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Ok, let me start by saying I was frustrated for a day or two with the Kinect controls of the menus and in game changes. Once you get used to them though you can play this game and be addicted. If you change the shot difficulty to harder settings you will be playing a brand of golf that feels as good as a golf simulator. It will pick up all of your swing flaws. You must make a smooth and proper swing to get the best results. If you over swing the ball will go where it would if you were at the golf course. I am addicted to this game already. The putting and chipping takes some getting used to but gets easier and is pretty realistic. Especially the putting. The hardest part is setting up your shots to punch out of the woods or change your putting aim. If you aim a little further back of the hole on uphill putts the ball will roll out more. You can set the greens to fast and it will make you feel like you are putting at The Master's as your ball goes rolling by the hole on downhill puts. What fun.
***Here is the best part. I picked up a short weighted golf club called the SKILZ GOLF TEMPO AND GRIP TRAINER from skilz golf and am using it during Kinect play. It works great. I covered it with some black electrical tape and the sensor does not pick it up. The short club is pretty realistic and has a grip training grip on it. Costs under 20 bucks on amazon. This will enhance your game play ten fold. If you are a lefty you may be able to get one also . Another thing is if you want to face side on to the TV move your sensor of to the side of the TV on a stand or a stool or something and you can then at least stand on an angle to the TV sideways.
GOOD LUCK AND ENJOY...
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tiger woods 13 isn't like the past years........the new swing mechanics have been introduced.....i found the swing arc almost gimmicky, but i found the tempo to be a leap forward. this game feels more like a golf simulation than arcarde, at that will work for golf aficionados, but also takes a bit of the fun out for casual gamers...the new putting sytstem is frustrating, and i can't help to think they should have stayed with last year's version. it is just too easy to blast you ball past the whole or leave it short with a putt that goes two feet. graphically, the game is superior to other versions.i suspect that this game will be loved by some and hated by others. something is just missing in this game, and it is the fun factor, imo. on the other hand, if you love creating your own shots, and taking into account if you want to dig at the ball, slow or increase your tempo, and adjusting the swing plane, then this game is going to give you tons of frustrating enjoyment. just get used to 2-3 putting on the green.
****update***
i realized how unfair 3 stars was to this game that is revolutionary for the series...the new swing system takes a learning curve but it is great. for the first time, club selection is needed, as well is playing from deeper cuts, and bunkers..in previous editions of tiger, it almost didn't matter if you were in the fairway or second-cut. this year the degree of difficulty resembles that of true golf. you really do have to play the course. i am still not a fan of the putting system, but given the graphics, the presentation, and the new swing selection this is a game that will give you plenty hours of frustrating enjoyment...a good walk spoiled...enjoy!
Best Deals for Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 - Xbox 360
The Good:*Beautiful presentation: gorgeous golf courses and realistic golf sound effects
*Lengthy career mode
*Tiger Legacy Challenge could be a stand-alone title by itself
*Online Country Club and other online features are a great addition
*Adjusted swing mechanic
*Great way to create and customize your own golfer and ability to use XBOX Vision cam for a face
The Bad:
*Putting and some other aspects of the game deliver a steep learning curve.
The Bottom Line:
I like playing golf; However, golf can be costly and time-consuming and not to mention there is actual skill required! Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13's great graphics, sounds and gameplay can satisfy your golf craving without the need to buy the golf clubs.
Some of the new features from last year include improved swing mechanic. Most of your shot will depend on how well you move the thumbstick, which could be a good or a bad thing, depending on how shaky your hands are or how well your thumbstick actually moves. If you got issues with your thumbstick, you will have a frustrating time.
Country Clubs feature will allow you to go online and join groups with others friends or complete strangers who share same interest and/or skill level as you are to see who is the best and compete in online tournaments.
Boost Pins feature mirrors other EA sports games that involve buying "packs" with your hard-earned coins from game play. Boost pins can you the edge (make your shots more powerful for some time, for instance) in the game.
