The first golf game for the Playstation 2 arrived at launch with underwhelming response. The problem does not only lie within the game engine itself but we have seen previous incarnations of the game on less powerful systems look better and play better. The premise is quite simple, players choose from one of seven distinct characters with varying golf skill levels, and a specific golf caddie full of different strategies. Players then tee off on one of six golf courses ranging from forests to deserts, to lake and coastal courses.

The visual presentation of the Swing Away does nothing to display the superior power of the Playstation 2. Sure some of the courses look sharper in some areas but in general the design lacks ingenuity. The characters themselves resemble those seen in previous golf games such as Hot Shots on PSOne. A very annoying issue is the incredibly long loading times between each hole and camera angle. It is as if the programmer was not familiar with the PS2 operating system. As a result you will spend a lot of your time waiting for the game to load. Once loaded the game plays as most golf games in the genre. You choose your club, angle and then swing away with the customary swing meter. The swing meter is a bit of stickler as it is very sensitive. It takes some getting used to so expect some moments of pure frustration. Sound is no better. The soundtrack is filled with cutesy Japanese filler. After a couple of holes I wanted to shut it off. The characters spit out cheesy lines when they make good and bad shots.

The game consists of 3 general modes including Normal Mode, Story Mode and Course Design Mode. In order to progress through the game and unlock additional courses and characters you will need to hone your skills and win competitions. Winning competitions earns you points, which are used to purchase upgrades on clubs, shoes, special balls and more from the virtual pro shop. Players can also choose to wager their earned points in Story Mode. The Course Design Mode adds merit to the game as you can create your own courses and choose between 13 different settings with adjustable levels of difficulty.

Swing Away Golf is a mediocre entry into the world of Playstation 2. There are more nuisances than there should be in a next generation title. In addition to the loading times, the putting and chipping interface are unpredictable which just adds more frustration. Get past the problems and you have a title you more than likely have played before. If you are a diehard golf fan and can not wait for Tiger Woods 2001 then Swing Away Golf may satisfy. For all others, take it for a rent first.