583: Golf Story

[JaySevenZero]

Here's where you can contribute your thoughts and opinions for Golf Story for potential inclusion in the forthcoming podcast.

A friendly reminder that where the feedback for the podcast is concerned, we love it - but keeping it brief is appreciated. We do want to include a breadth of opinions where appropriate, but no-one wants a discussion podcast that’s mostly reading out essays. Better to save yourself time and cut to the chase if you can.

[NoMoreSpearows]

At the very end of Golf Story, the camera on the world map backs out, revealing that throughout your adventure you've been running around Australia, or a facsimile thereof. Initially, I considered this to be just a little nod to Sidebar Games and their country/continent of origin, but I think it goes a little deeper than that.

While I love Golf Story in terms of it reviving the feel of the Game Boy Color Mario Golf and its GBA counterpart Advance Tour, playing the game makes me genuinely feel bad. With every character's snarky comment and insult, it makes the gap between their remarks and my performance (not to toot my horn too much, but I had my fair share of birdies and eagles) that much more noticeable. But if you're making a game where the protagonist is supposed to not be that good at golf... why are you, as the player, allowed to be good at golf?

That's where the Australia thing sticks with me. I feel like it must be some sort of local humor, some ability to poke fun that I'm just too sensitive to really laugh with. It's a strange case where it feels like if I was worse at the game, I'd be able to enjoy it more.

(We don't talk about Sports Story.)

[Julia2000]

Golf Story perfectly nailed the feel of hitting a ball and having it gently land across the grass. Singlehandedly justified the HD rumble gimmick.

And yet, so much around the golf is just bad or disgusting. Bad adventure game puzzles. Bad disc golf. Disgusting MRA-adjacent storyline with your misogynist caricature of an ex-wife gloating about stealing your money.

In the end, a game I'll always think about playing more of...and then think "better not."

[Nicktendo]

G'day! Golf Story came out at the best time back in 2017 on the fairly new Nintendo Switch. It was just what the doctor ordered - a retro Sport RPG with easy pick up and play mechanics. I enjoyed all the local aussie humour and banter. It's very rare to see translated in a game so purely and honestly.
Just a ripper of a game about a sport I am not very keen on set in a world-map that looks eerily similar to my country. Shame about the sequel.
Three Word Review:
Fair Dinkum Game