During our recent stop at the PlayStation Bloggers' lounge during the Game Developers Conference, we checked out the upcoming PlayStation 3 arcade golf game, Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds. Fans of the series will love it.

First off, the game introduces a new Advanced play technique. You can still opt for the original play style, using a three-hit power bar system to time the distance and power of your shot although Advanced works more efficiently. You begin your back swing and see a foreshadowing of a club position behind your player. You have to match up just right or the swing won't connect. Following that, a circle generates around the ball, growing rapidly smaller. Then you have to hit the ball at just the right time or risk getting a hook or a slice. It's tricky at first, but wonderful once you get the basics nailed down.

The putting system is awesome, too. You still have to contend with the shape of the green, reading hills and curves so it goes the right way. However, the power system is different here as well. You see a foreshadowing of the ball distance roll along the ground. Once it hits the proper distance, you hit your shot and see where your ball rolls. Again, it takes practice, but it's really a lot of fun.

Visually, Clap Hanz hasn't changed the formula of Hot Shots Golf. Players still look like cute super-deformed figures, with cheery expressions on good shots and depressed ones on bad shots. You can select from a variety of players and outfits, unlocking more of them as you go. The courses look fantastic, with photo-realistic details on the trees and grass. It's surreal to see a real course being tackled by a not-so-real player. The sound is pretty average, though, with cheesy background music and so-so voice work.

Unfortunately, Sony wasn't able to show the online features of Out of Bounds at the event, but we'll check it out soon enough. There's only two questions that need answering about the game. First, will it really require 5 GB of hard drive space to start up? If so, owners of the older 20 GB model may be out of luck. Secondly, and here's the real quirky one, what's up with the dolphins? Upon completing a golf game, you're treated to a "soothing" image that thanks you for playing, such as a sunset or... a group of dolphins. Are they saying "so long and thanks for all the fish" or what? We'll answer these and many more in a future review when the game ships this March.

In the meantime, fans of the series should be excited as Out of Bounds looks to be the best Hot Shots Golf yet.

Related Links

Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds Game Guide

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