I really enjoy (and still do) the past few years, I have to admit that I missed a traditional EA Sports PGA Tour game. I am very much looking forward to playing at The Masters. This is your only chance. We are waiting for it with bated breath.

The EA Sports PGA Tour will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC starting March 24, 2023.