Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 [PSP]

In the world of mostly realistic golf games, it's Tiger Woods or, well, that's about it. Tiger is the only reliable golf franchise left and, while being a bit too light-hearted for serious golfers, it blends an authentic experience with a little EA flare. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 is no different, deftly tip-toeing between fun and sim, but unfortunately doesn't offer much in the way of upgrades compared to last year.

This year's tour offers gamers a greater or lesser selection of courses depending on which platform they choose. Not surprisingly, the PSP gets the fewest with 12. Sadly, though, the Xbox 360 gets the same number, which is an improvement from the paltry six last year, but compared to the 21 courses on both the PS2 and Xbox, it's hard to feel satisfied... especially given that they sell for 30 percent less. But the new courses featured are visually impressive and very entertaining. The Kiaweh Island course offers beautiful views, while the fantasy course in Central Park, NYC makes for a compelling challenge.

In any version, you'll find a very nicely equipped package of game modes, features, and options, beginning with the creation of your custom golfer. As is standard now, you're presented with an array of sliders and toggles to create the perfect virtual representation of yourself, or of someone else, choosing everything from sideburn length to calf diameter.

Custom golfers also get attributes measuring things like overall power and spin, but the customization doesn't end there. You're presented with a mind-numbing array of clothing and accessory options that could take an average player years to unlock. Dress your golfer in anything you like starting at the hat on their head and going all the way down to the color of the socks on their feet. The dozens and dozens of accessories, most officially licensed, add a feeling of personalization, but you can't help think that priorities may have been a little out of whack while looking at them all.

On the consoles, Tiger's patented dual-analog swing mechanism returns with some minor tweaks. The left stick controls the overall power of the swing, with fade and draw being added based on how accurately you can pull back and push forward. The right stick is used to control the spin on the ball, enabling you to bend your shot around obstacles or make it stop dead on the green.