The concensus of EA Sports' games on the Xbox 360 seems to be this- God, they look pretty. Madden 06? Attractive visuals. FIFA 06? Flood lights that will put tears in your eyes. NBA Live 06? Next-gen basketball's appearance nailed. But that's the extent of it. From what I've been hearing, the games have the look of a Corvette, and yet the performance of a month-old Yugo. They come up short in gameplay areas and extras, making people wonder if a. they were rushed, or b. if EA is just teasing them until next year's editions and just trying to score a quick buck. Whatever, I think the effort's there, but they just don't understand the system's potential. 2006 will truly be its year.

Sadly, the same needs to be said for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06. What was supposed to be one of the killer apps for the 360 launch is still a mainly good title, capturing the basics of the golf series that has grown so well over the past few years and combining them with incredible visuals and acceptable audio. But the game only goes so far in replayability, as it's scrapped a number of its refreshing modes and runs the basics on course selection. It's still approachable, but will probably leave you turning back to the Xbox version for guidance.

The first thing you'll notice right off the bat is the game's frustrating course selection. There's only six courses here in all. I'm serious. To make matters worse, you're only given one at the very beginning and have to work through the game's career mode in order to unlock the other five. This is going to really upset a few hardcore golfers out there who just want to jump in and play and enjoy the beauty of Sawgrass, as instead they'll be enduring Pebble Beach. And more Pebble Beach.

This brings up the game's career mode, which is the real seven-course meal of the game since the other appealing modes have mysteriously taken a powder. In this mode, you'll find tons of events that will challenge your skills and bring up your status, as well as give you access to new courses and pro shop goodies. However, there's some events that really tend to get on your golfing nerves. Take Q-School for instance. This event is supposed to make you a putting master but it takes 72 holes to get it done. On the same course, this can get downright insane on some people and force them to step outside and take a breather, just to get a look at different terrain for a change. EA would've been wise to throw in more courses or give us better access to the current ones.

Even the GameFace doesn't seem so appealing this time around. The "build-your-own-golfer" feature has since grown into quite the staple for the series, and it does make the cut for the 360 and allow you to build your dream player in hi-res fashion, but the options seem somewhat limited in terms of facial and outfit designs, which means you'll probably be on the wrong track for creating yourself at first. That's not to say this doesn't still appeal, as it does, but it makes you work at it when it should come around like second nature. After all, you shouldn't have to negotiate when you want plastic surgery (although, if the doctor advises you you'll have your chin looking like butt cheeks, you might want to listen). Worse yet, the pro shop doesn't seem as loaded as it usually is, as some sponsors have mysteriously vanished.

The game does offer the same great multiplayer options as before, so that's good news. Offline, you can challenge a number of your friends in a game of links, and, even on one course, the possibilities are endless as you can easily swing your score around with an ideal shot. Online, you can challenge the world via Xbox Live in a number of events and tournaments, and those who are hardcore duffers will definitely want to boast your GamerScore and prove yourself "Lord of the Links" (or "Lady of the Links"- girls swing clubs, too, you know).

So how does the game play? Well, here, it almost seems like EA knew that they needed to challenge golfers a bit more, so they made the analog swing a little more sensitive this time. Now, if you aim to slice or cut the ball in a certain direction, you can, and it'll actually take effect. However, if you stay on the straight drives, they remain straight. The gameplay is still just as dynamic as always, and more real-time effects, such as wind, take place so that you actually feel more into the game than before. You'll even hear it blowing in your face to indicate where it's coming. The putting game is also as good as it's ever been, with the grid making a comeback to show you where to drop it. However, I do have one mild complaint- the placement of the boost/spin button. This button is usually in a good spot so you can tap it like mad and give your ball better direction. But here, it's oddly placed on the left trigger, and can't be moved. This'll take some getting used to. Oh, well, at least it still works.

Now let's get to the highlight of the game, its presentation. The graphics do indeed look stunning, reworked to represent golf in a truly next-gen fashion. You probably won't be going "The grass is next-gen, OMG!", but you will notice its textures and fine tuning with the entire course design. The golfers animate well and the lighting details are second-to-none. The game also loads rather efficiently, so it moves along instead of trying to focus too hard on getting details into place. There's also some killer audio presentation, with Feherty and McCord making a return to the commentary booth and keeping the pace aplenty with spirited comments, along with some of the better sound effects you'll hear in a golf game. You want a power drive? WHAM! There it is. Of course, some of the lackluster EA Trax made the cut, but, fortunately, you can drown them out with custom soundtracks. Go right ahead.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 is clearly my favorite EA Sports title in the Xbox 360 line-up. That's because it isn't entirely leaning on its graphics, but still has the same in-depth gameplay and a couple of features that will still make you feel like your game means something. But still, it comes up short in a few crucial areas, and the course selection is bound to make someone lose their mind in terms of getting new areas unlocked. It looks to be built for the pro golfer in us, and if you're for the task, you'll find some good game here. Otherwise, stick with the Xbox version and keep on the happy side of things. Nobody likes a grumpy golfer.