PlayStation 2

Tony Hawk's Underground

Fãs da série não tem como errar em "Underground". E com o novo cenário com menos restrições e a nova opção de dificuldade, a série agora pode agradar tanto os novatos quanto os campeões da prancha.

The biggest name in skateboarding takes a back seat to a nation full of wannabes in Tony Hawk?s Underground?and the results represent a fresh start for the series.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater continues to be a video-game phenomenon. With four monster hits already under its belt, developer Neversoft has released the latest game in the series -- Tony Hawk's Underground. And it's another winner. This time, the skate-mad Neversoft takes extreme fantasy boarding in a different direction. The mantra of THUG is that you are the star -- literally. With an entertaining story mode, the ability to map your own face onto a skater, and some seriously sweet online multiplayer gaming, THUG on the PlayStation 2 is one of the best games you'll play this year.

When Activision and Neversoft first released Tony Hawk Pro Skater, they created an instant hit to an otherwise dead genre. Since that time, Neversoft created four more games in the series and each version is far superior to its predecessor, both in gameplay and graphics. For the fifth version, Neversoft has decided to expand the storyline in the game, and make it more personal. How does this change up the gameplay, and is it as fun as its predecessors? Read on to find out!

No, it's not a skateboarding revolution, dufus. But Neversoft, the development team responsible for the skateboard-videogame upheaval of the late 1990s, has indeed handed over the controls to the kids. Tony Hawk's Underground (THUG), the fifth title in as many years as its existence, gives players more customization, more control and more to do in this year's model that it's become a tough task to get it all down on paper.

The Pro Skater series can be broken up into two halves: THPS 1-3, and post-Tony 4. In the former, you had relatively small levels with a set time limit to accomplish as many goals as possible. The latter, which THUG is the second installment of, makes larger levels where you have to seek out goals – which are undertaken one at a time. While I prefer the old-school Pro Skater philosophy, Underground is a step up from Tony 4 and breaks new ground in many areas.

What do candy bars, free drinks and Beatles songs have in common? You never get sick of them. You might take a break for fear of diabetes, a wicked hangover or impure thoughts of Yoko, but after a day or so it’s like someone hit the reset button and you’re good to go again.

Neversoft has done an admirable job of keeping the Tony Hawk series fresh, though it seems like they finally may be running out of ideas. The car driving marks a first time in the series that a new idea simply falls flat on its face, and the ability to get off your board, when used improperly, does the same. That being said, the online mode, which allows you to download and upload created parks, and take on people from all over the country in a variety of events, might be an indication of what's in store for future incarnations of the game. The online content is solid, and then menus are easy to use, making it clear that the PS2 version of the game is the one to purchase if you have the option. If you're a fan of the series, then there is enough new here to keep your interest, but if you're growing a little tired of the games, then a rental might suffice.

While the classic Tony Hawk gameplay is still fantastic after all this time, the new story mode doesn't make as dramatic of a change as it probably could have. When it comes to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, there are some standards that have remained constant throughout the entire series. In the game's career mode, you picked a professional skater and went from level to level, completing goals that really didn't have much to do with being a professional skater.

Chaque année, Tony Hawk revient comme pour réaffirmer sa position de leader sur le secteur. Underground marque un tournant dans la série sans pour autant lui faire perdre son niveau de qualité. Au contraire !

Although Activision will tell you that Tony Hawk's Underground (or THUG) is more than just the fifth Tony Hawk title in as many years, these days Neversoft's extreme sports skating franchise operates on much the same terms as any other sports game - you get a new version every 12 months and it'll probably have enough gimmicks and marketing devices on top of last year's feature list to hook you in.

It's funny - when you're on a skateboard, everything looks like a ramp or a rail! It's also fun to explore and uncover secret areas. Underground has on-line capabilities and even a feature that lets you download an image of your own face and super-impose it on your character! If Underground was trying to take the series in a new direction and expand its scope, then its mission was accomplished. Personally I still prefer the original recipe Tony Hawk, but I admire this game's ambition.

Eftersom jag tillsammans med Thomas spelade Tony Hawk's Underground för någon månad sedan kan jag inte säga att jag blev besviken då jag satte mig framför det färdiga resultatet, men alla som förväntar sig ett Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 kommer utan tvekan att bli både besvikna och ledsna om de spenderar sina surt förvärvade slantar på detta spel som inte på något sätt är värt att bära Tony Hawks namn.