PGA Tour 2K25 Shines as the Decade’s Top Golf Game, Marred by Unscrupulous Tactics and Greed

Ah, digital golf – it’s an escape, isn’t it? I have to admit, I’m a bit of a fanatic. Picture this: a Golden Tee arcade machine right in my living room. Growing up, I spent countless hours unwinding with EA’s Tiger Woods series, my go-to comfort game during those chaotic teenage years. Now, with a neglected set of real golf clubs gathering dust in my garage (life’s hectic, you know?), a virtual game of golf fills a nice little void.

So, with some free slots in my gaming calendar, I thought, why not give PGA Tour 2K25 a shot? My previous experience with 2K’s debut into the golf scene was solid enough, so I opted for it over EA’s latest. Anticipating major improvements over the years, I dived into Steam, shelling out quite a bit for the Premium Edition to get early access. Initially, I couldn’t have been more excited.

Fast forward to the gameplay, and boy, does the 2025 edition shine compared to the 2021 counterpart. Everything’s been polished – it’s smoother, more intuitive, and way easier to grasp. I’m particularly fond of the assists system, reminiscent of the ones in racing games like Forza Motorsport. It’s a brilliant way to cater to both simulation enthusiasts and those who crave a quick arcade fix.

Here’s the deal: turning the game into a nostalgic echo of those classic PS2-era Tiger Woods games gets your custom career player full experience points after each round. But the real kicker? Switching off features boosts your EXP even further.

The racing analogy fits perfectly. Just like I don’t need that racing line in Forza for an extra EXP bonus, I don’t rely on assists for crosswinds, trusting my own skill to drive the ball. Putting, though? I’m terrible. So, as soon as I’m on the green, the assists stay on.

With my settings just right, I was netting 120% of the usual EXP – more skilled players could rake in even more.

Why is EXP crucial? Well, it unlocks rewards, levels up your character, and earns the necessary currency for equipment. I love the relaxed nature of the game with assists, knowing I can crank up the challenge whenever I fancy a more demanding round.

What’s neat is the career mode’s flexibility. It doesn’t make you play every hole by default – you can easily play just a handful while the AI simulates the rest. It takes the edge off. But if you’re a purist, you can play every hole manually. Off-course, there are other diversions like training mini-games, press conferences, rivalries, you name it.

That’s the charm of older golf games – they’re sports sims, but they’re entertaining too. Golf, surprisingly approachable as a sport, lets you hit the course affordably. In virtual form, it lets you experience golf at a higher level, simulate a career, and enjoy it more as a soothing experience rather than a stress-inducing challenge – which is often my reality on an actual course.

However, there’s a catch. Despite all the chilled or intense golfing fun, an unsettling issue lurks in PGA 2K25, especially noticeable after the game’s first update.

Your ‘myPLAYER’ – your self-crafted golfing legend – evolves by spending currency that you earn in-game or, and here’s the kicker, purchase. Want new clubs? Buy them with VC. Outfits? VC again. Even upgrading your golf attributes demands VC.

This isn’t entirely unusual. Games often have a currency system. But converting this currency into real cash feels a tad sketchy, and it gets worse.

Upon entering early access, the VC earning rate was decent, but post-launch, a hushed update tweaked the economy, slashing VC gains by a considerable margin.

Players are upset, and rightly so. Reddit users dissected the numbers, finding the hours to max your player level had spiked from an already significant 92 hours to a jaw-dropping 214. Upgrading costs rose around 60%, too. Initially, progression wasn’t blazing fast, but 2K deemed it insufficient to drive extra spending. Thus, like a child reaching for candy, they greedily pulled those levers at launch.

Even I, a casual player, noticed the dip in my earnings after this tweak. Heading to Reddit unveiled the grim reality. Steam reviews turned harsh, labeling the system as “predatory.” Honestly, I’d also say it’s “disgusting.” I’ve got a few more choice words, but I’ll spare you the details.

Initially, I was thrilled with PGA Tour 2K25, but this puts a damper on the experience. My earlier gripe with tedious menu navigation seems insignificant compared to this cash-focused progression system. It’s reminiscent of a free-to-play mobile game, where competing demands endless grind or, you guessed it, more spending.

It’s deflating. Forcing such tactics on a game people paid serious money for is no fun. It undermines what could be the finest golf game in a decade. Sadly, it’s like shanking an easy putt after reaching the green effortlessly. 2K crafted something special and then tainted it with a greedy aftertaste. What a letdown.