Tony Hawks is a bit of an icon when it comes to vert skateboarding or even when it comes to video games. What with several games under his belt that feature his name and likeness Tony Hawks and skateboarding games are pretty much the industry standard. From its humble beginnings on the PSone and appearing on pretty much every console since then the Tony Hawks series of games still has a wide following of fans which grows larger after each release.

Tony Hawks Underground was released in the US in October last year (2003) and with a year past sees the rise of the latest Tony Hawks game. This time Tony has teamed up with rising pro skater and general MTV generation type clown Bam Margera who in his own right is rather popular at the moment. This mix of the two characters has given rise to all manner of antics within the game which has definitely shifted to the more outrageous than seriousness of early Tony Hawks games.

Gameplay:

Tony Hawks Underground 2 or THUG2 as it is more commonly known as features a plethora of modes and options to tweak to your hearts content. These include the outlandish story mode, classic mode, free/hi score mode and finally the create modes (more about them later).

Story mode follows the story of your chosen amateur skater as he/she joins forces with Tony Hawks team as they go head to head with team Bam. The objectives seem to be who can out do the other team in terms of outrageous stunts and skater tricks. What this boils down to is a free roaming environment minus any timer which enables players to explore and pull of tricks in their own time. However there are several objectives that need to be fulfilled before players can move on to the next round. The objectives themselves range from typical tricks performed in certain areas such as doing a combo across a specific set of benches, to the oddball which involve any number of wild activities such as throwing things at people or using unconventional vehicles as a skate board to perform tasks and unlock triggered events. The lists are endless and what with having to unlock other characters to open up more objectives make this mode more of an adventure than anything especially as there is no time limit here. There is a reasonable level of thought required in this mode as some objectives are not easy to find/do (even though the game does provide hints).

Classic mode makes a welcome return in that it follows the more traditional approach of past Tony Hawks games. Here players perform runs to a strict time limit whereby objectives have to be met such as getting a certain score to collecting letters that are strategically placed across the map. This mode is similar to the story mode but is more geared towards the veteran Tony Hawks player.

Free/Hi score mode is basically a free area to skate to your hearts content, however you can go for high scores whenever you wish. This mode is excellent for learning routes and working out the best places for doing insane combos and perhaps should be a second stop for novice players just so they can practise the more complex moves that were hinted at during the story mode’s training level. That said, controlling your on screen skater is pretty easy and for anyone who has played a Tony Hawk game before will have no trouble with the unchanged formula.

Finally we have the create modes, these options allow players to tinker with all manner of in game activities these range from creating your very own skater using a create character mode similar to those seen in wrestling games. Create a park enables players the option to create their very own levels to suit their needs. What is more players are able to create their own objectives and skateboarding moves, which although the interface may appear a little daunting at first can lead to some rather cool player created games if you put your mind to it.

Graphics:

Seeing as THUG2 is a multi format release there is little difference between the ps2 and Xbox version in terms of looks. The levels themselves are bright and shift between day and night for a more living feel which is a cool feature. Other skaters are present and go about their routines as do pedestrians however the character models are lacking in details and look quite bland especially for an Xbox title. Overall the graphics do the job but are not as impressive as the game play, even though they do create genuinely bright and varied environments to skate on throughout the game.

Sound:

Sound is a mixture of Hip-Hop tracks Rock and other and will cater for a wide variety of players. The play list can be edited so that you can select your favourite tunes or better still you can add your own music via custom soundtracks. The actual in game sound is pretty standard but features some ambient effects as well which add to the atmosphere. There are a lot of voice overs in the game whether it be from Hawks or Bam to the pedestrians on the street but are all performed to suit the tongue in cheek nature of the game. Either way, custom soundtracks propels the sound in this game to great heights and seems perfect for this style of game.

Longevity:

THUG 2 is a comprehensive title that will appeal to hardcore and the more relaxed players among us. What with a story mode to jump right into and then the classic and free modes makes for quite a lot to do. If you then add the huge replay potential with the create modes (which do require a little imagination if you are to get the most out of them) and you are left with quite a beast of a skateboarding game. Sadly there is no Xbox Live which could have made the game even more appealing to non fans but I guess you can’t have it all and hope that the developers are thinking about this for the next THUG game.

Overall:

I am still enjoying playing THUG 2 as there is simply so much you can do within the game especially once you have beaten the main story mode. The customisation options are great for those of you wishing to get that bit more bang for your buck but are not really needed for the more casual players who will have enough to contend with in the Classic and Story modes. Despite not looking as good as it could on Xbox THUG 2 certainly delivers on the game play as the combination of skilful tricks and exploring is great and offers a sense of accomplishment when you start pulling off some insane combos. I am not sure on the added humour to the game but again it remains fun even though it is mostly over the top. I would recommend THUG 2 to anyone looking for their first foray into the Tony Hawks video game world as fans can probably agree that these games are fun and rewarding. If you are not into skateboarding then I would say take a look as there is enough game play and enjoyment to be found here anyways. A good solid skateboarding game with added vitamin Bam!