Sports video games are known for frequent releases of new iterations with minimal updates to content or gameplay, andPGA Tour 2K23sought to buck that trend when it released two years after the mostly funPGA Tour 2K21. While the gameplay is largely very sharp and a couple of new features add some fun factor for players looking for something different,PGA Tour 2K23is largely a replication of its predecessor.
The more intense and strict simulation-style play ofPGA Tour 2K23makes it a less forgiving golf experience that requires a lot more precision than the EA SportsTiger Woods PGA Tourseries ever did. HB Studios has always placed a little more emphasis on the single-player career mode of the PGA Tour career, withover 20 licensed courses inPGA Tour 2K23that allow the game to recreate many actual PGA events on their real-life courses. From its early days asThe Golf Clubin 2014, thePGA Tour 2Kseries has evolved quite a bit since its inception, with each game building on the last to add to the experience, andPGA Tour 2K23has a few of those additions.
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Tiger Woods Joins PGA Tour 2K23
Legendary golfer Tiger Woods was announced as the cover athlete ofPGA Tour 2K23earlier this year when he signed with 2K Sports, and the move gave the series instant credibility with casual fans who remember theTiger Woods PGA Tourgames.Woods is also a playable competitor inPGA Tour 2K23, alongside a wealth of other PGA and LPGA professionals, adding realism to the PGA Tour mode since a player’s created pro will be competing against names that the player can recognize.
Tiger Woods being in the gameis a nice touch, and a welcome roster addition for fans who love the single-player career mode, but it doesn’t change the core gameplay or make the actual game feel any different fromPGA Tour 2K21. The largest measurable differences caused by Woods being in the game are for players who want to use him as their character when they play, as well as the cosmetic clothing and equipment items that are Tiger Woods branded and can be equipped on a created professional inside the game.
Key Changes To Modes and Gameplay
Topgolf makes its video game debut inPGA Tour 2K23, as the popular arcade-style driving range from around the world joins its list of playable modes. The new mode features 10-shot rounds that award points for distance and accuracy, using the Las Vegas Topgolf location as the model in the game. Players can take part in Topgolf in single player play or in online competition inPGA Tour 2K23’s multiplayer suite. The mode looks a lot easier than it is, and can help players establish more accuracy and consistency in their game, all while playing in a fun arcade competition.
Three-click swings make their debut inPGA Tour 2K23, and they offer a gameplay change from the analog club swing that had previously been the only way to swing the golf club in the game. The new three-click method requires players to hold down the button to fill the power meter to the desired level, then press the same button two more times to line up the swing path and ensure the correct club angle. Offering the three-click swings are one of the niceimprovements inPGA Tour 2K23, as it gives players an option of being able to play in the way that suits them best.
From an online standpoint,PGA Tour 2K23is disappointing in that it doesn’t do much to distinguish itself from its predecessors. Online Societies offer players a lot of ways to compete against one another, but the generalonline suite needed to improve inPGA Tour 2K23and it still feels like a bit of an afterthought in the new game. General leaderboards are still missing, and modes aside from standard stroke play are still on a rotating basis by day, meaning players have to wait for their preferred mode to come back around in order to play that mode with their friends. Given the attention the online portion of the game thatEA Sports PGA Tourwill almost certainly get from EA, the lack of anything new or different in that part ofPGA Tour 2K23will be disappointing to some players.
PGA Tour 2K23is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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