Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 comes a lot closer to what EA had in mind with next-gen golf, nailing down some of the issues that plagued last year's game and providing new items as well. The new True Aiming system,the game's biggest feature, works with a new circle reticule that highlights the ground, giving you an idea of where your shot is supposed to go. However, the system that takes time to truly master. As the game starts with a rookie golfer or with one that has less skills than, say, Tiger Woods himself, the circle is not that limited and can spread over troublesome hazards like water and sand traps. As more skills are acquired, the circle gets smaller, and your accuracy gets better.

The circle is just part of the process. There's access to a number of tools to make the golf swing work. Along with the typical backward and forward swing with the left analog stick, the player has access to loft options, and can move the head of the chosen club up and down with the right analog stick. The power/spin meter is back, but EA's made a wise change. Along with including it on the left shoulder button, the A button can also be used, which makes tapping for power and spin much easier than having to do it on the shoulder button.

Putting is paid attention to as well. While on the putting green, a player can press the A button to get a glance as to how the ideal putt is supposed to go. But that doesn't get the job done -- there's still power, speed, and angle that has to be determined. It's still a helpful guide that gives a slight idea of how to get the ball in to save eagle or birdie or (God forbid) par.

The gameplay is a breeze, and it's pretty cool how the difficulty can be adjusted for all kinds of players. Last year's edition didn't really do this, and worked on a basic level. Here, the difficulty can be adjusted anywhere from easy to full-blown pro, and the intricacies involved with the swing and putting become more relied upon. Amateurs will probably want to start off with easy until they get a hang of the system, although that probably won't take very long.

The visuals have improved tremendously over last year's game. Players look more like the real deal, thanks to improved motion capture (Tiger actually looks like Tiger this time around). The courses themselves look so real and lifelike that the next-gen grass can actually be seen. Well, not that anyone is really going to buy the game and go "Whoa, nice grass!" And while eye candy is good, the visuals even help in certain spots, like after a player nails a power swing and the angle on the ball changes to an up-close view, as if it was attached and bringing the player along for the ride. The menus could have used some adjusting (it kicks off automatically with tutorials and access to a driving range), but overall, the game's look is serviceable.

Players will probably notice how highly detailed the visuals get once they enter into Game Face. Here, a person can easily put him or herself into the game and even gain access to a number of other features such as licensed equipment, specialty items (we're looking for the Scotsman hat right now), and facial features. Feel like giving someone's face a few moles? The option's available, although we're not certain who would like a golfer covered in moles.

As for sound, the game's gotten an aural boost in terms of crowd noise. There's an audience that gathers around every hole, and their reactions are as real as they get. Hit a ball up into the fairway and loud cheers are bound to follow. Hit the "drink" (water) or a sand bunker and their gasps of disappointment are difficult to ignore. The sound effects are moderate, but sparse -- this is a golf game, after all. And the commentary team of David Feherty and Gary McCord are once again calling the action.