Tony Hawk's Underground 2 (PS2 Review)

What exactly is it that creates such a draw for video games? People outside of our experiences seem to think that it’s the sex and violence that drives the popularity. You can simply verify this by seeing or hearing any news release done by a media outlet that does not make covering video games their prime business. The most recent example of this was of ABC’s radio news broadcast on the day that Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was released. Their reporter noted that this version would be so much more than, “The three previous games before.” Sure, this may be a minor gaffe, but this is one of the same agencies that demoralizes the very existence of games whenever a video game happens to be linked with a crime.

 

What outsiders fail to realize is that gaming is the ultimate road for expansion of thought or imagination. Moreover, it allows people to assume the personage of characters that they would have, in no expectable way, the possibility to become in their actual lives. True, it is an extreme form of escapism, more so than books or movies could ever be, mostly because of the interaction that games allow rather than the passive observation that other media outlets present. Nevertheless, probably the most successful genre for video games in a whole would be those of the sports category, rather than those that have blatant killing or fanciful worlds. 

A prime example of this would be Activision’s Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 (THUG), especially to one of my generation. For a 35 year old, my days of skating have well passed, even though they never really started in the first place. No longer do I have the “Superman” mental aspect and my mortality is more clear to me than to those less in age. So, now it is through games of this nature am I able to become “Superman” once again and live my life on the edge without having to worry about a financial increase to my medical plan.

Being the sixth in the series, Tony Hawk Pro Skater has been an exceptionally prolific franchise for Activision. Time and time again, each review of a title next in line for the series has uttered the words, “I thought that nothing new could be added to the game to make it fresh.” Time and time again the reviewer was shocked to learn that every game could stand on its own merit and was something credible to be included within one’s library. How it is that professional reviewers would be taken by surprise by the continuous success of a series, especially one that constantly reaches the upper echelon of review scores?

There are only two major reasons why a franchise would fall flat on its behind. Either the development of the game is handed off to a completely new team that did not work with the series from the ground up (Crash Bandicoot) or the hype generated by the media wears off to expose the title for what it truly was (Tomb Raider) from the beginning. The Tony Hawk line of games has always received good press, but never been one to be overly jammed down the throat of gamers and Neversoft itself has retained the series in-house. Since these two points have been addressed, one should not expect anything less than another rendition of excellence.

The only other possible factor that could create a slump for a gaming series would be if the developers were not able to bring something new to the table, or they simply rehashed a successful formula over and over again in pursuit of the almighty dollar. To do this, Neversoft has gone and brought a whole new story mode into being, where it moves away from games of the past to develop a completely new feel. Akin to a rampage across the world, players are included on a skating team for the World Destruction Tour and it is your job to wreck as much havoc in the numerous locales as possible.

Seemingly, these goals focus more on the off-board adventures of your skater than actually being on it. Your character can run, throw objects, jump and climb throughout the levels to reach heights never before available in a Tony Hawk title. Along with being able to tag-team an area with another pro skater, there are also hidden characters within the level and these boys are packing some extremely wild rides. This all adds up to a massive list of separate goals for each level that skaters need to accomplish to complete a section.

However, this deviation from the previous versions may not sit well with skating purists. So, Neversoft has given a two-for-one special and included the old style classic mode which lets you play along just like the previous games. You can tackle all of the THUG 2 levels or take a walk down memory lane, once they are unlocked, through six re-released environments. Each section has the two-minute time limit and ten new goals to keep you on the edge of your board as you go for the fan favorite S-K-A-T-E combo, find the hidden tape or look to reach that new high score total. There also is a branching level progression, so you get the opportunity to skate where you want without being forced to march through the mode in a rigid linear fashion.

All of the moves found in previous games have made their triumphant return, which spells instant success and record breaking totals for combo scores. Although my limited skills would not let me even get close, I have seen combo numbers as high as 50 million on the Internet site, which can only account for the excellent control the game gives a player and a well thought out level design for each place you will visit. Characters react instantly to the slightest touch of the controller and the button layout works with you, rather than making the tasks more difficult. This is exactly what I would expect from a series that has been in existence since 1999 and is a credit to Neversoft.

The musical selection is exceptionally varied and has something for everyone. Most of the groups were completely foreign to such an old fogey, but even I had something to enjoy with tracks from Johnny Cash, The Doors and even Frank Sinatra. I have had little to no exposure with most of the remaining groups, but I will say that every tune meshes well within the game and definitely is worth keeping the volume turned up. Moreover, having more than 50 songs making up the soundtrack, you should be able to play for quite a while before hearing the same song over again. Plus you have the option to customize your playlist to include only the tracks that you enjoy.

The remaining audio is just as impressive. Sporting Dolby Pro Logic II support your system will be utilized to the maximum effect. The voice acting is all done very well and you actually care what the characters are talking about when going through the story. The sounds from your board and what you do with it also it top notch. Everything from toppling trash cans, to grinding or kissing rails and even riding over cobblestones all ring true to the ear. Although I looked high and low, I couldn’t find a chink in THUG 2‘s armor where the audio aspect was concerned.

