28 October 2005
Tony Hawk's American Wasteland
One of the goals in this game requires you to jump over a shark. It even happens in slow motion and the gap name for it is "the Fonzie". I'm going to be positive about things and say that that is some sort of signal from the no doubt overworked THPS team at Neversoft. They're telling us "we understand what you're going through, just hang on".
It is practically heroic to have released a hit game every year for the last seven years but a part of me wonders if it was the right thing to do. Maybe Neversoft's buyout deal with Activision included a certain number of Tony Hawk titles and the last couple years have been their "contractual obligation-filling double album" phase. I hope so.
All other things aside the true appeal of Tony Hawk games has always been a certain refinement in the gameplay. THPS games always felt "natural" to play. Even when the content got exceedingly stupid and "Jackass"-focused the sweet, sweet satisfaction of nailing a long special over a gap or lining up a rail transfer perfectly remained. But they took it too far. At any point on any level you can just alternate between pressing x and triangle and do a lengthy combo. You can do a 720 or 900 off every quarter pipe. since every button is mapped to something at all times you frequently Bert Slide while trying to walk or start flips or rolls just while ollieing. THere's only six levels in classic mode [there's 8 if you buy the $60 limited edition], they didn't even bother making Classic goals for the main levels in the game.
It's still a Tony Hawk game and it's still fun to cruise around at high speed [fater than ever] and just try things. But in a lot of ways it just feels too raw and unfinished.
Like I said about SSX On Tour if this was the first THPS game ever it would be an achievement. The problem is that we've become accustomed to them being achievements every single time so now that it's not we can't help but feel disappointed.
It is practically heroic to have released a hit game every year for the last seven years but a part of me wonders if it was the right thing to do. Maybe Neversoft's buyout deal with Activision included a certain number of Tony Hawk titles and the last couple years have been their "contractual obligation-filling double album" phase. I hope so.
All other things aside the true appeal of Tony Hawk games has always been a certain refinement in the gameplay. THPS games always felt "natural" to play. Even when the content got exceedingly stupid and "Jackass"-focused the sweet, sweet satisfaction of nailing a long special over a gap or lining up a rail transfer perfectly remained. But they took it too far. At any point on any level you can just alternate between pressing x and triangle and do a lengthy combo. You can do a 720 or 900 off every quarter pipe. since every button is mapped to something at all times you frequently Bert Slide while trying to walk or start flips or rolls just while ollieing. THere's only six levels in classic mode [there's 8 if you buy the $60 limited edition], they didn't even bother making Classic goals for the main levels in the game.
It's still a Tony Hawk game and it's still fun to cruise around at high speed [fater than ever] and just try things. But in a lot of ways it just feels too raw and unfinished.
Like I said about SSX On Tour if this was the first THPS game ever it would be an achievement. The problem is that we've become accustomed to them being achievements every single time so now that it's not we can't help but feel disappointed.
