rustyjaw Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 I caved in and bought this despite owning TW PGA for the PSP as well. I had a bunch of credit at EB which made it all too tempting. I've played through one round of 18 holes and I don't regret picking it up a bit. This is a really fun game and a nice alternative to TW. Where TW goes for the desaturated, realistic graphics, HS is vibrant and lush. The characters are lively and have cute animations. If you've played the PS2 version you know what it looks like, but for some reason, the more vibrant graphics really suit the PSP well. Also because of the small screen, some of the issues I've had with the console version's graphics (namely aliasing, and 'noise' in the grass textures) are hardly noticeable here. What is noteworthy are the slick animations that accompany much of the game, from clever text fly-ins to little 'kplunk' pop-ups when the ball drops into the hole, along with a brief animation of stars flying out. A perfect strike on the ball brings up the familiar (for HS players) fiery club and comet-like ball. As far as I'm concerned this is a tougher game compared to TW too, I routinely shoot -13 in TW. Despite the cute look of HS, it's a serious golf simulation. The only easier part of this game is the 3-click style of play, click to start the power meter, slick to stop it, and click again for accuracy. TW uses the analog swing with the pad, which I like, although it took me a while to get used to it. Both methods have their plusses and minuses, but I think the analog method is more immersive. Where this game truly spanks TW is the pre-shot camera views. Like the console game, there are so many useful cameras with which you can plan your shot. Pressing "start" while setting up a shot brings up and aerial view that you can zoom and pan to your heart's content. Alternatively, you can just hit the triangle to zoom forward, and D-pad to move the camera up and down in space, also you can use the analog pad to look side-to-side from wherever the camera is...very helpful for seeing what kind of shot you'll have next. Another huge plus over TW (on the PSP) is the load times. The initial load time to start a game is very short, and the load time between holes is instantaneous. I have been content to wait for TW to load, but it struck me while playing this how much more enjoyable it is to go right from hole to hole with no wait...the game flows really nicely this way. Unlike TW where you progress through the game by buying attributes to improve your player, here you progress by unlocking more skilled players (who also come with their own set of unique animations and sayings). I'm not sure which I prefer, although I've always been bothered by the "luck" attribute in TW...which implies that the game may actually be unfair when your luck is at low levels, or more than fair at high levels. In any case, it's nice to have the variety of characters to play in HS...although according to the IGN review of HSOT, you have to play the game a while before you unlock new characters. Where TW has it over HS is the number of courses, HS has just 6, but TW has 12. I also don't believe any of the courses in HS have real-life counterparts...although I could be wrong about that. But from my experience with the PS2 version, the courses are quite good anyway. 6 courses doesn't seem like a lot to me...this may limit the life of the game. All in all my initial impression of this game is great. Even though I've been playing a lot of TW on my PSP, this didn't feel stale at all...it's a very different game in most respects...and better in many. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whooter Posted May 6, 2005 Report Share Posted May 6, 2005 Thanks for the impressions, Ed. :tu I've got some credit at Game Rush that's just itchin' to get used... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelley Posted May 6, 2005 Report Share Posted May 6, 2005 I also picked up Hot Shots and I agree completely with Ed, its a damn good game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoisonJam Posted May 6, 2005 Report Share Posted May 6, 2005 I've been looking for something else to play on my Lumines machine...looks like I just found it. Thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shine5555 Posted May 9, 2005 Report Share Posted May 9, 2005 I love this game.....I loved it on the console, and do not miss anythign on the PSP...The colors are great, graphics are great and the game play is solid. I also have TW and enjoy the game, but this game, I Fell, is better. They are different games but I really like Hot Shots - Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoisonJam Posted May 9, 2005 Report Share Posted May 9, 2005 Anyone care to comment on the difficulty of the game? The lads over at Penny Arcade seem to think it is pretty darn hard for a golf game. A sample quote: It's worth mentioning that this game gets really fucking hard pretty quick. I blew through the first set of challenges and unlocked the second course only to hit a wall. Once you have that new course opened up they really want you to master some of the more difficult types of shots. Pars just don't cut it anymore. Not to mention the fact that the course don't just get more difficult, they get down right diabolical. I'm talking about a topography inspired by the jagged cliffs of hell. There are no rolling hills to gently guide your ball towards a wide and welcoming green. Instead you are faced with tortured spires of rock that clutch impenetrable greens in a tight fist of bunkers. To breach these defenses and come away with anything less that a triple bogey you'll need to learn and master every shot in the game. Any thoughts from the crew here on that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whooter Posted May 9, 2005 Report Share Posted May 9, 2005 Anyone care to comment on the difficulty of the game? The lads over at Penny Arcade seem to think it is pretty darn hard for a golf game. A sample quote: Any thoughts from the crew here on that? I haven't found the second course to be all that more difficult than the first one, myself. Of course, I wasn't great on the first one, either. Especially the back nine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shine5555 Posted May 9, 2005 Report Share Posted May 9, 2005 I just opened the second course...I will let you know...I was hitting about -7 on the front and -6 on the back, of