Review: Ultimate Swing Golf
When I saw Ultimate Swing Golf was made by Clap Hanz I was instantly interested in checking it out. After not really giving Everybody’s Golf VR much of play on PSVR, as I wasn’t keen on playing VR with gamepad and the PS Move controllers tracking just didn’t cut it for a golf game. So, was this finally a chance to get the experience I wanted with Ultimate Swing Golf?
Release Date: May 16th 2024
Developer: Clap Hanz
Publisher: Clap Hanz
Price: £22.99
Reviewed On: Meta Quest 3
* Code Provided For Review *
FORE!
Ultimate Swing Golf takes over from where exactly Everybody’s Golf left off when it comes to gameplay, with it getting the balance perfect between arcade and simulation. This choice allows people who don’t really play golf the chance to still feel like they are keeping up with players who do. With the games mechanics being based on the straightness and power of the players stroke over the players arch and follow through. Don’t get me wrong those who play golf will likely still hold an advantage over those who don’t, but that skill gap is greatly reduced compared to the likes of Golf+.
The game comes with challenge mode, free play, multiplayer and training. The challenge mode is the main single player element as you will make your way through multiple different challenges from hitting the fairway, putting, chip shots and taking on your caddies in best of three-hole match play events.
When you first start the game you will have two club sets, two caddies and two courses unlocked. Through the challenge mode you unlock more clubs, courses, caddies, receptionists for the lobby and outfits for both of them. At the moment of writing this review I am on challenge thirty-five, and so far I have mainly unlocked outfits over everything else. With the main unlocks being one more caddie, three more sets of clubs and one course. Although, I think this is was a great way to handle the unlocks to make people play the challenges, I just feel they should have made the costumes and different receptionists later unlocks. As some might not enjoy the challenge mode and might just want to play with friends, but unless they grind away at the challenges they will stuck to the base clubs and two courses. However, what I liked about the challenge mode was the decision to make a ‘Perfect Pass’ being completing the challenge, or just a ‘Pass’ if you fail it a number of times, but it still giving the unlocks – meaning if you can’t complete a challenge it doesn’t punish you and have to stuck until you can.
Free play mode will see you trying to beat your best scores on each hole and set new records for yourself, while also increasing your stats and setting a general rank for you – so you know the skill level of others if you decide to go into online matches. (your stats and rank will also be set when playing stroke play challenges in the challenges). With training mode doing exactly what it says, giving you chance to practice and train on shots you are struggling with.
As with games like Golf+ and Walkabout Mini Golf, jumping into multiplayer is where the game shines – especially with a group of friends. In this mode you can play stroke and match play on any courses the host has unlocked. This mode will give you the chance of increasing your stats but, will not effect your aforementioned rank – although the way it measured am I am not sure why it doesn’t, as its set on your shots in each area of your round of holes. This is the first multiplayer game where I have ran through my headset battery, the battery on my headstrap and then started on a neck strap battery in one session, as I just didn’t want to stop playing with friends.
They have also included a MR mode for Quest 3 and Pro. This includes a putting game, which will see you place a putting hole in your playspace – which didn’t really do much for me. But, you can also make your home a driving range on any of the games courses. This works like the virtual driving ranges you might see in sports bars, and this mode is certainly fun to play and worth checking out.
The gameplay is so addictive never mind what mode you choose to play, and it’s certainly one of those one-more attempt/one-more round type of games that is so hard to put down. The team have certainly brought everything that made Everybody’s Golf so addictive over to its spiritual successor.
A Place To Make You Smile
Clap Hanz have visually given us something that would feel right at home in SEGA’s game catalog, which they have always done with their previous titles with a cartoon feel, with some realism and over saturated colors. Mix this with events like planes flying over your head, dolphins jumping out of the sea, rabbits on the fairway and things like butterflies and dragonflies landing on your ball. With all five-courses having their own design and aesthetic but sticking to the same bright and colorful approach.
Outside of the bright and colorful design, I found it hard to believe how nice the game looks on a standalone device and the little touches put into the courses. Like the grass moving when brushing it with your club, the sun rays, lens flare and the draw distance with no pop-up or stuttering even when setting the weather the raining. Even though the crowd around the course are 2D, with the overall design it doesn’t look out of place – and the fact they interact and cheer if you wave at them, with the cartoon text emotions above their heads just makes them feel right at home in the game. The only real disappointing things is there is no locomotion in the game, so you can’t go off exploring these lovely settings.
Add to these visuals happy background music, the environmental noises from each courses setting, the ‘thwack’ as you hit your drives, your caddies supportive attitude and the cheers as you hit a good shot – and you have everything you need to get stuck in the game for hours. With everything coming together to make a gaming session where it’s hard not to play with a constant smile on your face.
Comfort
The Verdict
Ultimate Swing Golf has taken everything that Clap Hanz did great with Everybody’s Golf VR on PSVR, but included more single player modes and multiplayer that was sorely missed. As someone who doesn’t play golf, I found the mix of arcade and simulation perfect – as although I could still mess up my shots, I still hit some great shots at the same time. The charm of the game really shines through in all aspects, and Clap Hanz caliber of making this sort of golf game is plain to see from your first swing to the last in each round/challenge you play. If you have a Meta Quest this is a game you need in your library, even if like me and you don’t play golf in real life Ultimate Swing Golf will still give you many reasons to love it.