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A solid port of the PlayStation 2 version. Project 8 reminds me a lot of THPS 3 on PlayStation. By then the series had pushed forward to the PlayStation 2 and THPS 3 tried to incorporate as many of the next-generation features as possible with the PlayStation hardware. Project 8, on PSP, retains the solid gameplay that the Tony Hawk series is known for while incorporating some of the new additions like “nail the trick” and focus mode. As expected, some of the other features—namely motion capture and the streaming world—didn’t make the cut on the PSP version.
Tony Hawk’s Project 8 takes a step back from the story-focused Tony Hawk’s Underground, its sequel, and American Wasteland. The game does have a diminutive storyline that involves Tony Hawk looking for the best 8 amateurs to assemble a team. Coincidentally, this happens to be the 8th Tony Hawk game. This means that you start as a no-name skater, pull off some moves to earn a #200 rank, and eventually move your way into the top eight and ultimately to the number one spot. Although Tony Hawk is front-and-center in the story, you’ll find other pro skaters like Bam Margera, Paul Rodriguez, Jr., Bob Burnquist and even Ryan Sheckler. Aside from the career mode, you’ll find free skate and creater-a-skater modes.
To make it into the top eight you’ll have to show that you have what it takes. The game has spot challenges which require that you pull off a certain move in a given location. These challenges are automatically begun when you execute the required move near the location that the challenge takes place in. You’ll also find puzzle challenges, which give you a start point and end point and task you with arranging set pieces in order to link a combo for the entire duration. The game also has bail challenges which require you to accumulate insane hospital bills by having insane bails. You’ll also find classic 2-minute goals similar to the first few games incorporated right into the game. Each of the game’s challenges has an amateur, pro, and sick ranking. Achieving the amateur ranking for a challenge won’t be very hard, but pulling off the challenge and earning a sick will test even the Tony Hawk faithful. As you pull off these tricks, the game gives you skill points to improve your character. It works but it would have been nice to use the automatic system found in the next-gen version.
As expected in the Tony Hawk franchise, the game introduces some new gameplay mechanics. Project 8 introduces “nail the trick,” by way of special “nail the trick” challenges or simply hitting both sticks while in the air. In this mode, you enter a slowed down mode where the camera focuses on your feet and the skateboard. On the PSP, the directional pad controls one foot and the face buttons control the others. While it doesn’t seem like the most intuitive setup—and there is a steeper learning curve than on consoles—you’ll be pulling off multipliers in no time. The game also introduces a focus mode which also slows down time but lets you pull off the standard Tony Hawk moves. These features were introduced in the next-generation version of the game and it’s nice to see that Page 44 Studios incorporated it into the PSP. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the motion capture system. Project 8 for PSP uses the same animation system as the previous games, which still looks good but not great.
Project 8 on PSP supports local wireless multiplayer for up to four players. The Tony Hawk staples are here like trick attack, graffiti, elimiskate, score challenge, slap, and h.o.r.s.e. are included. The game also includes nail the trick attack in which the game only keeps track of nail the trick points. The PSP version exclusively features Obstacle Course, in which you try to raise to the finish line as fast as possible. While it would have been great to have online multiplayer on PSP, the multiplayer mode is better fleshed out than it was on current-generation consoles.
Project 8 looks just like its PS2 counterpart, which is to say that the graphics are similar to the current-generation Tony Hawk games and THUG 2 Remix on PSP. The skater models are solid and the animation system is good despite having the quirks associated with the Tony Hawk games. The environments share a similar level to detail. The game has you skating around in a number of urban and suburban areas but unlike the next-generation versions, it isn’t one huge streaming world. If you look carefully, you’ll notice that some textures are of lower quality in the PSP game, but the game generally looks better on the smaller PSP screen.
The game’s audio is great, and strikingly similar to the next-generation version. The sound effects are as amazing as always and you’ll even notice that the skating sounds change depending on which surface you’re skating over. The varied soundtrack includes over 50 songs so you’re bound to find something you like.
Tony Hawk’s Project 8 on PSP is a faithful port of the current-generation version. It’s very impressive that Page 44 Studios managed to introduce “nail the trick” and focus mode to the PSP and make it as intuitive as possible. Because this is a port of the PS2 version, the game has the same concessions that version had over the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game. If you got tired of skating around in THUG 2 Remix, you’ll definitely want to give Project 8 a whirl. -- Adam Nunez, PGNx Media
---- Nov 22, 2006
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