PSP games again, neat.

Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2

This is my second golf game in reviews like this. I’m sure some of you are wondering why I am doing golf games, but some golf games can actually bit quite entertaining, while others can be boring beyond belief. The thing is, you never know what kind you are going to get until you play them as they all have a similar concept to them at the base of everything. Each one though can be quite different based on how far they keep or break away from the base concept of golf. What is this one like? Let’s fine out shall we.


Gameplay

If you have played golf games that are similar to the Mario Golf style of golf games, then you have likely played games like this one. This is a more cartoony and animated golf game than the Tiger Woods series that is more like a simulation of the real thing. This means that this game is full of exaggerations here and there to make the game more cartoony and kid friendly, while still keeping enough of the base game of golf for people to enjoy and recognize golf. There are a few basic modes in this game. There is challenge mode where you are thrust in small tournaments where you either play on your own and try and have the lowest score out of nine holes or you are playing against a partner in match play where it is whoever is ahead after nine holes wins, or whoever gets three wins ahead of the other first wins. Yes, you heard me say after nine holes as well. You will find that most of this game is playing the game in slots of nine instead of all eighteen holes at once. Actually, I think this makes this game better and easier for everyone when most of the things you do in this game are in sets of nine instead of eighteen. This means games go by quicker, and you change up more often as well. You aren’t necessarily set for the long haul and have to go through it all before you can try another set of holes or challenges. In this mode you are playing matches to earn extra items to customize your character, and also after a set number of items earned, you can challenge a new character who when you beat can play as whenever you want. This is the standard mode of this game and the mode you are going to be putting the majority of your time in during this game. Seeing as there are lots of characters and items that can be unlocked, you will be at this for a while. This is especially the case considering that the game has lots of hidden characters and items on the courses that you have to find as well. There will be times though as well in this mode where you have Hot Shot rules, where there will be holes where the hole is bigger and easier to get into it, but also penalty holes where you get penalty strokes by hitting in the bunker or rough, just like if you went into the water. These holes and rules can be very tricky, so you have to be aware when these rules are in play. They can kill your game very fast if you get off on these types of games. Still, when you aren’t in these types of games, as long as you understand the basics that many golf games have out there with the three button press hitting of the balls, then you have the basics down on this game. I’m going to talk more about this stuff in the controls, as the controls in the golf games are pretty important. There is the standard stroke play mode where you play any hole you want in either sets of nine or all eighteen. This is pretty much the mode you play when you want to unlock hidden things on the courses or if you just want to practice holes. There is a mode where you have given different shots and it wants you to hit hole in ones. Yeah, not much here, but it is a challenge. Then finally there are the practice and multiplayer online modes. I think these are pretty self-explanatory. Still, the main things that I think make this game a bit more fun for a golf game is the fact that it is able to be played in smaller sittings, and you don’t have to be an expert to do well either. This game is more meant for people that just want to have a fun golf experience, not for the person that wants to simulate a golf game accurately. There is nothing wrong with either scenario, but this game actually does play well, and does make golf rather open to those that just want a quick game of fun golf. If you have memories of Mario Golf in your mind, I think you know how this game sort of plays, as it is very similar in gameplay style. So if you liked those kinds of golf games, I see you having some appeal here, that’s for sure.


Story

Not applicable, this is a golf game.


Graphics

The graphics in this golf game actually aren’t that bad. They aren’t perfect, but they are pretty good for a golf game. This game has a very animated feel to it instead of the realistic style that the Tiger games have. This shows you have this game is more meant for the casual golf player rather than the more hard core golfer. While I enjoy both, I can tell that despite this not looking realistic that they put some time into this game. I rarely saw graphical glitches and clipping was really not an issue. There was some issue with things in the distance being a tad blurry though and at times it just seemed there were a few lack of polish issues. That’s the main complaint I have about the graphics and look of this game. It looks good, but it just seems like some finishing polish was left out in a few places. Other than that, if you like that animish/cartoony look to it then you are going to like the look of this game. You get some pretty close up views of these characters the characters in the game, since there are customization elements as I mentioned. You are changing these characters hat’s, clothes, and other random accessories, so you have to be able to see them from all sides. Despite their cartoony looks as well, they look pretty nice to look at. They don’t look out of place, and they all seem to fit rather well, nor do any of them look blurry or nondetailed at all. Really, I don’t have that many complaints after that little bit I said, so really, other than some small polish issues, I say the game looks pretty good.