Tiger Legacy Challenge: This is my favorite new feature, which deviates from previous Tiger titles. This mode was so enjoyable to me, I think it would've been a great stand-alone title by itself! This gives you a chance to relive Tiger Woods' life from toddler years and all the way to the future(2019 to be exact is the year of the challenge to break Jack's record.) This mode is also a great way for new players to learn the game. Your first challenge goes back to 1978 where you take control of a 2-year old Tiger and your goal is to sink a short putt on the Mike Douglas Show. As you complere challenges, you unlock Tigers' next phases of life, where he learns to swing out of the bunker from the sandbox of his playground and chipping shots into his mother's purse.
As an 8-year old Woods, you get other challenges, such as beating kids who are older in Youth Championships. All of these mirror his life events, which include short video montages as well.
After a while you go on to represent 1994 Stanford and US Amateur team. Then follow more difficult challenges of Tiger when he was unstoppable. After that follow the future challenges where you must guide Woods to win the 2014 Major. There are some very fun notable challenges, such as competing with Jeremy Roenick, 2018 Dwight Howard and even shooting a commercial. This mode looked and sounded great right from the start, especially when you get to play as a chubby 2-year old Tiger Woods.
Some negatives of the game include the frustration of putting. Putting on the green is way more difficult than it should be in a game. Your thumbstick control must be superb. One accidental twitch and your putt attempt is ruined. Sometimes I found myself choosing to chip shot from 2-yards out instead of using a putter. Some minor gameplay issues, such as unrealistic bounce here and there will be noticed, but its not enough to ruin the game.
The game constantly reminds you of your lifetime challenge and achievement status(your birdie total and such,) which pulls you in and keep you going. This is definitely not a short game by any means as it will take you a long time to complete all the challenges. Combine that with the online gameplay and your joy for golf and this is a great title to invest in if you like golf.
Honest reviews on Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 - Xbox 360
I have played every game in the Tiger Woods franchise and I have to say this is the best and most engaging Tiger to date. The total swing control takes a few hours to get used to but then its becomes clear that this was the change that the franchise needed. Many argue that the physics of the swing/putting are too demanding and frustrating. And maybe to players new to the game they might seem daunting, but once you catch on they are consistent and rewarding. And sure you can still drive the ball 400+ and break 50 in a round...but really only on the easier difficulties, which in turn rewards you with less status, coins and exp. Now, as for the whole coin system...Many amateur and pro reviewers have bashed to coin system (the in-game currency) for being a misleading and insulting tease by EA. I can't disagree enough! Coins are earned by playing and playing well, and can be redeemed for Pins (more later) and for rounds at DLC courses. Now once a DLC course is mastered (takes at least 6+ rounds) it is unlocked for unlimited play. This is where the critics say the (6000 coins for a round, 3 for 12000) system is just a "tease" and baits players into just buying unlimited round for 400 Microsoft Pts. BUT, they all fail to mention (or maybe realize) that by buying just one round with coins -and downloading the courseyou can also play the course during you PGA Tour season if the course shows up. That means you can play 4 rounds + Training and Sponsor Challenges at the course WITHOUT even spending the round you had bought. So it is actually possible to master any DLC course while only having to "buy" 1-2 rounds with the coins. And then the course is yours for unlimited play!
I say that is a pretty good deal, and something that was never an option on previous versions. TW 13 allows you play your way to free courses. I now have all 37 courses (Yes 37 courses!) with unlimited play and I didn't pay an extra penny to get them. Also, if a course that you do not have (yet) comes up during your PGA Tour season, you have the option to change the course for the event, so there is no need to skip it. I know this was an issue on last years game, but I still find it repeatedly in reviews for this edition. It makes me wonder if all of the reviewers have actually played the game, or at least give it a fair chance!
