PGA Tour 2K21 received generally favorable reviews, with critics feeling that the game preserved the realism of its predecessors, while adding more difficulty levels and assists to make it more accessible to a wider audience.
The game has sold around 3 million units, as of May 2022.[1]
Owen S. Good of Polygon felt that the game addressed almost all of his criticisms of The Golf Club 2019, and that its assists "[gave] me the certainty of knowing that when my shot goes awry, I did something wrong. Moreover, I know what I did wrong, and the game no longer feels arbitrary or punitive."[16]
Tristan Ogilvie of IGN similarly noted that given the reputation of The Golf Club as being an "uncompromisingly hardcore simulation" of golf (to the point that comparisons were made to FromSoftware games), the difficulty modes and assist options allowed players to achieve a more balanced experience. Among criticisms were its "static" environments, a lack of any women's tour or tournament options, such as LPGA events, or any licensed female players (although female golfers can still be created), the included PGA Tour characters not being playable, as well as levelling and rival systems that felt "arbitrary". In conclusion, it was felt that the game as a whole was the "most flexible and enjoyable golf game since EA’s Tiger Woods series was at its peak".[11]
Barring "minor annoyances" such as its handling of rough, repetitive commentary, none of the tour professionals being playable in-game, and its use of micro-transactions, GameSpot felt that PGA Tour 2K21 was "the most realistic and pure golf experience in a game to date", preserving key aspects of The Golf Club while making it more accessible to a wider variety of players.[8]
