Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x

"Sell your old games, you're off to heaven"

Just for the record, I will start by clarifying that I have fully beaten the original Tony Hawk (PSX), mostly finished with Tony Hawk 2 (PSX), and finished Tony Hawk 3, for the most part (15 times on PS2, 10 on GC). As you can see, I like Tony Hawk. I don't love it (we'll get to that), but it is one of the more original and fun games out there.

It seems that Tony Hawk 2x seemed to be hit or miss, depending on who you talk to. In all honesty, the only reason I picked it up was to have something to utilize the XBox custom soundtrack option. I picked it up expecting nothing special at all, but ended up with one of my favorite XBox games of the moment. We'll break it down as per usual...

Graphics - On one hand, this is the XBox update of a 2-3 year old PSX series. It better look nice. On the other, wow, it looks NICE. Everything looks polished (or appropriately gritty). But where this game shines is in the details. Graphitti is legible (which, um ,it should be), and every chunk of asphalt, wood, and nearly every blade of grass is lovingly rendered. The skaters are detailed very nicely, and even get raspberries and cuts from bails. Nice touch. Overall, it's not ''OH MY GOD, I HAVE TO CHANGE MY PANTS!!'', but it is a noticeable step up from PS2 and GC Tony Hawk 3. System seller? Graphically, this is one of the more standout ''Only on XBox'' games I've seen.

On a side note, if you watch your female skater in a tight shirt, she'll pull a DOA3 occasionally. Just a side note...

Solid 9/10

Sound - The soundtrack is Tony Hawk 2's. I'll leave it at that. But in the end, who cares? You can make your own mix. If you think skating simply demands the Descendents, go for it. If you simply have no skill until you grab some Tribe Called Quest, then enjoy. Anything can happen, child, anything can be. Just make sure you don't try CD-Rs. The XBox isn't too happy with them.

The sound effects themselves are spot on. I definitely found sounds I never noticed the first time around on PSX. Every clink of a rail, grating of unwaxed deck on concrete, and meaty smack of flesh is there for your enjoyment. Of particular note are the ''board on asphalt'' and ''board on wood quarter pipe'' noise. Ah, memories.

9/10 - Brings in a great atmosphere. Bring on the 'Dew and let's get EXTREME!!!

Gameplay - Yes, go ahead and curse your XBox controller. I dunno if it's because I have big hands, I have guitar dexterity, or what, but the XBox controller doesn't bother me at all. I never once bailed and blamed the controller. So, from what I can tell, the game responds beautifully.

If you have played 3, however, please note the lack of the Revert and Manual Specials (well, there are two). This might hurt your playing style.

8/10; 6/10- if you honestly need the Revert and Manual Specials to score.

Design- The level design is great as well. I still prefer the Chicago Warehouse from TH1 than any level in TH3. But in an unbiased world, it comes down to this:
These classic levels are less outlandish than anything TH3 brought to the table. And level goals are less exciting than TH3.
But I feel that the level designs from 1 and 2 lend themselves more to multiplayer and high score skating.

As for Character Creation, it doesn't come close to the flexibility of what Hawk 3 offers. You're fairly limited to one face and whatever you can mix up. It's the Hawk 2 creation engine, except now with women. But hey, you can make Josie from the Pussycats. Cool!

9/10 - Nothing new, but if it aint broke, don't fix it. The five new levels are nothing really mindblowing, however.

So, overall, I find this game is a solid purchase. If you are really addicted to Hawk 3 (mainly the Reverts and Manual Specials), then maybe you won't want to step back. Casual Hawk fans and Hawkheads alike can find something to enjoy in this beautifully done director's cute.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/06/02, Updated 01/06/02