Golf as a sport is something I’ve been getting into over the years, but rarely ever feel like I’ve taken huge strides forward. However, I feel a little more at home when it comes to gaming on the green. We had the pleasure of reviewing PGA Tour 2K23 and felt that while it wasn’t perfect, was one of the better golfing games at that point. While I feel that EA Sports PGA Tour has aged a little better in terms of recent golfing sims, PGA Tour 2K25 certainly builds upon its predecessor, for a more satisfying and refined experience.
Animations and character models are much more fluid and detailed this time around, and a more exciting MyCareer journey that takes certain liberties on and off course helps to freshen up the overall gameplay loop.
Take it to the Green
PGA Tour 2K25 will more than likely feel familiar to those who played PGA Tour 2K23 and pretty much anyone who has ever played a Tiger Woods PGA Tour game in the past. This new iteration does shake things up slightly however with new EvoSwing mechanics, which add a little more depth and insight to each shot based on a new swing and shot meter on your HUD. Much like PGA Tour 2K23, there are a couple of ways to play, including the traditional Swing Stick and the 3-Click Swing setting.
The Swing Stick setting simply sees you aiming your shot with the left stick and then pulling the right stick back to start your shot. Once your backswing is at its optimal peak, you’ll then need to swing the right stick forward to swing. It’s how I prefer to play, and I appreciate the new EvoSwing HUD a little more here, as the new design sits with a circle. Within it, a smaller circle will expand to a certain point, where you must release to hit with a certain amount of power. A small vertical lane in the middle will then judge how straight and accurate your shot will be.
The 3-Click Seing setting is much harder to master but certainly interesting. You’ll hold and release either the X button on PlayStation, the A button on Xbox or left-click PC at the right time to set your power, and then click that same button again for your draw and again for your fade. The ultimate aim is to set your power and line up the shot as you please, but I felt it was a little less intuitive as it doesn’t emulate that feel of the Swing Stick setting which feels so much more natural.
Beyond that, you’ll have all the normal tools at your disposal to get the job done. By holding the left shoulder button, you can add a draw or fade to your shot, and with the right shoulder button, adjust the spin and drop angle. Blending these mechanics before taking each shot generally requires a sense of patience and experimentation as you match your clubs and shot approach to the current course and weather conditions. But ultimately, it all comes together quite nicely.
The new EvoSwing system feels a little undercooked when it comes to putting, even if those animations are much smoother when compared to PGA Tour 2K23. The system does a great job at analysing your over/underswing tendencies, based on your short timing and even your club face angle. Even with the Swing Stick system, I could almost feel when my shot was a little off or undercooked, and the instant feedback helps adjust things on the fly.
Your Game, Your Way
PGA Tour 2K25 brings back the traditional MyCareer mode with a few bonuses. You’ll once again spend most of your time dominating the course and trying to finish in the top 70 in real-life tournaments including the FedExCup and even three Major Championships in the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and The Open Championship. Along with their real-life courses, you’ll be dropping in and out of tournaments with the Dynamic Rounds system.
This sees you adjusting your gameplay difficulty settings for the most authentic experience, in which you’ll be able to choose to play a certain number of holes while the rest of the tournament is subject to simulation. This might seem strange at first, but if you’ve ever played golf in real life, 18 holes can take all day.
In between the tournaments, you’ll also be able to jump into various training minigames for temporary in-game boosts and even run up a few practice rounds to hone your skills. But the new personality and popularity mechanics add a little more meat to the bone. Between tournaments, you’ll get the chance to partake in various interviews, in which your answers can build your fanbase and even add boosts to your game on the course. While you’re only choosing between a few pre-determined responses, these can drastically improve your popularity which can lead to new opportunities like sponsorships.
Sponsorships can also be gained by simply competing in tournaments, with certain contracts allowing you to flaunt new apparel. You’ll be able to pick and choose between various sponsors through the Messages tab in your MyCareer hub but beware, you can break contracts if you choose to sign with someone else before completing your current sponsorship contract. While the personality system doesn’t add much to the gameplay, I did appreciate how interviews played out and how deliberate my answers felt based on the outcome.
The remaining modes are all returning modes from PGA Tour 2K23. You can mess around in Topgolf or take the game online through casual and ranked play. Or you can simply head to any of the 27 official courses with 12 real-life golfers to choose from.
The Course Designer also returns. Aside from a few new terrains, it’s pretty much the same one we got in PGA Tour 2K23. That being said, it is certainly a game-changer when it comes to the overall longevity of the experience. Finally, we have the Seasons feature and Clubhouse Pass. While it always felt a little hollow to gouge your wallet for cosmetic items via microtransactions, Seasons now don’t expire, meaning you always have the chance to play for certain gear, along with ranked leaderboard resets and ongoing updates.
Look the Part
PGA Tour 2K25 certainly looks and feels better than its predecessor. Textures are super polished and courses look immaculate. Character animations are much smoother and less robotic now, and I love the way your golfer holds their swing and slides the club down their palms before looking away. It’s such a cool animation that looks so damn authentic.
Things also run much better. With a 30 FPS Quality Mode and 60 FPS Performance Mode to choose from, I simply recommend the latter as textures and the overall resolution don’t take that much of a hit. Frame rate drops are also much less frequent as well, which helps keep you in the moment, especially when things get a little tense.
The only real gripe I have with PGA Tour 2K25’s presentation is its commentary. Real-life commentators Luke Elvy and Rich Beem simply lack any sort of energy or buzz and even by golfing standards, there are way too many awkward silences followed by a lacklustre word or two.
Final Thoughts
Be it visually or mechanically, PGA Tour 2K25 builds upon its predecessor in almost every way. No matter how you choose to play, things feel authentic and ultimately satisfying out on the green. The MyCareer mode now feels a little deeper and more rewarding, thanks to the new personality and popularity features, while the EvoSwing system feels more accurate.
While the overall experience feels familiar, it’s certainly a step in the right direction, making it one of the better golfing sims you can play today.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Satisfying gameplay returns; EvoSwing system; Deeper MyCAREER mode; Solid performance
Lowlights: Three-click swing system still feels a little underwhelming; Awkward commentary returns
Developer: HB Studios
Publisher: 2K Games
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Available: 28th of February
Review conducted on PlayStation 5 with a pre-release code provided by the publisher.
