Most of human life has been swept away, and Earth is now a golf course for ultra-wealthy. Play through an artistic apocalypse as a solitary golfer for a final round. Between putts, you’ll reconstruct humanity’s fall at the hands of consumerism, Silicon Valley culture, and ecological disaster through narrative, radio-style soundtrack, and environmental storytelling.
The rich fled to Mars, but returned to a desolate Earth for a game of golf. Every hole in the barren landscape offers its own small story and possible mystery to sink the perfect shot. Play through ruined brutalist monuments, crumbling shopping centres and abandoned museums, all while neon signs and poignant graffiti sway between current events, Silicon Valley culture and humanity.
Put together the complete story of how humanity fell through three distinct sources:
1) the player's story details of the solitary golf game, mysteriously returning to Earth for a final match
2) the transmission "Radio Nostalgia From Mars" offers a look at the lives of those who have fled
3) the narrative of a "secret spectator" watching you from afar.
Take a ride with a specially composed soundtrack and personal stories broadcast on Radio "Nostalgia From Mars". The station is aimed at Martian citizens, nostalgic for Earth, as they listen to 2020s music and connect to share memories of the planet. A smooth-voiced radio DJ keeps the show moving with updates and announcements that hint at a life on Mars that’s not quite as captivating.
Three distinct modes mean that every golfer can find something to suit their tastes. Casual players can focus solely on the story and enjoy a relaxing round of golf in Story mode. Those seeking a greater challenge can putt every hole under par using skills and puzzle-solving through the Challenge mode. Meanwhile, total pros can try the Iron mode, where there’s almost zero chance of error. Easy-to-grasp controls and a minimalist user interface form the foundation of the entire game, so anyone can easily begin playing at their own pace.
Each copy of the game includes the official digital soundtrack of Golf Club Wasteland plus an art book from the graphic novel that further expands the behind-the-scenes of the solitary golf player Charley in an extraordinary graphic format.
For you, KotaWorld has tested this game-story with a modest estimated playtime of 3-4 hours at a price of 9.99 euros on Steam. The visual style and setting, combined with the relaxing concept of golf matches, struck us immediately, and during a quiet evening we were able to finish it. The review is therefore "fresh" — just as the game itself might perhaps suggest.
Defining this game correctly will be difficult...
Looking for a simple, straightforward golf game? Yes, but not just that.
Looking for a fantasy post-apocalyptic story? Yes, but not just that
Looking for a game in favour of the environment? Yes, but not only.
Looking for a particularly emotionally intense soundtrack? Yes, but not just that.
We start with the STORIA:
The world is in chaos due to the environmental devastation caused by humanity, rendering the planet toxic. What to do? Escaping to Mars as soon as possible is the only solution. However, it’s clearly unrealistic to think that everyone can be evacuated. Who goes? Certainly the wealthiest, but also a significant portion of the general population. Who organises all this? History doesn’t tell us, but through the very short podcasts offered by Radio "Nostalgia From Mars", we understand there’s little goodwill behind this organisation. Firearms are carried, parents die to allow children to abandon Earth, or other bizarre situations are truly recurrent and can be easily recounted through stories broadcasted as personal memories on the radio.
Is everything alright as long as it ends well? Sorry for those who didn’t make it, but life on Mars is fine... this is the first common thought, but immediately something bitter and sad begins to float too early. Life on Mars is complex; there’s no atmosphere, no water, no oxygen. The population lives under too many strict and rigid protocols, where even the so-called "new Martians" are forced to donate their seminal fluid as part of a "population control and growth" program on the new planet. They can perceive no scent; personal contact is forbidden due to the mandatory wearing of astronaut suits. Removing them equals instant death.
Charley, as previously anticipated, is a wealthy "farmer" of Mars who joins the Golf Club to return to playing golf on a vast course: Earth. The locations are truly beautiful and the gameplay isn't always mundane or predictable across the 35 "courses" offered.
The final field? That won’t be spoiled for you. Try it and tell us how emotionally it touched you.
The GAMEPLAY and the GRAPHICS
The gameplay and graphics are extremely minimalist. The first reminds you very much of other games, for example "Aim!", where launching the ball and making a hole requires only selecting the shot's intensity and angle using the mouse exclusively. Pay attention to puddles of water, piles of leaves, and other surfaces where the ball must not end up or is slowed down — and nothing more, nothing less. The graphics are well-developed, offering a view that satisfies fans of the genre but with almost non-existent personalisation. The same can be said about the graphical and structural design of the game menus, which resemble mobile games very much.
Golf Club: Wasteland is now available on PC, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
