Links LS 2000

The Links series HAS gotten better. However, this year the game is just not that much of an improvement over last year's version. There are minor updates to the engine that help a great deal and the five new courses are excellent. However, there is little else to entice an owner of Links 1999 to purchase the new edition. To those considering purchasing Links LS for the first time, I highly recommend this series - for years it has consistently been the best PC golf simulation on the market. Bottom Line: Five beautiful new courses, including the St. Andrews new course. Putting improvements compliment last year's bunker improvements well. Not much to really make the game stand apart from last year's version. If you're new to the genre, this is the best out there. If you're considering upgrading, do it for the new courses, not for any major improvements in gameplay.

Nachdem sich Microsoft den Golfspiel-Spezialisten Access gekauft hat, war ja mit einer neuen Version des Golf-Klassikers zu rechnen. Nach nur sechs Monaten präsentiert uns der Softwaregigant einen kaum veränderten Nachfolger von Links LS 99, der mit den grafisch nur leicht verbesserten Nachbildungen der Standardkurse St. Andrews, Mauna Kea, Covered Bridge und Hapuna ins Rennen geht. Die Animationen der Spieler sind ein wenig geschmeidiger und ein neuer Ein-Klick-Modus macht das Golfen so einfach wie nie zuvor. Das Highlight des Spiels: Der Himmel kann nun mit verschiedenen Wolkenschichten bedeckt werden - von kaum bewölkt bis leicht bewölkt.

Ska jag bara rekomender ett golflir i år, blir det ändå Links LS 2000. Det är ett riktigt höjdarspel, i gammal klassisk Links-anda.

Aber auch mit wenig Innovationen reicht’s ein weiteres Mal für die Krone auf dem PC-Golfplatz. Links hat eine sagenhafte Ballphysik und spielt sich unvergleichlich echt. Kein anderes Programm vermittelt golferisches Freud’ und Leid so überzeugend wie das fesselnde Links LS 2000.

Relativ dreist: Microsoft verkauft uns Links LS 1999 mit minimalen Erweiterungen und fünf neuen, nicht gerade leichten Golfplätzen als 2000er-Ausgabe. Na gut, immerhin bleibt Links noch immer die Referenz des munteren Schläger-Schwingens, doch die Grafik wirkt trotz nun mehrfachen Bewölkungsstufen im Zeitalter der eigenen NHL-Gesichter etwas hausbacken. Wie wär's mit vorbeiziehenden Wolken oder wogenden Wellen?

Нет, я совершенно искренне советую вам поиграть в эту замечательную игру (хотя бы виртуально). Вас ожидают красивые пейзажи, воссозданные с фотографической реалистичностью, восторженные крики поклонников или их же сокрушенные вздохи, пение птиц и стрекотание насекомых. Картину оживляют пролетающие над вашими головами самолеты, дирижабли и воздушные шары, проплывающие по морю корабли и яхты. Посмотреть на свои удары и удары соперников, на конфигурацию поля, на мячи и клюшки можно со всех мыслимых и немыслимых ракурсов. Каждый удар можно записать и сохранить в назидание потомкам, а информации в игре просто море.

Links LS 2000 promises to deliver beautifully rendered outdoor scenes and a realistic golfing experience. So, is it a hole in one or a triple bogie? Read on for more answers and bad puns. Ok, ok, I’ll keep the puns at a minimum, but I promise a par 5 worth of information.

So, what do I think of Links LS 2000, bottom line? Well, if you don’t own any previous Links titles, I’d have to say it’s worth it, though it has some good competition in the form of the Jack Nicklaus series and the EA Sports Tiger Woods title, either of which might be worth a look. If you do own a previous copy of Links, I’d have to say wait for next year’s edition. While there are some nice enhancements, there really isn’t a lot here that you don’t already have. With the increased pressure from the competition, and with Microsoft to back Access up, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Links take a quantum leap forward in its next iteration. Meanwhile, I will continue to play this still worthy title. Not bad by any means, I’d say it scores an even par.

If I could have beaten that Scottish caddy silly I probably would have liked the game a lot more, but he is still around harassing me at every swing of the club. Seriously though, I enjoyed playing Links 2000 because it has become the golf game to rate every other golf game by, but I would have liked to see more courses or not so many revolving around St. Andrews. Old Links players will feel right at home picking up LS 2000 and new players will jump right in and enjoy themselves. On that note, gentle reader, I give Links LS 2000 a score of 81/100; it would have scored higher but there just wasn’t enough new stuff to warrant a higher score.

Links LS 2000 is indeed a different game from its predecessor. But its additional features are so unimpressive both in quantity and quality that there's simply not much reason for owners of the previous version to get excited. In fact, Links LS 2000 feels more like an add-on course bundle than anything else, though five courses for around $40 (after the rebate) is admittedly a pretty good deal.

The back of the jewel case claims that LinksLS 2000 is "the golf game for golfers." This is true; people who know what they're doing will have a grand old time running this game through its hundreds of options and playing its beautiful courses. For everyone else, however, it's...well, it's golf. If you don't subscribe to a golf magazine, you probably don't need this game.