Honestly I am not the biggest fan of sports games.  I feel that while some sport games are amongst the most enjoyable and popular (Madden series comes to mind), some of the other "fringe" sports games take away from some of life's simplest enjoyments.  Case in point, I have never liked a pool game, because I think that pool is something that is best enjoyed actually playing pool.  The same could be said of pinball games, dart games and so on and so forth, no matter how cool a console version of a pinball game may be, it's nothing compared to playing an actual pinball machine.  Now that being said, I enjoy playing golf in real life, but for some reason, golf has never effected me the way pool games and volleyball games on a game system do.  Maybe it has something to do with how frustrating golf can be, maybe it has something to do with the fact it takes four hours to complete a round or maybe it's because even cheap golf is expensive.  

Soooo, what I am getting at is that is while I believe sports should be experienced in the real world, I absolutely love this title.  Hot Shots Golf Fore! is arguably one of the best reasons for owning a Playstation 2 and for playing video games.  What makes it so great is its ability to take the dynamics of golf and the wackiness of Looney tunes and put them both in a blender set to mix.  Starting off, gamers have their choice of four different golfers.  Each player possesses slightly different playing abilities, but when they reach the links, a definite "feel" is apparent when playing them.  As time goes on, and players earn points (more on this below) more characters will become accessible and eventually 30 different characters will be available to play, many of which have graced the other three Hot Shots titles.  Once other characters are available the dynamics of the game begins to change, certain unlocked players are definitely much better golfers and course records (driving distance) will fall, increasing the aforementioned points total, allowing for more items to be purchased.  In other words, this is almost like a golf RPG with extra characters, more courses to unlock and books to be found and bought that open up new golf moves.  I was absolutely floored by the sheer number of things to find, do and unlock within this game.  

I spoke earlier about a points total, the points are generated when playing in the tournament mode (single player).  As you play through the courses, you are awarded points for good shots, for example, you get 20 points for having your ball land in the fairway when you tee off.  Likewise, if you land in a sand trap you lose 20 points, 40 if you land in the water and so on and so forth.  When you finish a course, you can take your points to the pro-shop where they can be used to purchase some of the items I described above.  The game does a good job of not letting things go too easy for you, you will need to play quite a few rounds of golf in order to start unlocking the really good stuff, and while you initially only have 3 courses available, each one can be played during the four seasons.  While Summer, appears to be the easiest with its light breezes, the other seasons will prove to be more difficult with rain and snow falling.  Playing for inclement weather adds another layer to the game's challenge.  

And, just so you know, the game does feature a mini-golf course that is a fun little trek off the beaten path.  You only get two strokes per hole, but that's the point of mini-golf now, isn't it?  

From a graphics standpoint, Hot Shots is done very well.  The colors all appear very bright and robust and there is a cartoonish feel to the game that is very inviting.  The different hues of the greens is nicely portrayed and the varying courses do a good job of making you feel like you are somewhere completely different.  While some have a more traditional look to them with rolling hills and trees, some of the other courses are very rocky and designed for maximum ball loss.  Strong level design is one of the game's standout features.  The characters also are designed well, with an ample amount of polygons giving them a very fluid and smooth look to both their appearance and movements.  The fact that they look like weirdo cartoon characters is a plus.  Lastly, the shading that is elicited from the objects in the game looks very nice and tells me that the level of detail done by the programmers involved much care.  

The simple music the game generates as you play through the different parts of the holes is a mix of easy going melody to serious bumping when a crucial putt needs to be made.  It made the game have a more rounded feel to it.  If there is one complaint, it's that the caddies who follow you around (you can pick them) tend to say the same quirky little things over and over.  And while they were pretty funny at first, after hearing "I'm gonna cook you sausages" 5000000 times does tend to get on your nerves.  

Fortunately the game does allow you to play online against other duffers (golfers) in a relatively easy set up.  In no less then three minutes you can log on and go against other players in the games simple online menu.  For me though, I called a friend who also has the game and he proceeded to whup up on me in three rounds in a room he created and passworded.  The game does allow for typing of messages in the loadout screen but sadly does not make use of the Sony headset. 

Gameplay: 9.0
Two different stroke types for the novice and veteran, the forgiving ease that some of the players have when they blow a shot and the smooth friendly controls make this a very inviting game to play.  

Graphics: 8.8
A seemingly perfect blend of cartoon looks and real world physics.  I really appreciated the different perspectives the game would generate when a ball was hit particularly well.  And the specialized hits of fire and ice came off the screen with both brightness and clarity.  A nice looking game.  

Sound: 8.5
Good honest to goodness golf noises.  A solid "WHACK!" when a ball is hammered.  The tin cup "ploink" when the ball drops in the hole and some very funny phrases said by all of the characters.  Minus the repetition of the caddies and we are in noise Nirvana.  

Difficulty: Medium
In order to completely master this game and unlock everything it has to offer, expect to play many, many hours of golf, fortunately the game provides a relatively easy difficulty grade.  If anything, the game may get the better of you before you find everything.  

Concept: 8.0
While a golf game is not entirely original, Hot Shots Golf has certainly put their stamp on the genre.  It provides a game with RPG elements and arcade style fun, with the simple fun of golf.  The mixture is pure gaming magic.  

Multiplayer: 9.0
Awesome, simply awesome.  The game is easy to get online with and there appear to be no flaws in the online servers.  This may change as more and more people start playing online.  A strong multiplayer title.  You can even play four person golf at home provided you have the multi-tap.  The only thing missing is the ability to use the headset.  

Overall: 9.0
Wow, it has been many titles since I have enjoyed a game this much.  My wife plays it, my son plays it, I play it.  This is an excellent title for the family or for the single player.  I cannot express how much enjoyment this title has brought into our family gaming.  Go out and pick it up right now!