House of Golf 2 review

Mini golf was a staple of my childhood. Just near where I grew up in Derby, there was a place called Markeaton Park that I would go to with my parents almost every other week and on it, there was a crazy golf course I was in love with. I’m awful at actual golf, but those memories of playing at Markeaton are some of my most cherished. House of Golf 2 brought back those memories, except instead of outside in the open air, I got to relive them in the comfort of my own home, in a game that takes place in someone else’s.

House of Golf 2 looks straightforward on the surface. You play rounds of golf in different locations around the house, much like Micro Machines had you racing in bathrooms, bedrooms, and kitchens. While every hole has a certain number of strokes you must make to putt the ball in, the crazy and extravagant layouts of each one make for some amusing outcomes. Don’t get me wrong, it can be frustrating as hell, but you will learn the nuances of the controls as well as the layouts of each course. Making those holes requires both skill and luck.

It’s easy to pick up and play. Choose the direction the ball will be hit, power up the shot, then follow through with the club. You’ll be able to position the ball on the tee at the start of each hole, and the free cam allows you to zoom in and out, and move freely around to see if there are any particular areas the ball can be played to avoid the various pitfalls and obstacles standing in your way. You’re rewarded for trick shots i.e. thinking outside the box to get closer to the hole, and there are many different ways to putt the ball without playing across some of the courses.

Before each hole, the camera pans across the course to show you what you’re going to encounter. Moving toy trucks; ketchup and paint spillages; snakes whose mouths open and close; and spinning saws are just a handful of obstacles  you’ll have to avoid. Sometimes it is about timing, while other times you can avoid them altogether. There was one course where I teed off facing the exact opposite way so I could hit the ball past a couple of pencils and building blocks to drop the ball right on the green as opposed to going round the entire course.

There are hidden ways and secret passages all over the place, and that’s half the fun of playing House of Golf 2. Playing alone is enjoyable to a point, but with friends and family is much more fun. Watching others get as frustrated as you is hilarious, but on the other side of the coin, seeing their faces when you hit a stunner of a shot to grab an Eagle from a seemingly impossible course makes for some great memories. It’s about having a great time and not throwing tons of different modes at you. Boot it up, jump in, and play.

House of Golf 2 is filled with so many courses across the home, from the garage to the living room, you’ll encounter every area of the house. On top of trying to grab a bronze, silver, or gold trophy, there are lots of different balls to unlock and collect, allowing you to play with new ones all the time. It feels more like a party game than a sports game, and as long as you have someone to play with, it’s better when you’re not playing alone. You can still play on your own, but it has more staying power when you have others to challenge.

If you’re looking for a game that will challenge you, House of Golf 2 is a great choice. It can be frustrating, especially when you’re getting used to the power gauge and knowing its limits. I lost count of the amount of balls I hit out of bounds or kept failing to get over a gap or up a ramp, but with practice you’ll get there eventually. The variety of obstacles and layouts is wonderful, and while there’s little more to do than participate in tournaments, it’s a solid game to dip in and out of with friends.