Advanced Access for PGA Tour 2K25 is currently ongoing with the launch of its regular edition following on Friday, so the golf sim has been in the hands of critics and users alike for enough time to form some opinions -- and 2K Games is likely very happy with the reviews so far.
With an average rating of 82/100, the PS5 version of the game is outscoring 2023's EA Sports PGA Tour as well as its own predecessors, PGA Tour 2K21 and 2K23, which are all rated with 76/100 on review aggregating site Metacritic.
Critics praised both the game's visual and mechanical improvements compared to PGA Tour 2K23, which they said make the gameplay feel much more fresh and enjoyable. They also lauded the introduction of the MyCareer and MyPlayer modes -- staples from 2K's NBA franchise -- but criticized their connection to an influx of microtransactions and virtual currencies.
Players already experiencing the game via Advanced Access echo these sentiments. The title is currently sitting on "Very Positive" reviews on Steam with users praising the smooth controls and ability to customize the title's difficulty.
On the negative side, players noted that menus feel clunky at times and a few bugs are still running rampant. PC players in particular are suffering from an issue that leads to their controllers being disconnected from the game while playing.
Users appear to be content with the progression system and its balance between upgrades that can be unlocked via gameplay and those that are locked behind purchases. Like the critics, many fans are concerned about the trend of microtransactions becoming a more present aspect of the series, though.
To illustrate that, the upcoming Clubhouse Pass for Season 1 of PGA Tour 2K25 comes with 34 free rewards as opposed to 100 premium rewards available in the paid version. The good news for golf fans who plan on ignoring all those systems and simply want to have a fun time on the green is that PGA Tour 2K25 appears to be the best iteration of the series yet for that.