Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots Review: A Tee-rrific Return

Fetch your caddie to grab your golf clubs as Hot Shots Golf is finally back with Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots. More of a follow-up to the excellent World Invitational than 2017’s Everybody’s Golf, the latest game in the series is the first by developer Hyde, Inc., rather than Clap Hanz or Camelot. Thankfully, with plenty of charm and solid gameplay, there is plenty to like about the arcade golfing game.

However, my first impression of Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots wasn’t a great one. The game initially has a new control scheme, which uses the analog stick for aiming, and it just felt off as a long-time player. Thankfully, there are plenty of customization options (three gauges to choose from) and a classic control scheme for gameplay. After I had switched over to the old control scheme, it was like I had just picked up a PlayStation Vita and was back to playing World Invitational without missing a beat.

If you’re a new player, you probably won’t mind the default control scheme, as it was more me fighting with my muscle memory than actually being bad. For the unaware, the Hot Shots series uses a three-tap method for golfing, meaning you’ll hit the button once to start a gauge, once more to determine the power of your shot, and again to determine the accuracy. It’s quite intuitive once you’ve started, but there’s also a great amount of depth as you unlock different shot types and get good at using ball spin to your advantage. After a while, you’ll find yourself pulling off impressive chip-in shots with regularity and nailing long putts.

One aspect that really impressed me about Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots is its World Tour mode. With 30 individual stories to go through, you really get to know the characters. The dialogue is way funnier and more entertaining than I was expecting, and things get quite ridiculous with secret organizations and other fun side-stories. Each chapter is gated by a round of golf with different goals, so there’s some replayability here as well, plus a lot of unlocks. It’s a great mode.

The more traditional challenge mode also returns as your main way to unlock courses. You’ll compete in a variety of tournaments, sometimes with fun rule changes, and even take on other competitors head-to-head. Whether you’re playing solo or with friends locally or online, there’s a ton of content here, and the rock-solid foundation allows you to have a great time experiencing it.

Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots is also bolstered with a lot of great fan service. A lot of personality was missing from the 2017 entry, but that’s back in full force here. There’s a fun cast of returning characters, ranging from mainstays like Suzuki and Cougar to more recent ones, such as Bloom from Out of Bounds and Max from World Invitational. Pac-Man even joins the fray, and there’s a ton of stat-bolstering equipment to unlock as well. You’re always finding more reasons to love the game, and long-time fans will really get a kick out of it.

Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots Review: Final Verdict

While one would hope for more innovation from a sequel eight years after the previous game, Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots is a solid entry and gets the franchise back on the tee after an all-too-long hiatus. Featuring a fun challenge mode and a more entertaining story than it needs, there’s plenty of content for solo players to enjoy. While it’s not a graphical stunner, its upbeat art style will ensure that you’re always having a good time on the course, even when the putts aren’t going your way.

SCORE: 8.5/10

As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8.5 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.

Disclosure: The publisher provided a PlayStation 5 copy for our Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots review. Reviewed on version 1.003.000.

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