Hot Shots Golf Fore! Review

Developer	Clap Hanz
Publisher	SCEA
Genre	Sports

Over the years, the Hot Shots Golf franchise has really nailed a unique formula. Take true-to-life golf physics and realistic-looking courses, and mix it with zany, big-headed characters and ambience to create a game of golf that expands on the fun while throwing the snottiness of the real-life sport to the wayside.

So successful was the original game that Nintendo actually bought the developer (Camelot) to use for their own Mario Golf franchise. But with the help of the development team that’s taken over since the first outing (Clap Hanz), the Hot Shots franchise continues to be a huge success.

With the forth installment, the addictive game of Hot Shots Golf goes online, and though the finished product is hardly ambitious, it’s still just as fun of a golfing romp as it ever was.

Gameplay – At first glance, Hot Shots Golf Fore! looks very familiar. In fact, it doesn’t look much different from Hot Shots Golf 3. But upon closer inspection, the game is absolutely heaving with content; more than any past game in the series, and certainly enough to keep you busy for a long time. There are 13 courses to play: five of them are the five courses from HSG3, and the remaining eight are brand new. In addition, there are two mini-golf courses for the much-anticipated return of the miniature golf mode (which is great fun, but not fully realized).

Hitting the links is as fun as it has always been, thanks in large part to the challenging and lovingly-designed courses, but also because of the large cast of characters and caddies. Past Hot Shots titles didn’t have characters that possessed the charisma needed to be memorable, save for a few here and there, like Mel from Hot Shots 2. In Fore!, there are a few distinctive characters that are immediately likeable (players and caddies), and there are also a couple of characters that return from both and 3. There are even a couple of golfers and caddies from other lands of PlayStation included. Unlocking golfers is made a bit easier this time, as you only have to beat them in Vs. mode in 9 holes of golf, rather than the usual 18. Golfers that have become accustomed to the analog swing may be disappointed though, as the Hot Shots franchise is still limited to the three-click swing meter.

Hot Shot points make a return, which only adds to the addiction. Even a bad round will earn you points to spend, so it’s not discouraging to keep playing because of a bad game. Redeem your points on anything in the shop, which includes clubs, balls, wallpapers, bonus capsules, camera angles, pinch hitter tickets, and plenty more.

The Mini Golf is a nice addition; one that has been sorely missed since the first game. There are two nine-hole courses, but neither one of them is really that impressive. Though both offer obstacles, Clap Hanz squandered an opportunity to really get crazy with the course designs. Where there could’ve been loops and tunnels to send your ball through or windmills to try to pass, there are only small things like soda cans or rocks that stand in your way. Granted, the second course is better than the one initially available, but all in all, it’s a missed opportunity. And why the Mini Golf courses aren’t 18 holes long is a mystery.

Online – Obviously, the most touted feature of Fore! is the inclusion of online play. There is no voice support at all (though you can use a keyboard), and there are only two modes of play: the Rival mode, which allows you to play the game with one other player online, and a tournament that can host up to 50 players. And despite the fact that you must resort to keyboard (or worse, the soft keyboard via the Dual Shock 2) to communicate, it isn’t all that bad. Overall, though under-ambitious, playing online is a ton of fun.

Graphics – One look at Fore! and you’ll question whether or not you’re really looking at a sequel to Hot Shots Golf 3. The two games look a lot alike, and that’s not to say that Fore! looks bad, because the series always had a very crisp, clean image. It’s just that, with every new wave of PS2 games looking better and better, you can only wonder what’s kept Clap Hanz from advancing the graphics engine, especially considering that it’s been more than two years since the last title released.

That said, Fore! is still a great looking game, looking just as lush as it always has. There have been some added improvements that, even though they’re minimal, help to add a bit of atmosphere; something that the Hot Shots series always got right to begin with. The trees sway in the breeze, and the water effects are spectacular. Fog cloaks some of the courses, and other weather effects like rain and light snow is a nice touch. All of this is added to the time-of-day and season changes, which gives each course a slightly varied look from one season and time to the next. Also, there are some notable improvements – though slight – to some of the character textures; particularly in their clothing.

Sound – Aside from the incredibly good environment sounds out on the course, the audio can get a bit tedious to the ears after awhile. This is mostly due to the character and caddy lines, or lack thereof. Each character and caddy only has a few lines of dialogue, and most conditions yield the same response. What’s more, there are a few that are grating to the drums no matter what they say and how often they say it. And they are almost always saying something, so you rarely get relief. The music sounds almost exactly like that of previous games, which is fitting for the title. But there isn’t much of a difference nevertheless.

Bottom Line - Hot Shots Golf Fore! is proof that as long as a game is fun, it doesn’t need to be advanced upon by leaps and bounds with every installment. There’s loads of content here: 13 courses, a plethora of characters, the return of Mini Golf, a shop full of unlockable goodies, and some great online play to boot.

The total experience is bittersweet though. The graphics have only seen a slight facelift, the swing meter hasn’t changed with the rest of the golf games out there, and Fore!’s coolest features haven’t been fully realized. By all means, Fore! is a terrific golf game and has oodles of content that’ll last you a long time, but let’s hope the next installment takes more than a few baby steps forward.

Review by Brendon Hivner