SEGA Saturn

Pebble Beach Golf Links

All in all, Sega, has packaged an humdinger of golf debut for the Saturn.

Bien sûr, les graphismes sont superbes mais rien de nouveau par rapport aux jeux de golf sur Megadrive.

Pebble Beach is a definite improvement on 16-bit golf titles, but not necessarily a better game. EA's PGA series still has the best set-up in the business and it's Saturn version should be eagerly awaited by all golf fans. There isn't anything missing in Pebble Beach and everything that's in the game is done very well. It just doesn't do anything new for the golf genre, other than improved graphics. Still, patient golf fans should definitely get their calloused hands on this one.

By far, Pebble Beach is one of the best golfing games that money can buy and the Saturn adds great sound and graphics to a standard golf game. But there are no extras that would make this game any more interesting. Golf fans will be the only ones allowed on this fairway.

If you have a Saturn and you like golf, get this game. Electronic Arts' PGA golf games for the Genesis may be more gun, but they haven't yet matched the evocative graphics and sounds of this simulation.

The Saturn shows off some of it's capabilities with this new Pebble Beach golf game. The cinemas (video clips) are superbly done, even the overview of the courses (rendered) are vividly displayed to give you the very best in a video golf game. Lots and lots of features are in this one, so you can play golf at home without spending a bundle for some clubs. Good start for Sega.

Craig doesn't seem too excited about being in the game - in fact, he actually looks pretty bored and occasionally pissed-off. Lighten up Craig! You play a GAME for a living! The preview of each hole features really bad (shaky) video footage. The game has plenty of bells and whistles as I mentioned, but many are completely unnecessary. Do we need to see the caddy on the screen? Would you ever use the option in which Craig Sadler can "pinch hit" for you and hit one of your shots? No question about it, if Sega had concentrated more on the main engine, this could have been a winner. As it is, it's pretty mediocre.

Unfortunately, Pebble Beach Golf Links is an example of what 32 bits shouldn't do: namely, tack some bells and whistles onto a 16-bit game. Nothing in this uninspired golf simulation makes proper use of the Saturn's brawn. The flat graphics, imprecise controls, and cheesy background music are enough to make you want to turn off the machine and watch (shudder!) real golf.