I'll be honest – while Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 was certainly a good game, I walked away from it feeling that the developers were starting to rest on their laurels. Tony Hawk's Underground completely debunks my theory – this is the freshest THPS title since THPS 3, and it actually draws you emotionally into the game – something that THPS 4 tried, but largely failed at.
Unlike other games in the series, THUG puts you in the shoes of, well, you. Rather than give you the option of stepping into the shoes of an existing pro, THUG makes you start out from scratch as an aspiring skater in the hoods of New Jersey. Despite what you may think, the story is actually very engrossing, and also has quite a few twists along the way. Not bad for a sports game, eh?
The addition of an honest-to-goodness storyline isn't the only way that THUG ups the ante on an already great series – some of the longest standing flaws in the Tony Hawk series have finally been addressed, and the world is a better place for it. First on the list, is that upgrading your stats feels much more natural – the more you practice, the better you get. It feels much more real (and fun) to upgrade your stats by actually skating than it does to grow in ability through collecting tokens.
Another addition that you may not appreciate at first is the way that the game moves at a much more brisk, even pace than the previous installments. Tony Hawk games have traditionally had massive levels with loads of goals in each. THUG breaks that trend by giving you lots of medium-sized levels with 4-5 tasks to complete in each. What's more, most of them make sense in the context of the plot, as opposed to having to collect 5 of this, 10 of these, and 15 of the other thing for no reason at all. The game definitely takes a quality-over-quantity stance when it comes to the tasks it gives you in each level – there are fewer of them, but most of them actually have to do with skating, combos, or pulling off a chain of tricks. Not once in the game did I actually feel like any particular goal was tedious or overly difficult, just for the sake of being so.
Some gamers may like that insane challenge, however, and this plays into another major difference between Underground and other games in the lineage – THUG is way more accessible to the casual gamer than any skating game to date, save perhaps Jet Set Radio. One of the most obvious ways that THUG opens itself up to the more casual fan is in the fact that you don't have to play through the game 20 something times to unlock everything. The point is, Tony Hawk's Underground will feel a whole lot easier than previous THPS games to those who have been with the series since its inception. No level in the game approaches the maddening difficulty of THPS 1's Downhill Jam, or THPS 3's San Francisco.
Graphically, this is no doubt the best Tony Hawk game to date. While there is still nothing to write home about in terms of impressive special effects, everything about THUG is crisp, clear, and clean. Additionally, the levels are very well laid out, and lend themselves extremely nicely to insane combos and multiplayer matchups. This superb game/level design helps make THUG's online component the most satisfying since THPS 3 first took armchair skaters on the web.
Also a nice touch is the inclusion of a photo-scan service that allows you to put your own image into the game. There's nothing like seeing yourself skate your way to fame and fortune, and the fact that it is actually your face on the main character makes THUG all the more immersing.
A big part of any Tony Hawk game is the soundtrack, and THUG has the broadest and best one yet. The music choices are perhaps the most diverse of any game this side of GTA. Featuring everything from NAS to Queens of the Stone Age; and Social Distortion to Jurassic 5, there is something for absolutely everyone's musical tastes on this soundtrack. The new and improved story mode also gives way to some very good voice work, and the sound effects are just as solid as ever. There is nothing for your ears to complain about within this game.
While some hardcore vets may find the series too easy for their tastes, most fans both old and new will appreciate the new direction in which Tony Hawk's Underground steers the series. True, some of the mechanics are hit and miss, (the much-vaunted off-skateboard ability, driving levels) but ultimately they do nothing to bring down a fabulous addition to the extreme sports genre.
-George
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