Metascore
60

Mixed or average reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 26
  2. Negative: 2 out of 26
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  1. Oct 6, 2015
    45
    This should have been a glorious comeback for EA's golf series, but it is a let-down. Especially because it takes everything away that made the last games with Tiger Woods so much fun.
  2. Aug 30, 2015
    40
    It should have been a cause for celebration that an EA Sports game review has forced us to abandon the well-worn ‘It’s like last year but slightly better!’ template, yet Rory McIlroy PGA Tour is like two years ago but significantly worse. Not nearly good enough, especially for a game whose slogan is ‘golf without limits’.
User Score
4.3

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 76 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 76
  2. Negative: 46 out of 76
  1. Jul 14, 2015
    3
    After playing this game for a couple hours, I had to check the calendar to make sure that it was not, in fact, April 1st. I honestly cannotAfter playing this game for a couple hours, I had to check the calendar to make sure that it was not, in fact, April 1st. I honestly cannot believe that a Video Golf franchise this old could release a game so lacking in features. Also, to say that this game is "lacking features" is a complete understatement. There are NO FEATURES. I will explain:

    1. Horrible character creator. It's absurdly simplistic and there is no way of making a character look like 2. you. It's a total insult to the last few PGA Tour games.

    2. Game modes: Stroke or Match (i miss skins play, it's my favorite mode. and best ball/scramble is the style you're most likely to play in real life tournies, if you are a golfer)

    3. Cannot remove the fan gallery. Would you like to have a quiet and friendly round of golf with a friend? Hoping to enjoy nature and relax on the golf course? DENIED- You are surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of cheap looking gallery fans, who will NOT react when hit with the ball. Even if you 9.5 degree drive the ball into their face. It will bounce off them and they will cheer.

    4. No EXP/Money for playing offline with friends. The only way to progress your character is through Single Player Pro play. It's become evident that EA does not want you to play this game in the same room with your friends. You are required to own your own xbox, xbox live subscription and internet. Are my friends and I the only people who still get together on the couch and play video games on the same TV?

    5. Sluggish menus. I shouldn't have to list the specs of the XBOX ONE, but they should be enough to handle MENU BROWSING. Not in this game though.

    6. The animations. It seems like the developers of this game have never actually watched golf. Hit a routine drive 300 yards on the fairway- nothing special: your golfer jumps and cheers like he just hit a hole-in-one. every time. Make a decent birdie- he's flipping out like he just won the Masters. Make a bad shot and he's practically freaking out and smashing his clubs. You would -never- see professional golfers, or even semi-professional, or even total amateur golfers acting like these characters do. Where is the class and quiet dignity of golfers? They will overact on EVERY-HIT. oh, and you cannot turn these animations off. They have even removed the "quick play" feature to auto-skip these ridiculous cutscenes.

    7. No replay feature. ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
    I'd like to replay some of my previous shots without recording it to the dang xbox.

    In closing, EA has created a decent looking golf game, with average controls and physics. However it seems like they have never watched the PGA Tour, or played previous PGA Tour games. And they definitely did not have beta testers. This game is absolutely featureless. It's as bare-bones as a sports game has ever been. I don't even care about the lack of courses, the lack of golfers (no LPGA???), lack of former clubhouse and online features. Why is this game so dang simple when there are mobile golf games with more depth.

    Total disappointment.
    Full Review »
  2. Jul 14, 2015
    1
    The game feels like a 40% complete beta. It only includes a paltry 8 real courses on release, the swing mechanic feels like you're on aThe game feels like a 40% complete beta. It only includes a paltry 8 real courses on release, the swing mechanic feels like you're on a twitchy cocaine fueled bender, the green swing meter/indicator takes all difficulty out of the swing tempo/timing, putting couldn't feel less realistic if they tried, & the ball physics are not based in reality. For some odd reason I am able to stick a 3W from 250 yards and have it land with less than 5 yards of roll out, yet a pitching wedge from 120 rolls out 10+ yards. The ground itself feels overly "squishy", absorbing the ball like a tampon. Balls do not kick left/right as you'd expect where appropriate & there's absolutely no need for any strategic thinking at all when aiming tee shots or approach shots. My 6 year old could pick up the controller and shoot par on Sawgrass on TOUR difficulty setting with 5 practice rounds.

    Graphically this game does not appear to be "next-gen" quality, the resolution is certainly NOT 1080p, more likely 720 IMO. A overdone blurring effect seems to have been applied & it it makes the game look subpar. With only 8 courses and a barebones career mode the only thing I was looking forward too was superior graphics, and EA failed to deliver in a miserable fashion.

    I've already encountered a humorous bug on Bay Hill near the 6th hole where cars were parked on an adjacent fairway, Jiminez doesn't putt left hand low, glove is removed when putting but it doesn't appear in the back pocket (perhaps the caddie is holding it?) and the constant mention of Tom Weiskopf by the announcers. Also the post shot golfer reactions are completely overdone and unrealistic (landing a ball in the light rough off the tee on #2 should not produce a reaction akin to blowing a 3 shot lead with 2 to play at Augusta.

    There are so many problems with this game it's laughable, EA should be ashamed of themselves for releasing such a poor quality effort, and considering we're now 2 years into the current gen consoles this goes down as one of the worst games EA has ever made. Anyone looking for a proper representation of the game of golf should look elsewhere.
    Full Review »
  3. Jul 14, 2015
    1
    Rory McIlroy PGA Tour is terribly disappointing in just about every way. First of all, career mode has been gutted beyond belief. There are soRory McIlroy PGA Tour is terribly disappointing in just about every way. First of all, career mode has been gutted beyond belief. There are so few character customization options it's not even worth bothering trying to create a unique character. You can't pick how you spend your EXP as the game increases your stats for you which is bewildering. There's no amateur career anymore. There are no sponsorships. There are no practice rounds.

    Gameplay on the course is pretty bad as well. Employing any spin causes such an exaggerated ball reaction its entirely unusable (ie. forward spin of any amount will almost always cause a well hit ball to go flying off the green). I've had so many chip shots get stuck on the flag post for no reason (the flag post should be getting removed) and the crowds in the game or terrible (I hit a ball into one and they don't even react).

    I can't recommend this game to even the most hardcore golf fan. Just go back and play The Masters...You seriously want to stay as far away from this game as possible. I really wish I could get a refund.
    Full Review »