Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 Review

For PlayStation

By Contributing Writer Chris George

Rating: Awesome 
   What an incredible couple of months for the video game industry.  In the 
past few months, there have been more great games released than there have 
been in some entire years (cough, 1996, cough).  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 is
yet another great game from yet another great developer.  I never thought 
that a skateboarding game could be have this much depth and sheer 
entertainment value, but sure enough, Tony Hawk 2 does.
   Tony Hawk 2 is practically the definition of a perfect sequel (are you 
paying attention, Eidos?).  It has everything that made the original such a 
revered game, while also adding more long-term depth and extensively 
tweaking the basics of the game to make it an all-around better experience.
Like the original, this game is easy to pick up and play whether you're a 
skateboarding fan or not.  You're still able to go where you want, when you 
want rather than being restricted by linear paths.
   The remarkably tight control of the original returns along with a new 
move called the manual, which is rolling on the front or back wheels of the 
skateboard.  Also new this time around is the ability to collect money by 
accomplishing certain tasks, and then using this money up upgrade things 
like stats and tricks.
   Tony Hawk 2's level design is perfect for skateboarding, with huge 
courses like New York, Philadelphia, Venice, a school, and a hangar.  All of
these levels are chock full of secrets that make it well worth your time to 
explore every nook and cranny.  The graphical appearance of the environments
will make you wonder if you're really playing a PSX game, with precisely 
detailed things like graffiti and paintings all over the place.  And no, 
Neversoft didn't take a page out of Sega's book and include a warning label 
with the ridiculous statement, "Graffiti is art."
   Everything else about the game is all you could hope for and more.  The 
skaters are larger and more detailed than ever before, the sound effects 
such as your body smashing into the ground will make you cringe in delight, 
and the soundtrack includes memorable tracks from Rage Against The Machine, 
Papa Roach, Anthrax, and Powerman 5000.
   It's hard to pick one feature that stands above the rest in such a great 
product, but I would have to say that the Create-A-Park Mode is the single 
best addition to the game.  For a mode with this much depth, the interface 
is unbelievably simple, allowing you to insert ramps, pipes, blocks, and 
more with the greatest of ease.  If for some reason you don't want to create
your own masterpiece, you can still have a lot of fun toying around with 
some pre-made parks that Neversoft included in this mode.     
   I'm really at a loss to think of anything wrong with Tony Hawk's Pro 
Skater 2 other than the fact that it doesn't do your household chores for
you.  The PlayStation is going out with a bang thanks to games like Tony 
Hawk 2, which is an instant classic and a serious candidate for Game of 
the Year.

Send your thoughts on this review to chris@mastergamer.com

    
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