Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots Review - Screenshot 1 of 7

Everybody's Golf is one of those franchises many people associate with PlayStation, as it's been a fairly consistent presence on each console since the very start.

Unfortunately, developer Clap Hanz is no longer partnered with Sony to deliver these consistently fun golf games, and duty has fallen to HYDE for Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots, the first multi-platform title in the series' long history.

That fact in itself wasn't necessarily a red flag leading up to the new game's release, but having now played it, we can't help but be slightly underwhelmed.

Broadly speaking, this looks and feels like the Everybody's Golf you know and love.

The simple controls, deceptive depth, and lighthearted presentation is all here, and it more or less offers up that same game of golf it always has.

There are three mechanics you can employ for making your shots, though they're all much the same — click Cross/X three times, getting your timing right to hit optimal power and accuracy.

Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots Review - Screenshot 2 of 7

It's still satisfying to launch the ball exactly as planned, whether that's teeing off, making approach shots, or sinking a well-judged putt. However, there are some slight missteps that remind you this isn't your usual Everybody's Golf game.

A fluctuating frame rate, which targets 60 but is often lower, means that the shot meter sometimes feels rough to use. The super-smooth movement you need in order to judge your shot's power and accuracy isn't always there; this being the key interaction you have with the game, it's an important aspect to get wrong.

Most of the time it's fine, but it can certainly be irksome, especially as the things affecting the frame rate are hard to judge; sometimes you can be on the same course, and shot-to-shot the frame rate will be different.

The ball physics don't feel quite so smooth, either, and die-hard fans may not like some of the control changes, such as the way spin is applied — though you can always choose a more classic-feeling scheme from the options.

Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots Review - Screenshot 3 of 7

It's little things like this that make the new game feel unrefined, and a step backwards in some ways from 2017's Everybody's Golf on PS4.

The series' style is well reproduced for the most part. The big, chunky text accompanying good (or bad) shots never gets old, the cutesy characters are fun as always, and the crowd noises and comments from your caddie keep the whole thing feeling light.

Unfortunately, some character voices are rather irritating, especially when they overlap each other. It's a more talkative game in general, and they can be a distraction while you're trying to line up a stroke.

While the visual presentation has never been a key strength of the series, it's quite poor here, with a lot of aliasing and low-quality textures and effects. This is far from a deal-breaker, as it generally looks good enough and the new night-time events add some variety, but it's surprisingly rough around the edges for something with such a simple art style.

Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots Review - Screenshot 4 of 7

Despite these grievances, though, the game still offers up approachable, fun, arcade-flavoured golf across its various modes.

A mix of new and returning characters can be unlocked in the familiar-feeling Challenge Mode, which has you playing tournaments under specific conditions that gradually get tougher.

World Tour gives each character a short narrative arc, presented as sort of visual novel conversations between proper gameplay. They're perfectly serviceable, though don't expect to get too caught up in the story aspect; they serve only as set dressing for character-specific challenges.

You'll want to at least start each tour, though, as this is how to permanently add characters to the roster.

Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots Review - Screenshot 5 of 7

Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots is a fair old grind to unlock things, too; you'll need to put in dozens of hours if you hope to get all the playable characters and courses available.

While each participant has their own unique stats, you can equip them with different clubs and balls to hone in on certain shot types, or feed them various food items to permanently buff them.

Even if the stats can be played with a little, each character has a unique Special Shot, giving them an advantage in certain scenarios. For example, Aile, one of the starter characters, can perform practically guaranteed chip-ins if you happen to be playing for par.

There are returning rules and modifiers, such as larger cups and tornado cups, but more extreme are the new Wacky Golf modes.

Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots Review - Screenshot 6 of 7

Colourful mode applies each course with a grid of red, yellow, blue, and mystery spaces, with each having a different effect on the game, or supplying you with a ticket that can either benefit you or hinder your opponent.

For example, if you land on a blue square, maybe the weather will clear up, or the cup will turn super-sized; landing on a red square might trigger a bomb, launching your ball away from the blast.

It adds a chaotic, party game-like spin to the typical action, and could be a riot with a few friends.

Scramble is a co-op mode in which teams of two alternate hitting their ball, while Survival Golf has players stealing clubs from one another. Finally, Boom Golf turns the course into a minefield; you might land on a bomb and, depending how your ball is launched, it might benefit you or screw you over.

Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots Review - Screenshot 7 of 7

They're novel ways to engage with the game, though are unlikely to prove more popular than the bread-and-butter golf most are here for.

It's a reasonable package, all told, and hits most of the beats it needs to, but there's a lack of polish that just drags down the overall experience. The end result is a game that's still appealing for casual players, but it's far from essential.

Conclusion

Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots is a decent attempt to bring back the franchise PlayStation fans know and love, but there are a few rough edges that prevent it from being anything more. While the core gameplay remains fun and accessible most of the time, inconsistent technical performance interferes with some of the fundamentals, and a general lack of polish across physics and visuals get in the way. There's absolutely still fun to be had in this cheerful title, but it's a fair way from the series' best.