the first course I have not read the book, but what are the points for? In the consile version you went shopping with the points, I have not see what they are for, on this version yet - Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whooter Posted May 10, 2005 Report Share Posted May 10, 2005 I have not read the book' date=' but what are the points for? In the consile version you went shopping with the points, I have not see what they are for, on this version yet[/quote'] Apparently they're just for breaking ties in Stroke Play (according to a transition screen I saw a bit ago)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyjaw Posted June 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 So how's everyone doing with this game? I unlocked the 5th course yesterday and found it to be much harder than the previous ones. Has anyone had much success with the 'super' shots, like super top spin? How many of these shots are there? I recall reading on a loading screen that a super top-spin can be done by holding down on the d-pad while setting the power, and then up while setting impact. I don't recall seeing a super-backspin screen, but I assume it's the opposite sequence with the d-pad...does anyone know for sure? I also don't see a big difference when I've attempted these shots. Which made me wonder if I'm doing it wrong. Any tips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orpheus Posted June 10, 2005 Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 I'm still on the 2nd course, but I'm only playing sporadically (guild wars). I'd be curious to know how the specialty shots are pulled of as well, since I can't seem to do them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyjaw Posted June 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 I also recall unlocking such skills as 'rising' and 'homing', but I have no idea how to implement them, or even what they are. I have to say that the documentation for this game sucks as far as these shots go...unless I missed something while searching the manual for this info. I looked in the 'training' area of the game, thinking that it would be like a tutorial, but it's just free-play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Daisy Posted June 11, 2005 Report Share Posted June 11, 2005 I'm on the 6th "level" of the game... I've also unlocked everything from the first 4 levels. I haven't played it in a bit as I've been working my way through some of my Gamefly PSP games. Glen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orpheus Posted June 11, 2005 Report Share Posted June 11, 2005 From Gamefaqs: There are various "special" shots that can be performed by pressing different direction combinations while setting shot power and accuracy. Rising and Homing shots are available when you obtain a character's second (2nd) loyalty heart. Spiral shots become available after obtaining a character's fourth (4th) loyalty heart. To perform any of these shots PERFECT IMPACT is necessary. Super sidepsin left = Spiral shot - Hold left when setting shot power, then hold right when setting impact. Perfect impact is necessary. Super sidepin right = Spiral shot - Hold right when setting shot power, then hold left when setting impact. Perfect impact is necessary. Super backspin = Homing ball - Hold up when setting shot power, then hold down when setting impact. Perfect impact is necessary. A successful Homing ball will strike the pin bounce off then strike again repeatedly. Super topspin = Rising ball - Hold down when setting shot power, then hold up when setting impact. Perfect impact is necessary. A successful Rising ball will strike the pin roll up the pin and drop into the cup. Super high trajectory - Hold down when setting shot power, then hold down when setting impact. Perfect impact is necessary. Super low trajectory - Hold up when setting shot power, then hold up when setting impact. Perfect impact is necessary. Linkage to faq Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyjaw Posted June 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2005 Awesome thanks. The perfect impact thing probably explains why I didn't think it was working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Daisy Posted June 12, 2005 Report Share Posted June 12, 2005 Yeah, the "bonus" shots are nice, but unless you're really feeling it for a round... you don't see too many of them. Which is probably a good thing. Glen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyjaw Posted June 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2005 I unlocked the 6th course yesterday and boy is it cool. I won't spoil the 'theme' of it, but it is as beautiful as it is challenging. It's riven with hazards and has ungodly vertical drops and cliffs. The last two courses are brutally difficult, but they really raise the stakes and keep the game interesting. Such a good game. EDIT: I've been practicing the special shots, and can pull them off about 30-40% of them time. I mostly go for super backspin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyElf Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Can anyone tell me how to open up more courses? I have 2 open and I'm doing all the challenges and the putter challenges too. I'm not sure if I need a certain amount of star rankings, or wins to get more courses open. I'm just lost, I feel like I've done so much already and no more courses are opening... Is it mainly the Challenge mode that does it, should I skip the stroke play? Thanks... Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyjaw Posted June 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 I think Challenge mode is the only way to unlock courses. You need to complete events that give you stars. Once you get all the stars, you move up a rank and (with one exception, I believe) unlock a new course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whooter Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 I think Challenge mode is the only way to unlock courses. You need to complete events that give you stars. Once you get all the stars, you move up a rank and (with one exception, I believe) unlock a new course. Yep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyElf Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 Thanks Guys, opened up Course 3 last night. Appreciate the verification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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