Game review: PGA Tour 2K25 (Xbox Series X)

A long time ago, EA Sports had a healthy relationship with Tiger Woods, and the pair released a ton of video games every year on multiple different platforms. However, things started to sour when the world found out that Tiger Woods cheated on his wife multiple times…

Due to Woods' tainted image, EA Sports didn't renew its contract with the star, and the company replaced him with Rory McIlroy instead. Even without Tiger Woods, EA Sports still released several other golf games in his absence.

EA Sports' main rival 2K Sports decided to pounce, and the latter company signed Tiger Woods to an exclusive deal in 2021. With Tiger Woods' marital issues now a distant memory, 2K Sports included him in video games once again.

Not only did 2K Sports acquire Tiger Woods, but the publisher also secured the PGA Tour license. After releasing games 2K21 and 2K23 in the past, 2K Sports has now released PG1 Tour 2K25 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S platforms in 2025.

I've played many golf games in the past, but my first entry to the 2K Sports franchise was the PS4 version of PGA Tour 2K21. At the time I thought the game was fun, although the graphics were outdated compared to the likes of the NBA 2K and WWE 2K video games.

Thankfully, PGA Tour 2K25 looks far better than its predecessors mainly because the game is only available on current-gen platforms this time around. The graphics are brighter and more detailed than ever before, plus golfers like Tiger Woods and NZ's own Lydia Ko are modelled very accurately.

Speaking of New Zealand, the game also features a golf course set in Otago. I've never been to Otago in real life, but I'm sure the game has managed to make the location look as realistic as possible. In total, the game features around 27 official courses from all around the world.

Sadly though, the number of real-life golfers in PGA Tour 2K25 seems miniscule in comparison. For some reason, the game only features a small number of 12 professionals. To make things even more unfair, only three of these professionals are women. This number seems seriously low considering the large number of basketball players in wrestlers are available in 2K's other games.

While the number of golfers is disappointing, I'm happy to report that the gameplay in PGA Tour 2K25 is still top-notch. The game offers three different ways for players to swing the ball, and gamers can choose the control scheme that suits them best.

The most common way to play the game is by using the right stick to swing the golf club. You pull down on the analogue stick to prepare to swing, and then flick it up to let the ball fly. The harder you pull back on the right stick, the further the ball will fly through the air. Alternatively, doing a lighter touch is preferred if you are going for a putt.

The second way to play is the same thing, but you use the left analogue stick instead. The third and final way is timing your presses using the face buttons. This is a similar method used in Sony's old Everybody's Golf franchise. Overall, the gameplay is fun, and learning how to play isn't too difficult because the game has a nice training mode for you to practice your skills.

Speaking of game modes, there's a lot to see and do in PGA Tour 2K25. Quick Play is where you can do offline gameplay and play with your friends locally. The best part about Quick Play is the number of ways you can play. 2K25 includes seven game modes they're Stroke Play, Stableford, Match Play, Skins, Four-Ball, Alternate Shot, and Scramble. Some of these game modes allow up to four players to play.

The other major offline mode to play is called TopGolf. This is a fun mode where you have to do target practice in order to attain the highest score. You are at a driving range and have to make sure the ball goes into the correct position.

The other fun mode you can do in this game is creating your own golf course. You can choose a theme like playing on a tropical island or even a desert. Not to mention you can load the course with lots of water, trees, hills, and the number of holes. You can choose to make the course as easy or hard as can be, and you can share your creations online too.

The biggest game mode in PGA Tour 2K25 is without a doubt MyCAREER. In this game mode, you can create your own male or female player and you are trying to turn them into a pro golfer. Unlike the NBA 2K and WWE 2K video games though, there is no storyline or even voiceovers in this mode. You can participate in post-match interviews, but this is all done via text and no audio.

By progressing in MyCAREER, you can choose to play tournaments and do training drills to earn virtual currency (VC) and get more XP to improve your player's stats. The game even has a Clubhouse Pass that encourages players to play the game every day to earn rewards like better clothes and equipment for your player.

The only thing I didn't like about MyCAREER is the fact that it's an online-only mode. If the servers are down, or your internet goes offline, you are locked out from this mode completely. It's annoying, but the developers usually do this to discourage players from cheating and using hacks to earn more VC.

The last way to play the game is by competing with other players in online multiplayer. The three multiplayer modes are Ranked Matchmaking, 2K Ranked Tours, and Online Societies. The online multiplayer is a fun way to play if you think you are good enough to take on the world!

While the forced online requirement in MyCAREER is annoying, and the lack of playable characters is disappointing, PGA Tour 2K25 is still a fun game for fans of the sport of golf. The gameplay is easy to grasp, and the graphics are the best they have ever been. 

Verdict: 8.0/10