I hate to make this comparison, but I think it’s appropriate given my history of playing games and avoiding harder difficulties. I have pretty much sworn off the Souls games, but have attempted to play every single one. Often I would bounce off in the early stages of gameplay, frustrated that my attempts were not helping me understand the mechanics or progress further in the adventure. Now I find myself with this, the Dark Souls of golf games entitled Normal Golf Game. But is it really as difficult as it's meant to be? Honestly, after playing for hours and finishing up the challenges that lay before me, I don’t think I can answer that question with the utmost confidence, but I do feel that I have the skills to tackle any golf game in my path moving forward.
I simply adored this game’s demo when it was initially part of Steam’s Next Fest event this past summer, and I was eager to get my hands on the full release. Fast forward to today, I feel that the demo was able to pique my interest, but it had in no way prepared me for what the game actually had in store for me once I booted it up. Taking shots over and over can be tedious, but feeling that sense of accomplishment when you finally land in the exact location or hit the intended target feels very satisfying. The game is difficult and purposely makes ridiculous requests of trick shots and precise drives. By the end, you can actually say you are a better player of the game, pulling off slices and fat hooks when needed, or a huge drive onto the green. I would curse the heavens every time the wind would push my perfectly centered shot off course, but I would immediately go back to swinging, knowing that this next shot could be the one.
The title and premise of the game should tell you right away that the creator is actively trying to mess with you and promoting a game that does not take itself very seriously. There is a foundation of a twisted sense of humor, comedic timing, and pacing throughout the campaign. The game's creator, Luke Muscat, is also known for co-creating Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride. I have memories of playing Jetpack on my iPad for hours, even back when I was barely a casual gamer. And almost everyone who has played a party game in the last twenty years would likely know about Fruit Ninja, and the chokehold it had on motion gaming in its earlier years. The jumping-off point of this experience is that you are at an unassuming golf course, except for quite a few billboards scattered about, and your vehicle is mysteriously towed off the premises. With no way to escape, and under constant surveillance by the course owner, you must agree to play all nine holes of golf and come in at par to escape. Of course, nothing is normal about your preparation or the learning experience that takes place while attempting the trials that are before you.
I found myself at times wanting to play while away from the house, and I can report that Normal Golf Game played well on the Steam Deck, but I preferred to play on desktop with my controller exclusively. I was sure that the game prompting you at the beginning to consider using keyboard and mouse was a cruel attempt to make the game more difficult. How is it that I see so many people streaming this game playing with the keyboard and mouse? I could barely make contact with the ball, let alone angle my golfer in the necessary location to skip the golf ball across a pond (one of the many challenges that will take time to understand and master).
I had a great time running through these courses, the full motion video of the player while they approached the tee, navigated the trails on the course, and found hidden areas and secrets that revealed a more nefarious plot to harness the golfing ability of all those who set foot on the green. I’m certain there is far more to discover in the game, and fortunately the game allows you to pick up where you left off after watching the credits roll to check off more challenges and make a run to finish every goal in the game. I have seen several people online accomplish this, as well as a growing community of speed runners, and they are simply the chosen captors of the clubs, and I respect them immensely.
I played through many of the challenges, rarely accomplishing some of the nightmare goals, and was able to earn enough cash to unlock all the necessary clubs, such as the putter, the driver, and the wedge, to play on each hole. This currency can also be used once you attempt the Ultimate Golf Challenge to purchase the ability to stop the wind, or straight up skip a hole that is proving to be too much of a time sink. I unapologetically took this route for my first completion of the game, but I very much know that I will continue to play and revisit this game many more times to come. At its core, the game is able to make you a capable golfer and generate an appreciation of game design and mechanics that are simple to learn and likely impossible to master.
Normal Golf Game should be in the conversation for one of the best indie sports games and a blueprint on how to make an activity like golf playable and approachable by players who are not even fans of the genre. Masterful manipulation of the mechanics, controls, and the elements, both natural and man-made, to sink some of the game’s more insane shots feels great and allows the player to continuously come back after endless attempts and frustrating misses. For me, this is a surprise Golden Zonkie contender, and I believe that this will be on many lists come the end of the year. The price of ten dollars is well worth the experience it provides, and I really hope that we see this title on every platform possible in the future.