PANGYA Review: Taking the Game of Golf to a Whole New Level!
By Albert Delgado (Devi@nt), OnRPG Journalist
I have to admit that I was not enthusiastic at first to review Pangya, the game revolved around golf. I never took interest in the sport. To be honest I always watched it in order to help me get to sleep (when the Nyquil was not kicking in), or just to see Tiger Woods outshine the other players. Pangya suddenly opened up a completely new world and reintroduced me to the game of golf with open arms, quirky anime characters, and tons of fun gameplay!
Game Play
Pangya makes sure to keep the basic knowledge and true ideals of golf within the game. The game has a very helpful tutorial that not only shows you how to control characters, but it also helps define the game of golf to those who have never played. The world of Pangya has various golf courses throughout different types of environments. Some of the courses have weather factors like wind, terrain, and water that can affect the way players go about playing the overall course. There are also items that players can obtain and use that will give them better control, more power, spin (of the ball) control, and other abilities to help aide them. The game offers estimated markers in order to help players see where they need to hit the ball, and at what distance. Pangya also offers players a unique bird’s eye view mode. In this mode, you get an overall view of the course and can see what hazards to steer away from, or how to go about approaching the hole. You have a power meter that is used to hit the ball. If you are successful in hitting certain designated marks on the bar, then you are able to make a Pangya shot. A Pangya shot gives your hit better accuracy and power, and a unique animation feature when hitting the ball.
Also, say you are having a horrible game and you think it is embarrassing for you to continue, well in Pangya if you reach a certain low score you automatically forfeit the current hole without continuing. Trick shots in the game or shots that are made at great risk will reward your character with more Pang (the in-game currency). Pangya offers numerous modes of game play. Some are just regular one on one, team matches, tournaments, and many other game modes that offer players limitless amounts of fun. Pangya takes and uses the same template that is featured in most golf games, so if you are an online golf advocate you will have no trouble getting used to the controls.
Character Customization
The game offers you a starting character based on gender. Other characters can be purchased by paying a certain amount of Pang, or by buying a set of clothing specific to a character. In the game’s market, there are various items and costumes you can purchase in order to make your character more diverse. Everything from your shoes to your hair can be changed, also your clubs and golf balls (which are referred to as comets in Pangya) can be colored or changed. However, each item costs a hefty Pang price.
Pangya chat room
Graphics and Unique Features
Apart from the games diverse characters and abilities, Pangya offers players a variety of other features. The graphics and detail taken in each golf course and character are enough to amaze and pull players into the world of Pangya. Have you ever wanted your own personal mascot or even thought of obtaining one? Yes, you guessed it, Pangya offers mascots that can help add bonuses to your drives, or just follow and cheer you on throughout your game. Along with a mascot comes a golfer’s most important tool…..the caddy. The caddies in Pangya come in various shapes, sizes, and life forms. The caddies are able to talk and encourage players, or give certain tips to the player before they take their shots. Caddies can also give players unique abilities or help perform trick shots that can reward more Pang. Another feature of Pangya is its 3D chat rooms. Instead of the usual lobby window on screen, Pangya lets players take their characters into chat rooms with various detailed environments. In these rooms, your character is able to move about at will and just hangout or chat it up with fellow golfers. There is also personal space that you can decorate in your character menu screen, you are able to change wallpapers and apply furniture in these areas.
Truly Free to Play
Most MMOs that are out now claim to be free to play, but the free part is limited and you will eventually have to pay in order to explore more content or to develop a character further. Pangya on the other hand is a true free to play game; the only thing you can buy with real money is newer outfits, but even those outfits can be unlocked overtime if you are an avid Pangya player. The item market in Pangya does not offer players overpowering items or sets, since Pangya tries to focus on character balance.
Conclusion
Pangya is able to take the game of golf and throw in some strategized elements in order to make the game challenging and exciting. The graphics for Pangya may seem childish due to the anime styled characters however; they are still captivating to the eye and bring more attention to the game for players. Pangya does a great job of making the game player friendly, and offering numerous amazing features to ensure limitless amounts of game play. I would recommend Pangya to not only fans of online golf games, but also to the gamers who want to be on the top of the leader boards, or to the gamers looking for a new challenge and game to conquer.
Pros:
– Unique graphics and animation
– Truly free to play
– Numerous game modes.
Cons:
– Some higher leveled players have an advantage
– Only one character to choose from at start
– New clothes and characters cost very high amount of Pang.