Sound

The music in this game isn’t that bad. Most of the music I hear is actually pleasant and pretty calming to listen to as you would expect from a golf game. You don’t usually want super strong exciting music during a golf game as you are often trying to concentrate on the three button press meter. That kind of music could throw you off, so the type of music presented is perfectly suited for a golf game. However, I do have one main complaint when it comes to the sound and it is a bit of a biggy, but not a super biggy. The characters in this game do talk sometimes during menu’s and during some parts as you are playing, but often times, you can’t understand or hear them over the music. There are many times I’m trying to understand what the heck the character or their caddie is saying half the time. I could understand them occasionally, but it seems like there should have definitely been a way to just lower the volume of the music in the game without turning it off completely. I would have liked to have heard the comments they were making from time to time, but pretty much the majority of the time, I could not heard them at all. What I could hear sounded fine, but I just wish there was an option to adjust the music volume and to raise the voice acting in the game without just turning the music off all the way. Other than that, the music is just fine in this game.


Control

For the most part, this game actually has fairly easy to figure out controls. It didn’t take that many rounds before I had the hang of driving, aiming, and getting the shots to the most part go where I wanted them to go when I was playing this game. They made certain to make shooting the ball good a distance wasn’t that hard. You still have to read the win, and the watch out when you are hitting as you can easily hit the ball into bad situations and it be completely your fault and not the games fault at all. Really, the main thing with this game that is going to frustrate you control wise is the putting. Unlike many games, there is no putting assistance. This game makes you learn how to read greens or you are going to fail miserably at putting in this game. I played many many games, and I’m still missing puts. I don’t think a golf game needs to have a putting assistance, but I do think the option would be nice in there. So really, trying to control putting is what is going to be your biggest frustration when it comes to this game. The three button swinging system is pretty easy to get used to as many golf games use it. Controls are a big part of a golf game after all, so making your controls be simple for the most part, is what is going to likely make or break your golf game. I’ve seen how it can be when you make them really complicated or try and take golf controls off into some strange area, it doesn’t end well. This game keeps the basics of a golf game while at least trying something different with the putting. It is a bit frustrating yes, but at least they did try.


Replay Value

Okay, this golf game actually does have some halfway decent replay value. One of the main reasons I feel this way is that this game is so easy to play and rounds don’t last for hours. Many times, you can play a round of nine in this game in only fifteen minutes or so, depending on how you do. This makes playing many rounds very easy, and it makes you feel like you are making progress. When your game is taking forever to get through, you are likely going to get bored fast, and also be able to squeeze fewer rounds in before you have to do other things. Seeing as most of the modes in this game revolve around nine hole competitions, moving through a number of different challenges isn’t that hard to do in a short amount of time. Other replay features would be that there are a lot of different accessories to unlock as you play and there are more than a dozen or so characters to unlock, maybe even more. This is great for people that want something to keep motivating them to play as there is always something to possibly unlock for your character or as someone to play as that is completely different. However, the only real complaint I have here is that you are first going to have to play this game for a long long time to do all that, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing for everyone. Still, the main thing I have to say that can mess with the replay value is that a lot of the on course items are in odd places and you have to be really on the lookout for them. You also have to hit the ball exactly up to them to be able to collect them. Then there are the secret characters in this game. I looked up the ways to be able to unlock them, but other than that, how in the heck was anyone supposed to figure out how to unlock any of these characters other than looking them up online or in a guide? They are so cryptic and in places that I don’t see anyone finding unless they know how to unlock them. This can ruin the replay value for some if they don’t know how to unlock these characters as they will just be playing and playing and playing trying to figure out where these characters are located. I feel that could frustrate some people as they are likely not ever going to find them otherwise. Why should I have to look up the ways to unlock everything instead of the game making it obvious how to earn these characters? Other than this, this game has some decent replay value. Have fun with it, even if it is for short periods of time.


Overall, I would say Hot Shot’s Golf: Open Tee 2 is actually a decent golf game that I can see anyone being able to pick up and play. With ease of use, and quick play times, anyone can enjoy a quick game of golf, even if they don’t have a ton of time to commit to the games at any one time. The game does lack a little bit in the sound department due to the voices not always being able to be heard and the game having a lack of hints on how to unlock hidden items, but other than those two main things, this game actually isn’t that bad. If the game had a little more polish in a few areas, I would say this would be a wonderful golf game that everyone should pick up. Since there are still a few issues with it, I wouldn’t say it is perfect, but I would say that anyone that enjoys a golf game should pick this up. If you can get over the tricky putting, you will have a fun golf game on your hands that I see people being able to pick up again at some point in the future if they really like it, or at least being very willing to try another game in the Hot Shots series with confidence that the games might be pretty good. That’s a really good thing in my book.


Overall, in my opinion at least, I give Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2 an eight out of ten.


Gameplay: 8
Story: N.A.
Graphics: 9
Sound: 7
Control: 8
Replay Value: 8

Overall: 8