So I need to ask: how is this years TW considered to be an outrageous showing of EA Sports disdain for the consumer and a new level of greediness?? This new system is the most fair and balanced way to integrate the DLC courses, and just about everyone I play with online completely agrees. Like I said before, all previous games required the player to buy the DLC courses with MSP and they were not cheap! I say kudos to EA for rewarding the gamers who are taking the time to enjoy all aspects of the game and its longevity. I honestly can not remember the last sports game I have played this much (even after reaching 1000 GS). This is in large part due to the coin, pin and country club additions...
The Country Club system in a priceless addition to the franchise. Up to 25 players join and work together to level up their club. There are daily and weekly club tournaments (set by the club GM on the EA website), head-to-head club and inter-club play, weekly leaderboards and more. The Club system is just great as it gives players a more involved experience vs just playing another yourself-against-the-world sports game. Our club is now in the top 35 in the world, and we are constantly congratulating and motivating each other to play well and keep playing. Each week the highest scorer of the club is crowned the Club Champ and is invited to a Club Champ-only weekly tourney where the top players from every club go up against one another. The top 5 players below the club champ are named the Club "pros" and they are also invited to a club pro-only weekly tourneys. Good, good stuff.
Finally, the new pin system adds another clever feature across all game modes. There are 3 main types of Pins: Boost, Player and Course. Boost Pins can be added to your "bag-tag" for a single round to boost your players stats. There are also Player Pins that give all-around stat boosts to the associated player. And then the most innovative new pins; the Hole and Course Pins. Every hole in the game has a pin that can be acquired, well actually 3 stacking pins: Bronze, Silver & Gold. (A few years ago they dabbled with this idea in the form of course exp, which would increase your "Luck" and caddy knowledge of a course the more time you played it, but this is a much better system) Each pin you have on a course increases the exp and status you receive after playing a round. Once you have all 18 pins, you get a course pin which increases the value of any boost or player pins you use at that course. And, of course, these all stack from bronze to gold. Once you rack up some course pins, you can really start raking in the exp, status and coin rewards. Very addicting and adds a greater incentive for continuing to play the game.
The pins are bought in packs from the store using coins. There is a variety of different "pin-packs" available for the pins you are after. Special offers also pop up from time to time. Extra coins can be purchased using MSP but I never found this necessary if you play the game enough and want to progress proportionately, but is a nice option for those who want to level up their player/courses quickly.
Online play remains the same for the most part, save for the addition of the country club features. Daily and weekly tournaments galore, plus the "Play-the-Pros" and a few other special events such as "Tiger Balls" where the top players are basically entered into a lottery drawing for a large coin bonus-pretty cool. Head-to-head matches also have an improved "skill" rating system used for match-making, etc. Sadly, the "GamerNet" system is gone, which is kind of a bummer b/c it was always quite satisfying to be able to save and post those miracle shots that you can pull off. I guess it was passed on to make room for all of the other extra features.
All that being said, the game in not without its flaws. The game is still plagued by glitches such as ball placement and physics in certain areas of certain courses. The only good thing is that they do seem to be consistent, so once you know where they are you can avoid them (ex. your ball clearly lands in a bunker but you are placed in the rough, or the ball may take unrealistic bounces off the flagstick). The glitches are really not that big of a deal in normal gameplay, but can be frustrating when you have a great round going. Far from a deal breaker to me, and I think some reviewers get overly upset about this. If you consider that the game has THOUSANDS of SQ/ACRES of playable land, to me it would be quite a programming feat to have every square inch function 100% properly. The game does freeze a little more often than should be acceptable, mostly during loading screens. Again, frustrating, but not a deal breaker. I think many of the errors are due to the rushed release of the game, and that being considered, it is for the most part an impressive final product.
