Golf Story

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JaySevenZero
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Golf Story

Post by 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.
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NoMoreSpearows
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Re: 583: Golf Story

Post by 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.)
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Julia2000
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Re: 583: Golf Story

Post by 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."
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Nicktendo
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Re: 583: Golf Story

Post by 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
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Alex79
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Re: Our next podcast recording (19.8.23) - 583: Golf Story

Post by Alex79 »

I really enjoyed Golf Story - it reminded me a lot of the Mario Golf game that came out for Gameboy Advance (and that I really hope releases for Switch Online at some point). The actual game of golf it played was fun, which was the most important thing, but the game was full of interesting little diversions and time wasters. I was less enthused about the amount of dialogue you sometimes got bogged down in, but the whole package was so charming and likeable that it was easily forgivable. It's a shame the sequel doesn't seem to have been released to much love, and I hear it's still quite a buggy mess, but that takes nothing away from Golf Story. It's an easy recommend from me.
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Kez86
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Re: Our next podcast recording (19.8.23) - 583: Golf Story

Post by Kez86 »

Golf Story... one of those games you pick up on a whim. I think I got it for something stupid, like 99p on a Switch sale one day.

I have heard of the comparisons to the likes of Mario Golf, and to other arcade golfing games. I am a huge fan of the genre, having been a fan of them since Everybody's Golf on PS1, all the way through to the PSVita rendition. Golf Story though, was something different and unique in its own right.

A charming, colourful and vibrant world with different locales and environments, that take you through the typical biomes found in arcade titles. Grassland, Sandland, Snowland, etc. Each area brimming with secrets, and special hidden areas that feel rewarding to stumble upon. The golfing itself is a joy to play as well, with controls that just work.

Fully recommend picking this up for some simple arcade golfing fun.
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Mr Ixolite
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Re: Our next podcast recording (19.8.23) - 583: Golf Story

Post by Mr Ixolite »

I'm not a sports person in any way, being a bit of a sore loser with an aversion to things in games being outside of my control. Golf in particular has made my blood boil on several occasions.

And yet, I still found myself playing, and enjoying, Golf Story. I was initially drawn in by the SNES-RPG throwback visuals and promise of a humoristic tone, but eventually found myself engrossed in the actual golfing. I know these things aren't new to the genre, but all the various information the game provided- like slopes, distance and wind- made me feel in control of my shots to a satisfying degree, and the zany and colorful course hazards was a delightful spice on top. I did not anticipate what a dopamine rush getting the ball to the green by daringly bouncing it off a swimming turtle would be. To my shock, I quickly found myself looking forward to seeing what the next course would bring.

Conversely, I was a bit underwhelmed by the "story" part of Golf Story. Not because I disliked the writing, but because I wanted more of it; I found the murder mystery and the whole dinner scene with the coach to be the most memorable parts of the game, but there could be long gaps between these setpiece moments, and ultimately the games narrative ends on kind of on a whimper.

Still the game made me laugh a fair few times, and with the addictiveness of the actual golfing it was a perfect "destress before bed" game for me for a good while.
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psychohype
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Golf Story

Post by psychohype »

I had a lot of fun with Golf Story, seeing as the game brought just the right level of design simplicity that I personally find enjoyable in a golf sim. Was it too easy? I guess I find it a little odd that I never failed any of the major story missions, but honestly, I’m not complaining. I think this game was meant to be breezy.

I also appreciate the silly, “don’t take any of this seriously” tone that the developers faithfully adhered to throughout the game. Playing Golf Story reminded me that the video game comedy, as a genre, is still in short supply. I would argue that Golf Story fits nicely in the tradition of classic comedies like Caddyshack and Happy Gilmore that use the sport of golf as a goofy backdrop for lighthearted fun and laughs. This particular golf comedy just happens to take the form of an Australian-developed video game.

I give it a 9-iron out of 10.
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