Video Games

PGA Tour 2K23 Review – IGN

There is a thrill in real golf. The excitement never ends when you watch players sink delicate chip-ins. However, in the context of video games, additional energy is required. Pizzas. That extra zest to keep you from getting addicted, even when browsing the menus. Quiet, calm, bland, very… appropriate.

PGA TOUR 2K23 (and formerly PGA TOUR 2K21) was born out of HB Studios’ enthusiastically accurate simulation of The Golf Club. The name change hasn’t changed much about the philosophy behind it. The actual shot mechanics, ball physics, and standard frustration when sinking into bunkers remain dazzlingly authentic, even with a year off between editions to reconsider , HB Studios has created just as many simplistic, stuffy, elitist golf sims. Personality as a white polo shirt. The 2K23 makes a bit of progress to loosen the pomposity, but it lands a few inches before dropping into the cup.

2K focuses on the points-based FedEx Cup as a core career goal. The PGA gets more attention for the Masters, US Open, and other high-profile events (which EA has licensed in the past with Golf Projects), and that’s okay. PGA TOUR 2K23 does not have the most famous course like Augusta National. So career mode feels like filler as it bypasses licensing restrictions and takes you through his second courses like Detroit Golf Club and his TPC Southwinds. If that’s your primary way to play and you don’t have many other options here, this is a problem.

Career mode feels like filler because it bypasses license restrictions and moves you to the second course.


Taking the course reveals the influence of key publishers from 2K. There are also streamlining efforts, such as an optional 3-click swing system. This is a new feature, but very difficult to master and not as accessible as expected. This method requires holding the swing button to set the power, releasing the button to start the rev meter, and he has to stop twice to determine the accuracy of his swing. If you’re anything like me, you can expect to fail on your regular shots before returning to a smooth, clean, and precise analog stick swing.

HB Studios have, thankfully, mastered this analog method. Other golf games have tried, and even succeeded in their own ways, but HB’s quest to mimic the feel and challenge of a real club has paid off. A suitably fragile presence off the tee or fairway as stick speed determines slice or hook. Even with a good amount of practice, there is always the chance of a missed shot. Additionally, 2K23 adds desired shot types, such as punches that squeeze the ball under hazards, furthering the PGA Tour’s repertoire and strategy.

Selectable golfers include NBA stars Michael Jordan and Stephen Curry.


There is an attempt to add some charisma to this series, but it feels half-baked. Selectable golfers include celebrities such as NBA stars Michael his Jordan and Stephen his Curry as well as cover his star Tiger his Woods and other famous his PGA names. In the equipment section, hockey sticks are offered as a putter choice, giving Happy His Gilmour the nod it needs. That’s all. These celebrity players only exist in side mode or competitive play. I don’t care about the Tiger Woods PGA Tour series being gone, but Happy Gilmore’s walk-up maintaining golf’s central appeal while driving with his swing is a joy that doesn’t cost gameplay. did.

There’s also TopGolf, a party-inspired challenge founded in 2000. Now that it’s digital, it’s a decent replacement for when you don’t have time to spend with friends.

Perhaps most of the time people spend on PGA Tour 2K23 is spent on their careers. One goal (FedEx), one style of play, and apart from exhibitions, there’s nothing you can do as a solo golfer. A short (usually) one-event rivalry using the Stableford scoring system adds a touch of extra drama. Local and online matches add a little variety, like 2v2 matchups and skin play. it is something Between matches, the deepening RPG side offers progressive skill upgrades for him. Some offer easier swing timing, some offer accuracy, and some offer better work out of bunkers. Leveling requires step-by-step decision-making as each club type is boosted individually, and opportunities grow in tandem with the custom his golfer’s XP meter.

Contrary to HB Studios’ usual philosophy, the club itself is important. All boosts you get after winning an event, not just clubs. Combine +3 Club Shaft Power with +2 Shot Shaping Grip and you have a solid weapon. That’s sports equipment. Given the tight swing accuracy of PGA Tour 2K23, even small improvements in accuracy or timing reduce risk. Thank you for this. This is a particularly gamified idea of ​​what is otherwise a very deep simulation, and buying real clubs doesn’t make a difference.

The quality of its attempt to recreate the atmosphere of televised golf is dismal.


Heading into the FedEx Cup means addressing HB Studios weaknesses. It’s a poor attempt to recreate the atmosphere of televised golf. It’s not as bad as completely broken in places. Commentators regularly make incorrect calls, such as not being able to identify whether the ball is on the green or whether it is following left or right. Attempting to view replays from early in the tournament takes a very long time to load in this SSD era (trying to access the server can be even slower), and even if it does show up, it actually does nothing. It is often not displayed. These snippets stay with the golfer reacting to invisible shots instead of chasing the ball, but at least the character model justifies that lingering attention. Coming from his 2K, where emulations of NBA broadcasts set a best-in-class example, the non-functional delivery of PGA Tour 2K23 helped after the first game introduction.

As a side note, the orchestral music that plays in the menu painfully adds to the idea that golf is a boring, elitist game. There was, but I never had the chance to make it happen.

Repeat course creators can spark PGA TOUR 2K23 if they so desire. This also helps fill holes in course selection. I played it before release, so there wasn’t anything available for download yet, but someone will soon render an accurate Pebble his beach (with titles like “Beach Golf Course Pebbles”). That said, it offers a pleasant and easy-to-use menu system that gives you plenty of options when trying to build something. The good news is that everything is open from the start, so you don’t have to unlock items to fill spaces. It’s as much a choice as placing a hotel.

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