Links 2001 DVD Box Pkg Rev

Rating:
Summary: Links almost the real thing
Review: I play a lot of "real" gold and without doubt Links is a realistic as can be, it improved my putting on the real course, believe me! The difficulty level is "interesting" and on the PC I can play to a scratch handicap. I play off 10 in real time.
Some of the graphics are bizarre and the method of dealing with balls in hazards is, its true, not to the rules of golf.
However for a wet winter afternoon on Britain is wonderful to be able to play on such wonderful sunny championship courses.

Rating:
Summary: Links almost the real thing
Review: I play a lot of "real" gold and without doubt Links is a realistic as can be, it improved my putting on the real course, believe me! The difficulty level is "interesting" and on the PC I can play to a scratch handicap. I play off 10 in real time.
Some of the graphics are bizarre and the method of dealing with balls in hazards is, its true, not to the rules of golf.
However for a wet winter afternoon on Britain is wonderful to be able to play on such wonderful sunny championship courses.

Rating:
Summary: A visual upgrade for sure, but weak player editing features
Review: I've been playing the original Links 386 for years, and I was so impressed with its superior rendering engine and editing modes. The graphics of that game won't rival any golf sims today, but I'm still amazed at how it could render courses with blazing speed. That version, of course, also set the trend for the Links' long-standing line of unmatched playability.

Links 2001 is a visual upgrade from its predecessor in all respects. The courses are simply gorgeous, and the detail is scrutinized to the very inch. I can see small divots, birds flying overhead, and minute grains of sand from bunker shots. The photo-realism is simply incredible. However, I was a little disappointed with the player animations. While fluid and distinctive to each of the 14 players, there's a sense that the movement is too contrived and not uniform with the rest of the game. When players take shots it really feels like their bodies are superimposed over the background, rather than integrated with the rest of the scenery.

The graphics rendering engine hauls with tortoise-like efficiency. That is to say, I often have to test my patience in between shots, just for the screen to be refreshed. Luckily I have a pretty decent computer (P3-500, 256MB RAM, 64MB AGP card w/ hardware decoding), but those with weaker specs may have to wait a lot longer. It's definitely not as efficient as Links 386.

I'm all about editing features to give me a sense of full control over gameplay. Links 2001 has a rather weak set of player editing options. For instance, I can't change player colors, tee-shirt designs, or even their stances. Microsoft provides 14 players (there's a little false advertising with this; only 11 are unique. The three pro players -- Arnold Palmer, Annika Sorenstam, and Sergio Garcia have duplicate profiles), but that's all you are limited to. When you create a new player you have to stick to an animation that already exists; you can't create your own. It would have been really nice to have a feature like with the EA Sports games where you can create your own player from scratch. Links allows you to import a picture, and modify clubs and distances, but that's about it.

Another feature of Links 386 I enjoyed was the square grid style for putting greens. It was a rather indiscreet system where I could measure up for shots and seemed very intuitive. The grid system for putts in Links 2001 has become an obnoxious array of multi-colored hues and incomprehensible lines and angles. You can turn it off, but then you wouldn't have any grid at all to aid your shot.

In finale, the Arnold Palmer Course Designer was a very powerful feature that I enjoyed, but it was way too difficult to get at first. The manual offered little help in tweaking the details, and often times you discover you can't place natural obstructions anywhere you wish. It takes a lot of getting used to, but players who enjoy course customization will probably be hooked to this. By the way, there's no Links LS course converter installed with this program, but you can download it from Microsoft's web page. That way you can import courses you created from previous versions of Links.

All in all, I'd say I was somewhat disappointed with Links 2001. It just doesn't seem to have the same playability I once enjoyed in 386. Player animations are beautifully rendered but don't feel a part of the overall game. People who enjoy this sort of digital realism will probably fit right into this game, but I'm getting more used to the polygonal characters in games like PGA Championship Golf. Links 2001, while worth a try, isn't for everyone.

obnoxious

Rating:
Summary: Best golf game out there...... hard to find Course Designer
Review: If you've demo'd or looked at golf games, you probably realize this is the best one out there. Courses are amazing and play is fantastic. This one comes with the superb addition of the Arnold Palmer Course Designer that allows you to create every little detail of your own course. Furthermore, you can download courses made by others at sites all over the web - and some of those are fantastic. However, the Course Designer is very involved and not the most intuitive thing to use.
One last thing - the Course Designer is hard to find. On the box, description, and manual you will be told to insert the APCD disc to install the Course Designer. However, many of the units do NOT have this disc. The Designer IS present. It is on disc 3 of the game. To install the Designer simply insert disc 3 (after fully installing the Game) by itself and follow instructions. This was frustrating, I could find no instructions for this anywhere. Again, the Designer is on disc 3, simply re-insert disc 3 after installing the Game.