"Wait, so what was the point of this game?"

This is without any doubt the downfall of the incredibly popular Tony Hawk skateboarding series which has dominated the markets since the ever popular original. As the series progressed, each new game wowed and delighted us in ways unknown to man. A whole new element was being introduced, and more fun was being thrown in with each one, giving new features and fun to muck around with and go wild over.

But when THUG 2 hit the shelves, all of my love for the THPS series went right down the drain. The designers must have been drunk when they produced this game. So many elements were attempted to make the game exciting and fun, and rest assured, every single element they added was a crash-and-burn fail.

Take one new thing, "focus" for example. It puts you into slow-motion (like The Matrix really) and I think it was intended for you to pull off some stupid new moves they added. The whole mode was a complete fail, as it only halves the game-speed and you'll screw up any trick, regardless.

Furthermore, the designers were obviously desperate for ideas. I mean come on, you can play as a native-Australian in a go kart or a disabled kid in a wheel chair. Really, instead of it being fun, it's just some complete and utter useless crap which was obviously used as filler. What the hell were they thinking for tricks this time? The wheelchair? How pathetic is that?

Plot
1/10

You're some newbie, you need to get you and your buddies to be the best skaters around. Join Tony Hawk or Bam Margera (who was poorly drawn and animated if I may add). It's the most pathetic plot any game has ever had, and what the hell was the use if it was just forgotten and disregarded by the first damn level?

Gameplay
4/10

Thankfully, some of the raw gameplay elements still shine from this trash's predecessors. There's a lot of things to grind, a lot of quarter/half pipes to ride, and some pretty nice levels to skate around. Sadly, the layout of every level is so pathetic, you'll never be able to rack up decent combos without cheating.

The inclusion of a park-builder was nice to see. However, there's hardly any freedom, and it's really just a stupid little way to make a decently laid out park that the designers could have added themselves. Boo.

Graphics
6/10

Ah, the graphics are the second best element to this entire game. The graphics are good, for the character skins however. The actual graphical layout of the level you are on is really good, for most of them. However, the NPCs and vehicles look pathetic, as do some of the things you need to collect and grind across the game.

Sound
7/10

The best feature to this mess. THUG2 has introduced a better soundtrack. Johnny Cash, The Ramones, to name a few! The general sound score is a constant loop and it's as annoying as sin after a while. Hearing a CRRRRRRRRRRRRR THUMP! ORH! as you fail a grind is enough to make you scream after the tenth time you hear it.

I was pleased with the soundtrack though, as a fair few favoured songs were, to some surprised, added to the game, which is the backbone to the pathetic sound system you have to put up with.

Replay
2/10

Wait, you mean you aren't mean to throw it away after the first time through? After you've 100% completed it for the first time, you'll be ungodly sick of this trash and will want to throw it away. For me, the day I finished it completely (all gaps, etc) which was the same weekend I bought it, the game ended up in the back of my game pile, and it hasn't been touched since then.

Conclusion

The Tony Hawks series was a complete success, and I respect the creators in its entirety for that. However, THUG2 was such a humiliation to the skateboarding games, it's made me lose all faith in the future Tony Hawk games to be released.

Final Score (not an average): 3/10
Rent or buy?: Neither. Avoid this crap at all costs.

Reviewer's Score: 3/10, Originally Posted: 04/14/06