Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2

"Neversoft is God"

A while ago, I got Tony Hawk's Pro Skater for the Nintendo 64. It was a great game, with great graphics, and excellent gameplay and controls. I was excited when I found out they would be making Tony Hawk 2 for N64. Then, I found out they would be cancelling it. I was extremely disapointed. Then, I got the sequel for PlayStation. I was just as excited, and couldn't wait to play. Is the game worth it? Damn right it is. I just have one thing to say: Neversoft is God.

Graphics
Simply put, they're great. They do look a little pixellated, but that was expected from me, because it was on PSX. They still look great. Everything looks life-like in the game. The game camera is never a problem. It flawlessly follows you from behind. That is a big plus. Overall, the graphics are great, bottom line.
Score: 9/10

Control
One of my main concerns when I got this game was that I was used to the controls of the N64 version of the first game. I wasn't sure I would be able to get the hang of these controls. Well, I had nothing to worry about, because I ended up picking up the controls easily. As the skater you pick skates automatically, you use the X button to jump, the D-Pad to move in a certain direction, the shoulder buttons to spin around, and the remaining 3 of the 4 main buttons (Triangle, Square, O) are used for tricks while you are in the air. Performing tricks is easy as pie, which is also a big plus. The only problem is that now I have trouble playing my N64 version of the 1st game!
Score: 10/10

Sound
The skating sound effects sound great, as does the background music. It's performed by bands such as Rage Against The Machine and Powerman 5000. The skaters don't talk, but that really isn't needed.
Score: 9/10

Gameplay
The gameplay in this game is just like the last game. In each level, you must perform objectives. There are a few differences though. In the first game, you tried to earn video tapes by completing objectives. In he sequel, you earn money for completeing objectives, which can be used to buy tricks and stats. And in the sequel, there are 10 objectives per level, over the 5 per level in the first game. It keeps the same objectives in the first game (secret tape, high scores, SKATE letters, 5 items), and adds to them, making a challenging experience.

There are two brand new features in this game. One of them is the Create A Skater. You can mix and match clothing and faces, but I would have liked a better variety to choose from. You can choose where you want to add points to stats, such as Hangtime or Speed. You can assign tricks to your new skater, then take him through the Career Mode to give him money for more points or tricks.

The other new feature is the ability to create a skate park. This is one of my favorite features. You can choose different settings for your skate park, such as indoors or outdoors, the dimensions of the park, and then different parts, like halfpipes, ramps, rails for grinding, etc. It's a great addition to the game.

The levels themselves are pretty big in some cases. It can be challenging to complete objectives where you have to find items, because it's hard to find them in big levels. Aside from that, the levels look great.
Score: 10/10

Replay Value
There's reason to play Career Mode many times. By doing so, you can unlock cheats in the game, that can help you out, or are just for fun. There are also some hidden characters, including one character from a previous Neversoft/Activision game, hailing from New York City. The Create A Skater and Create A Skate Park modes also add replayabliity to the game.
Score: 10/10

Final Score: 10/10
I'm glad I bought this game, and I'm eagerly waiting for Neversoft/Activision to make a 3rd game in the series. I also want to try out Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX, which Tony Hawk 2 contains a demo of. If it's anything like this game, it will be worth it.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 07/09/01, Updated 07/09/01