EA Sports has been working on golf games for some time now, starting off with their PGA Tour Golf titles and eventually signing on golf phenom Tiger Woods to help endorse their games. The titles eventually got better with each release, but it wasn't until 2001 that the series began to take off, thanks to a switch in gameplay tactics. Instead of relying on timing with the golf swing and the press of a couple of buttons, EA put you in full control of the golf swing, thanks to the analog stick, allowing for a play dynamic that, at one time, couldn't have even been imagined. Now, with the previous release of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004, EA Sports has captivated golf-loving audiences worldwide, as well as capturing new fans that never would have found themselves playing a golf title to begin with. And the newest edition looks to be the most addictive yet.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 is ready to thunder onto game systems this fall, including the Game Boy Advance, and with each edition, it looks again to be making a long drive to success. The game engine we all remember, including the analog golf swing system, is fully intact, but new items are being introduced that will no doubt make this the most excellent entry to date.

Last year, Tiger Woods 2004 introduced a feature called GameFace that allowed you to build your own golfer from the ground up, right down to the presentation of cheek bones, both on your face and on your rear. This time, GameFace is back, along with new features to help make it even more detailed. Not only can you make your own golfer, right down to the smallest details (like how bushy you want your eyebrows), but you can also modify a new and improved swing for them, creating something absolutely brilliant, or maybe even downright strange-looking, to fit your golfer's style.

Not only that, but Tiger Woods 2005 is also introducing Tiger Proofing, a feature that will basically allow you to put together your own golf course. You can modify a number of features on existing courses to bump up the challenge, add all sorts of bunkers and other items, and basically put together a course that will not only keep you and your friends swinging away, but will also attract the pros interested in taking on the most supreme of courses.

And the game does pack plenty of pros, courtesy of the Legends Tour. In the game, you'll take on a number of golfing veterans, including Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus, taking on their challenges and earning some extra cash and prizes along the way. You can then use the cash to modify your golf bag, wardrobe, and skills as you work your way up to legendary status yourself.

Tiger Woods 2005 will feature 14 courses to play on, including some new fantasy courses and real-life courses like Sherwood Country Club and Pancourt Golf Club Estate, and also features a bevy of PGA superstars to choose from, including Vijay Singh, Charles Howell III, and more. More fantasy players will also make the cut, including the return of the lively Cedric the Entertainer, as well as a few ladies to look just as beautiful as the greens you're swinging for.

The game still looks as fantastic as it ever did, complete with fly-bys of each hole, a slick camera system to show where your shot is going and what kind of power will be necessary, and some of the sharpest animation in the business, right down to some fun celebration animations. Cedric's alone are worth the purchase of the game, as he manages to get in some old-school moves. The gameplay also feels just as great as always, and the chipping and putting have been somewhat tweaked to help challenge a bit more, although not to the point of frustration, like some other golf games I know. David Feherty and Gary McCord once again return for some enjoyable commentary.

One minor gripe is that the PS2 edition is the only one that will be packing online play this year, despite EA Sports' recent efforts to devote themselves to Xbox Live. Perhaps next year, we'll see the inclusion of Xbox Live play in the final cut. Fortunately, all versions work with the internal system clocks to offer some real-time events that you can compete in for more prize money, which is a nice touch. And you can link up the GBA edition to the GameCube for bonus goodies.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 looks to be the strongest in the series yet, bursting at the seams with creative options to let you build your own course, golfer, and swing and basically immerse you so much in golf that you can smell the rubber tires on the golf cart. With its excelled gameplay, abundant features, and beautiful engine, how can one not be addicted, even if they've never touched a 7 iron in their life? Tiger Woods 2005 is ready to take another swing at success, and it deserves it.