Some games scream "buy me". Others don't. Sid Meier's Sim Golf just does not provide £30-worth of gaming.

It would more appealing at under £20.

The game puts you in charge of your own golf resort. You play the roles of course designer, chief executive and resident pro and try to grow your business from a small, public pitch-and-putt to a five-star resort, complete with private memberships, airstrips and luxury hotels.

To do this, you need to design courses that are fun and challenging and manage your resort's resources to satisfy your guests' growing needs.

Despite bearing the name of Sid Meier (of Civilisation fame), the game is more rewarding than challenging. A gentle game with just the lightest touch of themed management.

Your options are severely restricted. You can hire and fire a small range of staff but their wages are set and the decision to raise the green fees is automatic.

There are many financial graphs to study but it is hard to stop their lines going up while playing anything other than the hard mode.

You expand and improve until the 18th hole is complete, at which point you can try to attract tournaments, take part in championships by making a sim golf pro and adjust your pro's appearance and skills.

Sim Golf is an ill-conceived and unpolished game with more bugs than buggies - a patch to make it work properly was available to download before the game was on sale.

Although easy to play and pretty enough to look at, there are many annoying aspects, such as the little snapshots and information which pop up and halt the flow of the game.

Making courses is pretty much all there is to it. The lack of an overall objective will not please gamers who are used to working towards a pre-defined goal. There are so many intricacies to the game, particularly when attempting to construct the holes, it is an easy way to relax for a couple of hours.

Price: £29.99.

Contact: simgolf.ea.com
Feel good factor: 6 out of 10.