Well, we've reached the final hole for Round 2 of the Defunct Games Golf Club. Once again, thank you all for joining me on this marathon of golf, and I look forward to starting up Round 3. After looking at the oldest, weirdest, best, and worst games to be associated with golf, I decided to wrap up Round 2 with a look at my absolute favorite golf game. No question about it, Outlaw Golf 2 on the Xbox is the one golf game I will always come back to despite all the other excellent games in the genre.
The first thing that should grab your attention is the "M" rating. On a golf game? Seriously? No, Outlaw Golf 2 doesn't do the stupid crap that BMX XXX did just for shock value. The game scores that rating because of its off-color sense of humor. The game has some of the crudest stereotypes one could imagine but are so exaggerated that they become hilarious rather than offensive. This is the only golf game where the players could include a stripper, a dominatrix, a redneck, and Jamie Kennedy from Malibu's Most Wanted. Their personalities shine all the way through the game and never fail to get me chuckling, whether Clem's talking about how a hole reminds him of trying to milk a bull or Summer's rewarding the audience for a Birdie with a pole dance. There's also great play-by-play commentary by the host of Imsomniac, the always hilarious Dave Attell. The only complaint I have is that Dave needed to record more lines; phrases start repeating after a few games.
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Despite the ludicrous nature of the set-up and characters, Outlaw Golf 2 is serious when it comes to providing a legitimate golf game. The eight courses offered are unique and challenging while also providing their own quirky sense of humor. The controls are the closest I've ever found to perfect. The camera and guide lines make aiming flawless, adding spin couldn't be easier, and the putting mechanics (with three optional guide lines per shot) are the best I've ever seen. Sure, the analog swing is a bit sensitive which can lead to a few unintentional slices, but it doesn't happen enough to hurt the game. The game even looks fantastic with detailed characters, great distinctive animations, and amazingly textured landscapes. This game actually looks better than some games on the later consoles!
There are plenty of unique elements (aside from the dirty humor) that distinguish Outlaw Golf 2. Aside from the usual modes, there are distinct modes like "Baseball" where scoring Par or better moves base runners, and the winner is the one who scores the most runs by the end. These bonus modes show up in the Tour mode as well, making for the most interesting career mode I'd ever seen in a golf game. Of course, the biggest distinguishing feature is the Composure Meter which rises and falls based on how you're doing during the match. Keeping it high adds more yardage to shots while letting it fall kills some power. While it was too hard to raise and too easy to drop in the original Outlaw Golf, the sequel balanced it much better. Better balancing also extends to the distinctive beat-downs the players can give their caddies to get the meter back up.
There is nothing like Outlaw Golf 2 (aside from its weaker predecessor), and I mean that in all the best ways! When the worst I can say is that the announcer repeats too often, you know that the game is golden. While the crude humor may raise eyebrows, I had never found a better looking or playing golf game than this one. If you have even a passing interest in golf and can handle some dirty jokes, I can't recommend this game enough!
