Outlaw Golf

Nice try, but regardless of what some developers think of gamers (you know, that were all horny, smart-ass ingrates), it takes more than a few slutty chicks, light cussing and violence to make a game good enough for us boys and girls. When are they going to learn that it takes a least a Playboy Mansion full of bunnies, a Reservoir Dogs amount of swearing, and GTA3 violence to get us going? But seriously, while OC will satisfy those who enjoy all manner of offensive fluff and provide enough sim stuff for golf fans, it's a mediocre package overall. For instance, although OG gets props for its original Composure feature which, depending on how well or poorly you hit shots, directly affects your players emotional and physical control, its very unforgiving. Add imprecise visual cues and an analog-stick swing scheme thats difficult to control, and casual players who just want to enjoy the front nine will be too teed off to play beyond the third hole. Its also disappointing to see weird slowdown on character animations and a golf audience that looks unfinished when the rest of the game looks pretty good. To be fair, although we casualites may not want to take time to practice our golf swings and get competitive at OG, seasoned players like sports guy Dan Leahy will appreciate its golf-sim toughness. But for less experienced video athletes: Youre going to have to really work at it to enjoy this one.

Along with R-rated antics thatll tickle any gamers inner Beavis and/or Butthead, Outlaw Golf dishes a golf game youll keep playing after you get sick of the repetitive zingers (provided by the Daily Shows Steve Carell). The swing meter, which has you wiggling an analog stick rather than jabbing buttons, is novel and intuitive, and I prefer Outlaws putting system to any other golf games. If only you got more courses (three aint enough) and camera options. Still, nifty multiplayer modes like speed golf kept me coming back: I had way more fun competing against buds than playing with myself. Er, I mean playing solo. This games chicks arent that hot.

Outlaw Golf is basically Hot Shots gone mature, which is what I was expecting, style-wise. What took me by surprise was the rather deep, involving golf game that lies beneath the crass exterior. Outlaws analog swing meter isnt revolutionary (Tiger Woods used it this past spring) but it is simple and responsive. Push the stick left and you get a nasty hook. Keep it straight, hit it straight. Dont let Ms. Kim sway you; its not that hard. The putting scheme is damn near genius, using a three-look read of the green instead of the overplayed topographical-vector-tines-im-confused approach. Hats off to Hypnotix for one of the summers true sleeper hits.