Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4

"Will this series ever get stale?"

THPS4 for the Xbox is currently my favorite game. I really don't know how this series hasn't gotten boring yet. Every year is a drastic improvement over the last. This year's is no exception.

Introduction
If you haven't played any of the Tony Hawk series you have been missing out. This is the best series of skateboard games ever. Even if you don't like skate boarding you will love these games. Buy one..... NOW.

Gameplay
This is my favorite part. This game plays SMOOTH. The main part of the game is the career mode. This is what I'll be talking about here. Most levels are absolutely huge, but not over-whelming. It plays out kind of like a platformer. There is no time limit. You skate around and talk to people who will give you goals. Some goals are simple, like getting a set high score. But some are strange, like butt-boarding through a slalom course. After every goal you complete you get money and sometimes stat points. You can use the money to buy new levels, cheats, secret skaters, and boards. Overall, it's a pretty satisfying experience. After every goal you complete, you get a pro point. Each level takes x amount of pro points to unlock.
Overall this game is just oozing with charm. You'll see familiar faces if you're a fan of the series too. Does anyone remember Ollie the Magic Bum?

Controls
I thought the controls would kill this game for me. I'm so used to playing this on the controller it was designed for... the Playstation's. I was pretty impressed. It all felt natural after a few minutes. I can bust out the huge combos like I used to. I kind of don't like how close together the buttons are. It's tough to jump while you're grinding sometimes. This is not a huge problem. I have yet to play it with the controller S. I'm sure it's better.

Other
This game is full of ''other''. If you get bored of skating, why not play some baseball? From what I've seen it's chock full of mini-games. Most are un-satisfying, but some are fun diversions. The luge mission was a blast. Create-a-park is back. I was never a big fan of it, but some people like it. Create-a-skater is their also. Once again, this is not really my bag. But it seems pretty deep. System link multi-player is their although I haven't tried it yet.

Overall
Sound: Good sound effects and custom soundtrack are great.
Controls: Good, but I'd rather have A Dual Shock.
Graphics: Obviously designed for PS2, but still good.
Gameplay: This where this game shines. Outstanding.
SCORE: 9/10

Final note: This game is not a renter. I suggest you pick it up ASAP. bye.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/26/02, Updated 10/26/02