Golf 5 Max Review: Classic Three-Click Joy Meets Mundane Fairways
I think I’m a secret golf video game enthusiast. It’s not something you can go around and announce to people in regular, polite conversation. Trust me. Even trying to explain to other gamers my love of, say, Neo Turf Masters gets blank stares and polite nods. It’s too bad, because there are some great golf games out there. I used to think they were just for dads, but now that I’m dad age I can tell you: they probably are. And while I was excited for Golf 5 Max, I actually ended up being a little disappointed.
Golf 5 Max is a golf game that mixes modern and retro. It obviously takes a lot of inspiration from Neo Turf Masters—one of my favorite arcade golf games. It has a similar three-click swing style—you click once to start the swing, then there’s a second timed click to set your English, and a third to nail your power (which affects your accuracy)—but it uses a realistic simulator to drive the physics. It’s even billed as “arcade meets real physics” on its Steam store page.
It has a roster of characters with RPG-style progression, a few game modes and seven courses to play on.
The best thing about Golf 5 Max is that it’s actually fun to play. I’m a sucker for this particular style of arcade golf, while it might seem unusual for other golf video game enjoyers. The physics engine feels tough, but fair. While you have the ability to aim the ball, it’s down to click accuracy and timing to get the best (and most intended) shot.
But failing a shot feels like it has a natural outcome—a ball sliced too far off course into a hazard, for example. But despite its claims of “real physics” don’t expect a hyper realistic, hyper simulated style of game. I can’t even say that it bridges the gap between the two—Golf 5 Max falls solidly into the “arcade” category. There is so much room for mastery that I haven’t even come close to the skill ceiling in my hours I sunk into it. And I effortlessly put hours into Golf 5 Max.
There are a few things I have issues with though. First of all, I appreciate what developers LENYA DIGITAL and AAA Game Studios were trying to do with the character roster. There is certainly a diverse cast of characters, just like Neo Turf Masters. Unlike the retro game, Golf 5 Max’s characters have stats that you can level up: Power to hit further, Technique to master your spin, Consistency to stay in control, Accuracy to sharpen your aim, and Recovery to escape tricky situations.
It will just take you a long time to grind through them. The character models themselves are also hideous. I can tell that there was a certain '70s retro style that Golf 5 Max was trying to capture, but it just never really translates as well as it could.
There is also limited course variety. Seven courses might sound like a lot—and while they all look good with their own distinct visual style, the courses themselves have little variation. I’m trying to recall specific features from the different courses and beyond a few exceptions, it’s hard for me to tell. There are a few exceptional and fun holes, sure. But courses by and large are mundane. I do appreciate that some courses use vertical height generously. And hazards are well placed, most of the time.
There are several game modes, though most are just slight variations on the “classic” mode. Birdie or Bust is a coin-op arcade way to play. Par allows you to continue without losing a credit, bogey loses you a credit and birdies net you extra play time—exactly as the Neo Turf Masters coin-op arcade would work. There’s also a time attack mode that requires you to stay within par or better to get bonus play time. There are online lobbies, which I didn’t get to test in this pre-release window, as well as a tournament mode that pits you against other players online with a leaderboard.
Ultimately, Golf 5 Max is a great game with some frustrating compromises. The mechanics are rock-solid, and when you get into that rhythm of perfectly timing a three-click swing to land a brilliant approach shot, it nails the classic arcade feel I was hoping for. I wish it had more course variety, and while I’d love to see more in an update I’m afraid that might be a DLC thing. Despite ugly character models, and a grind to increase character stats, Golf 5 Max is a delight for retro and modern arcade golf fans. Just be prepared to accept that while the swing is pure arcade perfection, the rest of the package lands squarely in the rough.
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