'Links 2004' fun golf title

Microsoft has owned PC golf games with its "Links" series for years, so converting the computer game to the Xbox console was really a no-brainer. The result is a little mixed but a positive one.

"Links 2004" (Microsoft Games Studios, $49.99) brings eight championship courses and a handful of professional players -- headlined by Sergio Garcia and Draper's Mike Weir -- to home systems.

The graphics are beautiful, and player movement is natural and "correct." The game supports HDTV (up to 480p resolution) and Dolby 5.1 sound, which is almost expected these days, especially since the game allows players to use custom soundtracks previously recorded on the Xbox.

Rod Zundel of KSL-TV does the voice commentary and so will sound familiar to a Utah audience. He does a competent job, but the script isn't great and variety would help here a great deal. However, since gamers can select any song from any CD they choose to record on the Xbox and play it during the game, variety isn't quite so important.

All this combines to provide those seeking a round of golf a pretty solid golf-game foundation, alone or with friends.

Add onto this the online-enabled feature that allows players to play with anybody live around the world (Xbox Live and game required) and this game suddenly has a lot of play to offer.

The game's controls are perfectly suited to the golf experience. The left thumbstick simulates the slow backswing and the powerful follow-through. Getting out of back-and-forth alignment causes the classic hook or slice that is the nightmare of every real golfer. Club selection, weather conditions, upgradable clubs, wind and player strength all factor into successful swings.

Despite all the details, this game is easy to pick up and play right away with a rather shallow learning curve on the beginner setting. Even those not familiar with "outdoor" golf will be able to understand and play the game competitively right away.

One big drawback is the game's inability to switch a beginning player to intermediate or advanced skill levels. Players collect money and trophies as they win tournaments and defeat specific challenges, but player profiles are not adjustable to higher (or lower) levels. Play in beginning mode becomes too easy but players will be reluctant to leave tour rankings and money behind to find a better challenge. This is frustrating and significantly mars the game experience.

Another weakness in the game is the quite limited ability to customize golfers. There are just a few basic templates with a few different clothing options but just not enough. It is fun to unlock new custom golf balls and add club brands but there wasn't enough of this.

Variety, especially on a game that is fairly easy to play reasonably well, is an important factor. The live capability promises future courses but no mention is made of other downloadable content, so perhaps Microsoft will fix this with a later version. "Links 2004" is a fun golf title with great graphics, sound and controls, but lacking in other choices that would make this game better than just average.

E-MAIL: lc@desnews.com

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