|
Tony Hawk 2 is such an amazing game that it’s almost unbelievable that it was able to achieve such heights. There is no skateboarding game on the Playstation that is better than this, although there are many that have tried.
The graphics are really good for Playstation, and are some of the best on the system. While the Playstation isn’t capable of a true level of realism, the characters look pretty much like their real life counterparts, which is good news for hardcore fans of skateboarding. The levels are also amazing in not only graphical detail, but in size as well. It will take you a couple of runs to find all the secret areas in each level, such as areas on the roof of a school. There is just so much to do that THPS2 will be challenging you for a while. Tony Hawk 2 really pushes the Playstation to its limits and considering that the game is now about a year old, that’s pretty impressive.
The rocking soundtrack suits the game perfectly, with tracks by Naughty by Nature, Papa Roach, and other punk/rock bands. It suits the street style of the game well. While it’s not for everyone, it never distracts you and can be kept at a low volume. Besides, since it is a skateboarding game almost any type of music will work as a good background for the game. You can also change the tracks so you only have to listen to the ones you like, although the lesser-known ones aren’t that bad. Also, you’ll hear every bone splitting crash in perfect detail, and even you may even laugh when you hear your character after they have been hit by a taxicab. It makes the game more realistic from this extra detail in the various levels, and it also makes the game more fun.
Tony Hawk 2’s gameplay is topnotch, but it can be frustrating and very difficult at times. Some of the level goals are confusing, thus increasing the difficulty and the frustration level. An example is in the School level when the goal is Grind Three Roll Call Rails. The game gives you no clue whatsoever of what these rails are; you just have to find them by trial and error. But it never makes you want to throw the controller, because you can go into Free Skate and figure out the goal without a time limit. This helps a lot, and if you look hard enough the answers will be revealed. The characters in the game control perfectly and responding to your immediate movements, which is good because some of the moves require them to respond to your immediate action. Unlike the first game, combos are now very easy to do and it is possible to wrack up one million points! Control has never been smoother, and probably won’t get any better on the Playstation.
Tony Hawk 2 has the most modes and options of any other skateboarding game on the Playstation. You can Create Skaters, Skate Parks, or even just Free Skate for as long as you want. While the Create a Park mode makes you create a relatively small level, the fact that it is one of the first games to have this makes it impressive anyway. As for the Create a Skater, the variety is great and it is really worth it. It is nowhere near the level of the Create a Wrestler mode in WWF Warzone, but it is still good. THPS2 also has a great two-player mode. The variety of modes are great, from Tag to Free Skate. The split screen view also manages to work well, despite the fact that the view of the levels is a little small. Every mode is well done and is worth replaying more than a couple of times. There’s also some hidden characters including the infamous Spiderman. The modes will keep you compelled for a long time, and are some of the best modes in any game.
Tony Hawk 2 is not only the best skateboarding game on Playstation, it’s also one of the best games the system has to offer. Tony Hawk 2 is a must buy for skating fans and non-skaters alike. With many modes and great gameplay, Tony Hawk delivers everything a quality game should plus a lot more. What a great way to finish off the Tony Hawk series on Playstation. Buy it as soon as you can. You won’t be disappointed at all and will continue to play THPS2 for a very long time. -- Anonym. Contributor, PGNx Media
---- Sep 14, 2002
|
