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YES IT'S THAT TIME of the year again folks, when the next installments of EA Sports' most popular titles start hitting store shelves. Tiger Woods is no exception, so here's an idea of what to expect.

There is a school of thought that looks at these yearly installments from EA Sports as nothing more than cashing in on an already reputable product. Some believe that the improvements made are not worth the cost of a new game. While we can understand this viewpoint, it's easy to lose sight of what has happened over recent years.

Take, for instance Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2001, versus the 2003 game. In just two years we've gone from a measly three courses to a whopping twelve! Plus the inclusion of mini games like Speed Golf and the challengingly addictive SkillZone. Comparing apples with apples, improvements such as these are really quite major.

Still, you couldn't be blamed for thinking that Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 is simply unsurpassable. It's a golf game that's near perfection, across all formats. But EA are looking for "bigger, better, faster MORE!" with the latest incarnation of the premier golf title.

Just reading through the features makes you realise that if the final product has even just half of the improvements boasted, it'll be a well worthwhile title. And if EA are using '2003' as the standard to improve upon, they really can't go wrong.

Everything has been tweaked, from the number of courses, to the game modes; the graphics and the sound, to the extras. Check this out;

• 19 courses

• In-depth Create-a-Golfer mode

• 15 PGA Tour Pro's to choose from

• Season Mode - play the 52 week PGA Tour for up to 10 season

• Unlock golfers, apparel, equipment, and accessories in new World Tour mode

• Even more new modes - including Long Drive Competition, Best Ball, and Battle Golf.

EA have retained the "Total Precision Swing", perfected over the last couple of years, and refined it to the point where you have an excellent degree of control. You can control spin, whether you want to slice or hook, or whether you want the ball to fade or draw back, all right off the tee.

The bad news is that the US NTSC version will be online, but not the PAL version. Rumours are that Fifa 2004 will be the only '04 EA Sports game online over our way. It's a shame really, but even as it stands Tiger Woods 2004 is still greatly improved over previous versions.

The sheer number of courses and single player modes, should ensure a great deal of life though, and with extra bits and pieces like 'Create-a-Golfer', and the ability to gain sponsorship from real golf equipment suppliers, it's all good!

Tiger Woods 2004 is due to release in New Zealand at the end of this week - check back soon for our full review!

Show me the screenshots!