So I'm sure you can tell by now that I highly recommend this Tiger Woods. As a golfer and a gamer, this Tiger is a huge step in the right direction for EA Sports. Please take the negative reviews with a grain of salt as so many of us have become accustomed to games that are at or approaching perfection. This is incredibly difficult to accomplish with a golf-sim, by EA is doing a great job and getting better every year. The negative reviewers overemphasize the games issues and unjustly dismiss this excellent game. So give it a try yourself and you can be the judge of that!
Hope this helps anyone on the fence!
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 - Xbox 360
DO NOT BUY THIS GAME! Not only is it buggy, but very frustrating as well. Let's start with the bugs.At times you caddy will not work. Why? Don't know. On the next shot it will, but every so often, it just doesn't display it's help. Now for some, this may not be a problem. But for me and other people, it is. We play these sports games because we are not able to play nearly as well in real life. So when the caddy feature does not work, I may as well be on the greens myself.
The game freezes. A lot. And we all know how to fix an Xbox freeze, you turn it off and start again. You end up consistently hoping that you can get thru your round before another freeze. And what's worse, if you're using boost pins they will disappear when you restart. The game considers you're freeze as you quitting. Try playing in a live Tournament, you only get to enter once. Also, after a freeze, you end up getting a DNF. Get too many DNFs and some tourneys may not let you play.
The flagstick disappears when trying to line up a shot on to the green. How am I to know where the hole is when trying to line up a shot? Just wing it? Hope for the best?
Now for the frustrating parts. The wind is annoying not because its wind, but because it's inconsistent. One hole it's blowing south at 24mph, the nest it's blowing north at 35mph. 95% of the time it's at your front, making the whole even more difficult. I know the wind can't always be at your back, but since when does the wind lead a golfer thru a round.
Weather is also an issue. Just about every other round has rain it. After making it to the Pro Tour, there just hasn't been a sunny weekend. Since when are golf courses created under permanent rain clouds? Is this weather there to make it harder for me? I thought that's what the difficulty settings where for. And again as I stated earlier, I don't want a round of golf to be as bad as I am in real life. I play a video game to do what I can not.
How about putting? Decent unless you just barely miss the green and land on the second cut. Then you have no option from the caddy to putt. The caddy at times has two choices you can pick from to set up your shot. But if you miss the green, and even ever so slightly, the caddie will not have putting one of those options. You can still select the putter and putt, but you'll get no help. I believe in real life the caddie would be fired for refusing to help the golfer line up his putt. This game tho he defies you. So line up your putt, hope you have it the option to putt preview, because lining up your putt from the second cut is harder than it looks.
You do not have access to all golf courses. You either have to spend coins to unlock rounds, or spend $5 to purchase the course. To purchase all courses, $95. That's not including the $50 or so it took to first purchase the game. It wouldn't be so bad if the courses you had yet to buy weren't on the Pro Tour. But yes, I have to skip some tourney's because I refuse to spend extra money on courses that are on the schedule of career mode. I could uses coins, but those are slow to accumulate and it takes 12000 coins to get three rounds. No option for 4 rounds other than real money. So I can't even purchase the course with coins to play in the tourney, I'll be short one round. So now I would have to spend the 12000 coins and play the greatest three rounds of my life so I Gold master the course so I have unlimited rounds and finally play it within career mode. Bad news tho. Can't Gold Master a course in 3 rounds let alone 4. You have to get 100 pars or better. 5 rounds isn't even 100 holes. You have to do 6 rounds, and then you can only bogey 8 times total in all 6 rounds. So 24000 coins to Master a course IF you can bogey less than 8 times.
All in all, worst game ever from EA. I would pass this game up in favor for an arcade golf game from Xbox Live.
Update!! So I get to Dubai for a tournament. Now I'm thinking, it's rained in every tournament I've been in so far. But hey! I'm in Dubai, where it rains very little, on average 5 times a year and mainly just during the cooler months of November to April. I should have a nice sunny weekend...Nope!!! It rained!! Gale force winds and rain!! Oh for the love of.....!!! ARE YOU SERIOUS?! I now no longer have this game. Traded it in.
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