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Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2
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Graphics & Sound:
Quite simply put, the graphics are great. I mean really, really, good looking. Tony Hawk 2 features great looking Direct 3D accelerated images. Each character has detail, depth and brilliant color. The terrain and background adds even more realism and great texture to the game. The skaters feature true to life stature, build, and physics; the skateboards are detailed and textured; the skate arenas are full to scale with smooth transitions and great color. All in all, the game looks great. It's not all that often that smooth gameplay and great graphics go hand-in-hand, but for Tony Hawk 2, that is the case. As far as the sound goes, you can experience every grind, bird chirp, pavement scrape, and air gasp in full surround sound. Even the punk rock and alternative music is tolerable (artists like Papa Roach and Rage). From the graphic and sound stand point, Tony Hawk 2 is great. You can't possibly be disappointed in this area.
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Gameplay:
For those of you who have been in a cave for the past couple of years, Tony Hawk 2 is the sequel to one of the best selling PlayStation games of its time. It is a skateboarding game. You can play as the famous Tony Hawk or choose from a dozen other athletes (including a female). For single action, you can skate Freestyle or Career. Freestyle is basically just practice runs. In the Career mode, you go to each park, unlocking new ones and winning money to use on better equipment and stuff. There is also a Multiplayer mode to challenge a friend in games like tricking (. not that kind), tag, and horse. For customizable sake, there is a Create a Player mode as well as a Park Editor. Over all, I would rate the game as fun. It runs and looks great. The only real downfall to the game is the keyboard/mouse control. Unless you have a joystick (gamepad is better), it's not all that fun. But, the joystick control is great. The camera movements are good, but it is possible to get a little turned around from time to time. I found that the tricks were pretty easy to do and the levels more or less evenly challenging. The game does run a bit too short, but how much of an attention span do you really have anyway? |
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Difficulty:
I don't think that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 is difficult at all. Don't get me wrong, it's not a cakewalk, but it could be harder. I found that the moves and tricks were relatively easy and that most objectives were too complex at first. However, once you get the hang of it, the later stages are no problem. Due to the good control, looks, and play, the game is user friendly. Skaters of all ages should have no problem with this one.
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Game Mechanics:
I was really impressed with the fluidity of Tony Hawk 2. I felt that the game ran as well as it played. For some reason, I expected the game to have bad control, but as long as you use something other than the keyboard, it is fine. The fast, smooth gameplay combined with the good graphics really facilitates the whole gaming experience. If you liked Tony Hawk, then you are going to love Tony Hawk 2.
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-Storm, GameVortex Communications AKA Jeremy Kelso |
Minimum System Requirements:
Windows 95/98/ME/, Pentium 233 MMX (hardware mode) Pentium II 266 (software mode), 32 MB (hardware mode) 64 MB (software mode), 350 MB Hard Drive space, 4 MB video card, 4x CD-ROM, Mouse, Keyboard |
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Test System:
P3 800, Windows ME, 256 MB PC133 RAM, Diamond Viper V770 Ultra w/32MB RAM, 5x24 DVD-ROM, Monster Sound MX300/4 point sound, Gravis Gamepad Pro |
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