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Drifting off from the sweaty online competitive shooters, for me, PGA Tour 2K25 feels like breathing fresh air even though you might break a controller or two if you’re so into the rivalry over big prizes. 2K Games‘ new PGA Tour game is out after 2 years, and we’re here to see if it meets the expectations. Spoiler alert: it’s a good one.
PGA Tour 2K25 Is Visually Stunning
Before diving into anything about the gameplay and the various modes, I just have to say how much the overall graphics of the game has improved over the previous title. The view and atmosphere of every course feel alive with the dynamic lightning and diverse landscapes in PGA Tour 2K25. It’s a super positive point for the game, given the fact that the course’s scenery is an important aspect and a delight to watch following golf as a sport.
In opposition to the over-the-top set and realistic-looking courses, the character models still have some room for improvement. The faces and expressions could be more detailed to match the game’s stunning visuals but that won’t change how impressive the graphics looks. Speaking of which, you start the game by creating your own character to begin a career, and this time, there’s a lot to tune and upgrade.
RPG Golf Out of Nowhere
Other than customizing your character’s looks and buying their clothes, there’s a new system added to this year’s PGA Tour 2K25 called the Archetype. This is the most important choice you make in creating your golfer, determining the playstyle you tend to lean onto. There are a total of 5 Archetypes to choose from, each coming with extra skills on a dedicated branch.
For example, I’ve picked the Magician Archetype, which helps me have more accurate swings out of grim lines, making it easier to turn the rough situations when I miss the tee shot. The most popular Archetype, however, is probably the Powerhouse, which focuses on stronger approaches. Now, each one of these playstyles has a dedicated skill that unlocks at a certain level, which takes us to the next page about upgrading your player in PGA Tour 2K25.
There’s a skill tree in the game now, and it’s a big one. Reaching the MyPlayer menu, you’ll find several tabs for upgrading your player stats. First, there are Attributes such as power, which you upgrade by AP and then pay the price with VC, both of which are earned by playing the game or letting your pocket loose in the shop.
There are a total of 6 skill pages next to the MyPlayer Attributes tab, each focusing on different aspects of the game. You’ll be able to add the ability so that your character hits a stronger tee shot, gets to know how to hit a straight shot on greens better, hits accurate chip shots, and a lot more. These are amplified by the chosen Archetype during character creation. For example, a Magician should focus on upgrading the Recovery skills for better results.
This part is probably what becomes confusing at first, but then it adds more layers to the game so that you’ll have several goals to achieve with your character. However, the one thing that does take things too far is the ability to upgrade the clubs and even the golf ball you hit.
You’ll have a few Golf Bags to choose from in the game that works as loadouts, each coming with a set of clubs and a ball you select. However, the thing is that each one of these items is upgradeable, adding more to your grinding season.
The Club Is For Everyone To Take
Going into a match, the PGA Tour 2K25‘s gameplay is a cheese bite to learn, and so enjoyable to master. You’ll have to choose from 3 options for swinging the club in the game, and I found the 3 Clicks much easier than the other two. It’s a time-based click that allows for more accuracy and is suitable for new players and pros alike, but if you want a deeper customized shot, using either the left or right analog stick is the option.
There are training sessions to learn each course and build a strategy for them, and once you’re confident, you can hit the MyCareer mode to find your path to becoming one of the best in business. If you’re a golf enthusiast, this could be the heaven to spend so many hours in with a bunch of tournaments to qualify for.
PGA Tour 2K25‘s MyCareer mode also features a popularity system depending on the answers you give to the reporters and your chat responses, which is nice but it misses the mark when it comes to being of any importance. Become Bold, Composed, or Reserved; however, none of it matters in the actual gameplay. The thing I preferred for this was to add a small bit of a side story to mix, like F1‘s Break Point or 2K‘s very own WWE games’ single-player narrative.
If you’re tired of AI opponents that are too easy or difficult, jumping into the online mode is always a pleasure. PGA Tour 2K25 allows you to play online in casual lobbies or kick in the competitive factor by playing the Ranked Play, both of which are fun and diverse because you’re playing against a human and not a predetermined CPU.
Fun Beside Golf
Adding more fun to the game is the ability to create your own course so that you can play it yourself or with your friends later. PGA Tour 2K25 gives you all the tools you need to create an environment of your desire with a deep customization option to change whatever details you like to adjust.
Other than that, there’s a new mini-game called Top Golf where you try hitting different targets in an arena to earn points. It’s a small game mode that nobody asked for, but it’s still fun to spend some time playing a golf game that isn’t actually golf and earn rewards.
PGA Tour 2K25 Is The Best Golf Game Ever Created By HB Studios
The one issue I had when playing the previous HB Studios’ golf titles was the clunkiness of the gameplay. However, PGA Tour 2K25 does an outstanding job of integrating the feel of swinging the club with your controller’s analog sticks. It just feels right, and when you get a hang of it, the golf addiction kicks in.
PGA Tour 2K25 is the one successful swing of the club for HB Studios’ efforts to create a golf video game. The game looks absolutely stunning with optimized graphics, and the developers have nailed it with the buttery-smooth gameplay this year. On the other hand, the popularity system feels worse than an extra feature due to its lack of significance.
PGA Tour 2K25 (PC - Steam Reviewed)
PGA Tour 2K25 is certainly a big improvement, even though it overloads the experience with so many upgradable items and the trivial personality system in MyCareer mode. The game is visually wholesome and the gameplay feels butter smooth that's newcomer-friendly and rewarding for pros who adjust the stats on every swing.
Pros
- Smooth gameplay
- Neat visuals and graphics
- Various skill upgrades
Cons
- Trivial popularity system
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Good
