2K and HB Studios have partnered up once again to release the latest instalment in the PGA Tour 2K series.
After a two year hiatus the golfing simulation has returned with a slew of gameplay enhancements and iconic golfers added to the roster.
One of the huge announcements that already has people talking is the games partnership with Golf legend Tiger Woods.
This is amazing as Tiger Woods hasn’t graced the cover of a game since he split with EA after Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 in 2013.
He also is working in an Executive Director role alongside the devs which should ensure quality.
2K have also secured other big name pro golfers including the likes of Justin Thomas, Collin Borikawa, Brooke Henderson, Lydia Ko and more.
They have also managed to get Michael Jordan and other big name celebrities who will probably come as DLC.
Before its release on 11 October, The Mirror was invited by 2K to play an early build of the game .
The first major addition to PGA Tour 2K23 is the introduction of the 3-Click Swing system which comes as an alternative to the traditional Analogue Swing system.
Fans of the series will be familiar with the Analogue Swing system, which aims to simulate real life golfing movement.
It is a smooth system that is easy to learn but difficult to master, however, newcomers to the series may have found it a little too difficult to get into.
The 3-Click system has been seen in old golf games but, is a new mechanic for this series.
This system requires players to set three different parameters by clicking the A button, this will determine the power, swing path and the angle.
This system was definitely much more welcoming with slightly less margin for error.
However, this system felt like I was playing in an arcade rather than a golf simulator. It will be interesting to see how the PGA Tour purist will react to the new system.
2K haven’t announced the full roster of playable golfers yet but from the ones that were playable, I was very impressed with the character models which mimicked their real life counterparts.
The game also allows players to really dictate how effective their golfer's shot will be, by being able to change clubs, stance and even do practise swings.
The developers used motion capture technology when creating the character models for the professional golfers, which should elevate the overall experience and expand the customisation options.
PGA Tour 2K23 includes twenty licensed courses. I got to play on the South Course of Wilmington Country club, The Renaissance Club and a few more. They are realistic recreations that capture all the little intricate details of the originals.
PGA Tour 2K23 returns with all the major modes such as Divot Derby with the inclusion of a new Top Golf mode. My Career also returns receiving a host of enhancements that grants the player a lot more choice.
2K’s career modes generally offer extensive customisation options, so it's going to be very interesting to see what changes the developers have made to make the mode much more open.
PGA Tour 2K23 looks to be the biggest game in the series yet, that looks to bring in newcomers with the addition of the new game mechanics, modes and big names.
It’s still early days but PGA Tour 2K23 is definitely on course to be the most accessible game in the series yet.
PGA Tour 2K23 is out on 11 October for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5 , PlayStation 4 and PC
