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 Post subject: Wii - Pangya! Golf With Style
PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:14 pm 
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Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 11:51 pm
Posts: 18622
Location: Bradford, UK
XBL Gamertag: Blokeh
PSN ID: Blokeh
Steam ID: Blokeh
Wii system code: 2445-8086-3386-0718
Pangya! Golf With Style (EU)
Super Swing Golf (US)
Swing Golf Pangya (Jap)

Nintendo Wii
1-4 players


While Wii Sports is the one game that every Wii owner goes back to time and time again, Wii Golf was the most underrated game on the disc. Anyone who has played it in depth will have noticed that while it's a very basic golfing game, it's not without it's flair, charm and awesome control method. Since then we've had Tiger Woods Golf which, according to recent reviews, fails miserably, and we now have Pangya!.

A port of a Korean online golf sim set in a mystical world with even more mystical characters, Pangya! doesn't exactly sound like it'd be the kind game you'd be after if you wanted a deep, involving golfing sim. But if you can get past the cutesy graphics, the bouncy music and the token big-eyed gothic maid, you'll find a massively deep, incredibly addictive and highly rewarding golfing experience.

Let's start with the story. Yes, story. It ain't just about hitting a ball into a hole, oh no. Many years ago an evil force threatened the land. Magicians worked out that placing a magical Phoenix Ball into one of the many mystical holes around the world. However, anyone touching one of these balls would be fried instantly, so people had to handle these balls with long sticks.... alright, so it's not much of a story at all, but it's better than nothing. Anyways, you're not here to destroy evil, so let's crack on and play us some golf!

The modes of play are pretty much what you'd expect from a golf game. Play in a tournament and become champion. That's it. But the way you play the game is what makes it interesting. The rules of real golf apply in this world, but you also get rewarded for making perfect shots, bouncing the ball off various obstacles and the like. Each good shot you make increases a "special" bar that will allow you to perform "special shots", such as ones that defy the wind, stop as soon as they touch ground, etc, all going towards earning you points. These points, or "Pang", can then be spent in the shop on extra characters, outifts, club sets, new balls, and all of these items can go some way to increasing your power, accuracy, speed, etc. It's almost RPG-like in it's execution, and adds so much playability to what would otherwise be a dull game. The other modes in single player are Stroke and Match modes, where you basically play to win with as few strokes as possible. In multiplayer you have Balloon Pop mode, where you try and burst as many balloons as possible while still trying to sink your shot, and the above Stroke and Match modes, giving you a total of 6 game modes.

The control method is without a doubt the most important aspect of this game, as you'd expect. Aiming your shot couldn't be easier. Press the 1 button to change camera, the D-pad to change club and direction, and you're ready to take your shot. At the bottom of the screen is a power gauge. Hold down the A button, point the Wiimote downwards, then raise back over your shoulder to build up speed, and swing away. At the left hand side of the gauge is a small pink section with a white line. If you twist the Wiimote to the left or right you'll chip or slice the ball. Get it dead on and PANGYA!, you get a perfect shot and some points for your troubles. However, this can sometimes be wildly inaccurate and highly infuriating especially on some of the later levels. So it's lucky for us that the original button-based control method of "1st press to start gauge, 2nd press to stop gauge, 3rd press to take your shot" which, while taking away the fun of swinging like a nutter, does ensure a smoother game, albeit slightly easier.

Graphically the game looks great. All the characters are detailed and brightly coloured, the courses are well designed and littered with houses, trees, lighthouses and other obstacles, and the skylines range from beatiful and sunny right through to a cloudy snowstorm. Weather also affects play, with snow blowing all over the course and wind tunnels dotted around the landscape, all of which will either hinder your shot, or if the wind is behind you, can actually take your ball further. Hitting a special shot or a perfect shot will also give your ball a special trail as it flies across the course. There is the occasional bout of slowdown from time to time, and the water around some of the courses isn't exactly realistic-looking, but these don't detract from the actual enjoyment of the game.

The music is pretty good too, but also instantly forgettable. During a game you'll know that there's music in the background, but come the end of the game you won't remember how it went. But that's not to say it's bad, it just doesn't try to make itself noticed and detract your attention when you're trying to line up a 32 yard putt. As all you're doing is hitting a ball with a stick, there's only one or two sound effects you'll ever hear, but luckily they're all pretty good, from meaty thwacks you can almost feel, to the sound of a rolling ball crushing the grass beneath it.

In all, this is - at the moment - the best game of golf you will have on the Wii. Not only will do you have a great looking game with two methods of control, you have 6 different game modes and a ton of unlockables. Pangya! 2 has recently been announced, and this looks to expand on what's already here, and hopefully the wifi mode that was meant to be in this game will be introduced into the sequel. Until then, if you're after a good game of golf, look no further.


Ratings
Graphics: B
Sounds: B
Gameplay: B
Replayability: B

Overall score: B

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