Visually, the game looks just as good as previous versions. Since it is using the same game engine, the strengths and weaknesses of what has come before all have remained intact. There still is the issue of the third-person camera where it will be blocked by the environmental obstructions, but these are few and far between. Characters and the destructible environments all have an authentic feel and the levels are exceptionally large and varied for what you can do in them. THUG 2 supports widescreen televisions and has a letterbox version for those of us not able to afford the big screens. Blood effects, even though they are minor, can also be turned off for the slightly squeamish.

Extras? This is one of the few games where there are more extra options in a game than the main game itself. In all honesty, Burger King missed a golden opportunity to get connected up with THUG 2 as it really should have been called “Tony Hawk: Have It Your Way.” Online functions are massive and the customizing options are beyond normal belief. This truly should be the model for any upcoming title on how to give gamers exactly what they want by enabling them to make it themselves.

To start off, both broadband and dial-up users can get their skate on with very little in the way of penalties. The only main difference really comes for hosting a game, as narrowband owners can only have games with three participants while those with a wider pipeline can have up to eight. Nevertheless, there is no real segregation, as dial-up users can freely join up with any group. There is, however, some decisive disadvantages running on the regular connection as animations of the opposite players will not be as smooth as you experience playing offline. But as long as you aren’t worried about the details, you should enjoy the opportunity to display your skating skills to the world. Also, the community seemed to be exceptionally friendly and very willing to tolerate a newcomer, like myself. So even if you aren’t packing the moves of a pro, you should have no problem getting involved with the game for the first time.

The variety of games that you can play online is just about as staggering as the regular options. You have a choice of trick attack, score challenge, combo mambo, slap, king of the hill, graffiti, firefight, elimiskate, goal attack, capture the flag and the all-new scavenger hunt. Not only can you take your completely customized character onto the Internet, but you can also bring along the park where you will skate. Any of the venues that you have unlocked in the offline mode can be used, along with any of your very own creations. Furthermore, you can access Neversoft’s online vault and download parks, skaters, tricks, goals and even personal graphics to help add some spice into your life after you have completed the massive offline game.

For players without an Internet connection, there is included a two-player mode so you can get your skate on with a friend of significant other. Although some game modes are restricted for online play only (Capture the Flag, Elimiskate and Goal Attack), Neversoft has brought the favorite H.O.R.S.E. in for only the offline mode. You can even “keep it real” and use the free skate option with no score or time limit restrictions, so you both can show off your cool moves without the worry about security or physical injury ruining the party. The split-screen does hamper your visibility and makes skating more difficult for the player, but it is a viable alternative in a pinch.

In an update to last year’s release, not only can you send in a picture to be placed onto your skater over the Internet, but now EyeToy owners can cut out the middle man and do it all for themselves. The picture quality is of high grade and is very simple to utilize. After a few button presses and some minor picture alignment, you can put anything, including the face of a favorite pet, on your custom skater for you to personalize your appearance on and offline. Then you have a tremendous amount of accessories, in the way of facial hair, eyeglasses, skin tone, head shape and hats to bring off the complete package. Even specific parts can be altered, like chins and noses, for length and size. Nothing seems to be left to chance and every possibility looks to have been covered by Neversoft.

The rest of your body has not been forgotten either. Anything that you want is within your controller’s grasp, from licensed shirts and pants, wrist bands, protective gear, tattoos, footwear and even the taping and wheel color of your board. You will be hard pressed not to be able to make an exact recreation of your personal appearance with everything that is available or having to worry about seeing someone who looks exactly like you when skating online. You have the option to make your character as outlandish or conservative as you want, only time and your imagination are the only things hindering you in this endeavor.

Everything else in the game can be altered or created from scratch. Players can make their own skate parks from the ground up. Ramps, rails, gaps, environmental backgrounds, obstacles and pools can be designed however you would like to have them placed. Anything that Neversoft has done in the regular version of the game can be done in your personal skating heaven. After you make a level, it’s time to add in your own touch by placing unique goals just like you found in both the classic and story modes. You can even edit what the pedestrians will say once a goal has been completed. Don’t like the variety of tricks your character can perform? That’s not a problem, as you can develop new ones to make your moves different from anything else. For aspiring professional video game designers, this title has to be one of the best on the market to hone your skills and show off during an interview.

THUG 2 is much more than “just another sequel” and could only offer the player more if they included a skateboard inside the game case. This is the best example of giving a gamer a complete package with just about everything being customizable and still having a top-notch title to show it all off. The depth is unheralded and your replay ability should keep you grinding well into the night. Nothing seems to have been left out of the mix and I’m really interested in seeing how Neversoft plans to try to top this latest release. If you are a skating fan, I would expect you to already have this game in your collection. However, if you have been sitting on the fence, let me knock you off in the direction of your local game store. Every gamer should experience Tony Hawk Underground 2, even if you have never touched a skateboard.

Difficulty: 7

Control:10

Visual:9

Sound: 10

Replayability: 10

Overall: 9.6