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Review:

16th February 2005:
Outlaw Golf 2
The Outlaws take to the fairways once more. Can you cope with Killer Miller and co?
Posted by Chris Snook - PlayStation 2,Xbox - UK and Europe

The Outlaw games have always been more than a little different to the run of the mill versions of the sports they cover. Now in Outlaw Golf 2 that tradition has been prolonged with a decent game grafted onto that signature style.

Everything from the slick introduction, showcasing the golfers and caddies through to the in game humour proclaims OG2 to be different. This is not Tiger Woods or Links 2004, not even remotely close to it and as such breathes a different air into its lungs as you make your way around the diverse courses on offer. Surprisingly as a golf sim, things are very well done. Controls wise it is impressively simple to play, with very little wasted on the control pad. Everything does something and what it does it does well with the minimum of fuss. This makes the usual problems of making a shot simplicity and intuitive, allowing for eventually the learning of how to actually try and play golf itself - quite an achievement considering.

Your game is tied directly to how good you or more often how lucky you have been. There is a composure meter that fluctuates as you make a round. Play a bad shot and your composure worsens play a good drive or hole a distant put and it becomes better - sometimes wildly better depending on the size of fluke you pull off. Since the worse your composure is the worse you play and the more in the green it reads the better you play it does mean that you can be up against it for the first few games, hoping for that break which will take the heat off a little.

Luckily there are other ways to regain your composure. Namely beating your caddy around the head a few times or going golf cart racing, both almost mini-games in themselves and provide for even more of a relief than might be expected. Therapeutic in fact.

There are options a plenty before you even make it to the fairway. There is tour mode, single games, a driving range and a whole set of competitions - casino golf, skins, poker golf and more. Each providing different levels of challenge and skills to complete. Further in you find options to choose players, equipment and most importantly the costumes your golfer is going to wear. With skimpy being the in thing for the ladies. With further options and choices able to be unlocked later on, providing better clubs new golfers and even balls endorsed by one of those golfers. Just so you can play with them.

Outlaw Golf 2 is definitely pitched at the older teen market, with direct and implied adult humour speckled all the way through and the dance and hip-hop style tunes to play to. For once this world with the whole tone, it is built into the game as opposed to being added to gain a specific market. Listening to the commentator you wonder if he used a script at all and some of the comments are a delight, even if the range is limited somewhat.

Visually there is nothing stunning but everything has motion and is pleasant to look at. The golfers sway (some more than others) as they strike the ball and visual clues abound to let you know how well you have struck the stroke. Element effects are well shown and the physics of the shots are well done, with the wind being visible. Audio ties in with what is happening on screen, you hit the ball and there is a booming sound of a well-struck rocket or the dead 'tink' of a badly topped drive. The voice acting is good and provides more of the comedic elements, certainly when paired with the cut scenes.

There is a lot here, playing nine holes takes about an hour and can become absorbing as you try to progress through the tour. There are problems. The way composure is lost and regained is uneven, it is easy to lose but very hard to gain, giving a feel of an arbitrary decision - rewarding luck more than judgement. There are also times when the CPU players seem able to pull off impressive shots whilst you flounder trying to get that one lucky shot.

OG2 is a cracking game to unwind with a few friends and beers. It is a game where progressing is merely the culmination of having fun and enjoying yourself. Worth checking out.

Chris Snook

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Review Summary:

Sly and funny dig at the established golfing games out there. With a smart blend of adult humour, a slick control system and a Suave set of golfers to select from, Outlaw Golf 2 and quietly proves to be an antidote to the humdrum life of Tiger Woods and Co.

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Outlaw Golf 2
for PlayStation 2

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