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Golf Club Wasteland

Golf Club Wasteland

We have played through the ruins of our civilization one stroke at a time in one of the most unique golf games ever made.

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Indie games often have to release at just the right time to avoid getting eclipsed by bigger and bulkier releases. In that regard, Golf Club Wasteland seems to be on the right track. Not only is the release calendar relatively sparse at the moment, but the game's release also comes right after a couple of real-world events that underscore its themes. A couple of months ago some of the wealthiest people on the planet launched what might become a new era of space tourism. And just a couple of weeks later the climate report from the UN basically concluded that you might as well save up for a ticket out of here - fast!

Taking place in the 22nd century, Golf Club Wasteland is a post-apocalyptic golf/platform game. After climate change and war made Earth inhabitable, the richest 0.001% escaped to Mars and set up a colony. Our former habitat has now become a favourite tourist spot for the colonists that play golf in the ruins of our decrepit cities.

Golf Club Wasteland

One of the things that certainly impresses is the presentation. While our planet might have seen better days in terms of biodiversity, it's still as beautiful as ever underneath a melancholic blue sky. As you play your way through abandoned apartment complexes and shopping malls one stroke a time there is ample time to notice just how well-crafted the environments are, and small details such as satirical neon signs and apocalyptic graffiti brings a small spark of life to these abandoned places.

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Being alone in these towering cities provides an acute sense of loss and loneliness, but much of that gets alleviated by the soothing waves from Radio Nostalgia from Mars. The radio station that plays most of the time (in certain places there are no reception) consists of call-ins from the colonists who reminisces about their lives on our former planet, interspersed with short public service announcements about life on Mars. As a story-telling device this is pretty clever, as the contrast between the lush tales of life on Earth and the many restrictions, precautions and limitations in the Martian bubble really hammers home the game's themes. The station also plays some excellent songs (many of which are original) spanning a wide array or genres from electronica to jazz-pop.

Golf Club WastelandGolf Club Wasteland

Yet for all it's excellency in presentation, Golf Club Wasteland is still a game, so how does it function? The levels play a bit like elaborate mini golf courses, but with an added emphasis on elevation as you have to navigate tall cranes, complex factories and empty shopping malls. Often there are more than one way through the levels, which provide you with some interesting choices. Will you for example play it safe or risk it all with a daring shot that allows you to skip a large part of the level? Some of the levels also contain shortcuts, and at the best of times it feels a bit like a combination of a puzzle game and a platformer.

Still, I wasn't completely blown away by the level design. Often you are required to make very precise shots to land on small platforms. None of the shots in themselves are really all that difficult, but since one little mistake in many cases will ruin your score, the game becomes a test of your patience instead of your skills.

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This wouldn't be so bad if the actual shot mechanics were a bit more satisfying. In theory, it's deceptively simple. There is a visual indicator showing the speed of your stroke, that can be adjusted by either the left analog stick or the mouse, and you don't have to factor in things like wind, iron choice or even the third dimension, that makes normal golf such a challenge to play. Yet to get to the end of the level, you will often have to zoom either in or out (you can do so manually, and the game also does so itself in certain instances). While this provides a better overview, it also makes it quite hard to judge your speed, as some very slight adjustments toward the extreme ends of the power spectrum often makes a huge difference. Sometimes I tried to make a long shot but ended up going woefully short. A minor adjustment later and I nearly sent the ball back to Mars! The same also applies to determining where the sweet spot can be, which is extremely elusive. Combined with long levels with a par of sometimes 17 or 18, this makes it all too easy to blow it all on one ill-conceived shot.

An optional visual indicator of where the shot might hit would probably go a long way of making this game less taxing - especially since this is clearly not designed to be a competitive game anyway. Besides the normal story mode there are not really any additional modes. You can choose between free-play where your score doesn't really matter or opt for the challenging mode where you have to get a par or better to advance, but that is about it. It's all about the experience.

Golf Club Wasteland

In summary, Golf Club Wasteland is a bit of mixed bag. The presentation and soundscape create a unique and memorable atmosphere, but the gameplay at times manages to be both simple and frustrating. If you sympathise with the games overall message and are a patient gamer, this might be for you. For others, I would recommend waiting a bit and seeing if the game gets any updates in terms of gameplay-assists or further modes.

Golf Club WastelandGolf Club WastelandGolf Club Wasteland
06 Gamereactor UK
6 / 10
+
Atmospheric visuals. Great original soundtrack. For the most part decent level design.
-
Core gameplay is too simplistic. Some levels test your patience more than your skills. Short game with little replay value.
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Golf Club Wasteland

REVIEW. Written by Jakob Hansen

We have played through the ruins of our civilization one stroke at a time in one of the most unique golf games ever made.



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