Valora Valley Golf

In golfing circles, the Devil's Course in Valora Valley is perhaps one of the sport's best-kept secrets...and with good reason. Only a madman would risk life and limb to play these scenic yet perilous holes.

Fortunately, Valora Valley exists only in a video game that turns a fairly standard golf engine into a refreshing new field of play.

It's the golf course that makes this game click. The 18 holes on Devil's Course provide unique challenges: How do I hit up a cliff? How do I avoid the lava lake? How do I negotiate the hills on the green? No other golf game even comes close to raising--much less answering--such questions.

The game's setting is rather colorful, with scenes that vary from desert pyramids to active volcanoes and cliffs.

At the game's core is a fairly straightforward interface that lets players adjust hitting stance, club selection and a shot's direction and power. The circular power bar also has special hot spots in which gamers can hit "psycho" and "on fire" shots.

A pop-up overhead map on the right side of the screen shows the ball's projected flight path.

During putts, a special grid pops up to illustrate the slope of the green as well as bad breaks.

The four golfers in the game were each filmed and digitized to provide real-life animation. Your caddy will pop up on the screen after a nice putt for birdie shot.

A tutorial within the game illustrates the basics, and serves as a good starting point for novices. Golfing vets, however, will be able to jump quickly into the game.

STRANGE DAYS

The 18 holes at Devil's Course in Valora Valley Golf are unlike any you'll find on the planet. For instance, one hole forces golfers to guide the ball through a narrow cliff, while another is set on surrounded by lava. On yet another course, the green lies on the other side of what seems to be a steep, 300-foot-high hill.

Cliffs, rock towers and statues round out the list of daunting obstacles each golfer must face during a tournament.

MANUFACTURER - Vic Tokai

DIFFICULTY - MODERATE

THEME - Sport

NUMBER OF PLAYERS - 1 or 2