Genre: Extreame Sports
Developer: Neversoft
Publisher: Activision
# of Players: 1-2 Players
Memory: 3 Blocks
ERSB: Teen
Supports: DD Pro Logic II, Progressive Scan
Also On: XB, PS2
Website: Activision02.com

Presentation
The world’s best skateboarding game reinvents itself to give you the real life experiences of a hardened amateur skater. A completely new career mode with a Go Pro theme compliments the same elements that have made THPS a phenomenon. Claw your way up through the amateur ranks to prove yourself in the world of professional skating. And to think I thought the Tony Hawk series couldn’t get any better. Neversoft hits me with this. Kudos for making this awesome game. For fans of the series and other gamers alike it’s a must buy. Oh you want me to explain huh? Keep reading to see what makes THPS4 the god of the Extreme Sports genre.

Graphics
Perfect it isn’t, but it still looks pretty darn good. If you check the screenshots, then you’ll probably see it looks a whole lot like THPS3, and you’d be correct. The textures are a little bit better & the character models pretty much look exactly the same. But they were good enough already right? Plus now you have a much less stiff feeling while puling off your tricks. What’s really changed though is the SIZE of the levels. You can easily fit a few of the bigger THPS 3 levels into any of the THPS 4 levels. It also supports progressive scan to make these world look a little sharper (If your TV supports it).

Sound
Maybe not to many people I know, but to me, the sound is just as important as the graphics are in a game. This game does not disappoint in terms of sound. Neversoft has definitely made the skate sounds more authentic. It now sounds like you are actually skating over gravel! The sounds now actually reflect what the character is skating on. Also, it seems as if Neversoft has finally added realistic screams when a character bails, which were missing from Tony Hawk 3. Although I’ve heard a lot of people complain about not liking the soundtrack too much, I believe the soundtrack presented well fits the game. There are a decent amount of rap and rock songs, and most songs seem to fit the personality of this game well. From AC/DC’s ’’TNT’’ to Run-DMC’s ’’My Adidas’’, the songs go very well with this game. I still miss the song from THPS4 I forgot the name but I remember screaming THE ACE OF SPADES!!!!

Gameplay
THPS4’s gameplay is essentially the same solid controls and moves as THPS3’s with the addition of the spine transfer which allows the player to transfer over a ’’spine’’ (two quarter-pipe ramps placed back to back) by pressing R2 when launching off of one side of the spine. Another addition is ’’Skitchin’’ cars by grabbing a car’s back bumper so it can pull you forward. (Like what Marty McFly does in the Back to the Future movies.) The game also includes some new moves and specials as well. If you’ve been playing this series since its inception you should be very familiar with its controls. However, this means that if you have never played any of the earlier THPS games you will face a bit of a learning curve.

During Career Mode, instead of 2 minute runs, you are in a free-skate mode throughout every level and receive your goals from the characters that inhabit it. For example: in the College level when you speak to the Professor, you will be given a minute and a half to collect all 5 letters of the word S-K-A-T-E. (a level goal in all 4 THPS games.) Some of the goals are very new such as spelling out C-O-M-B-O by collecting all the letters in one combo, and performing moves when called out by spectators. Some are unique to the level such as dunking 30 tourists into the water in the Alcatraz level. These new goals fit in perfectly with the series and are a great addition. There is also minigames such as tennis, & baseball. Most of the minigames play well and are an all right diversion from regular play. After you complete any goal in the game, you can replay them to try for a better time, score, or medal if you wish as well. Completing goals will earn you money to use to unlock new levels, boards, movies, clothes, and characters much like in THPS2 and Pro Points. Earn enough Pro Points and you will be able to play the Pro Challenges for each of the game’s initial 13 pro skaters. The challenges are all different and worth the effort to complete.

Like the other THPS games, this game has unlimited replay value. After you finish unlocking everything in career mode you can play the classic Single Session 2 minute run in any of the levels to try to get high scores, or play any of its multiplayer modes. Like the other THPS titles, you can play against another player in HORSE, Trick Attack, Graffiti, King of the Hill, Slap!, or one of the two new modes Combo Mambo and Score Challenge. Score Challenge gives you unlimited time and the winner is the player that reaches a certain total score first. In Combo Mambo, the player with the biggest combo after time expires wins. Combo Mambo is my particular favorite between the two new multiplayer games. Like in the previous THPS games, these games (especially HORSE) are great for parties. Too bad Cubers Don’t have online play like our PS2 friends (its ok to hate them all!).

Conclusion
While this game is very excellent, I don’t believe any game can be perfect. My only, albeit, small gripe is the lack of stuff you can use to customize your created skater. And no online support. Anyway, this game if very fun, and well worth the 50 dollars that will be spent on it. Even if this game was 70 dollars, I would still buy it because it is extremely fun. The combination of excellent graphics, high-quality sounds, vast gameplay, and very high replay value make this a very fun game worth the time, effort, and money. And with stages that rival Grand Theft Auto 3. You have nothing to loose. Now, will you please excuse me? I have some grinding to do.

~ditto~

The Good
- If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
- But great if you add to it.
- Playing Tennis.

The Bad
- Missing school.
- Framerate drops sometimes when alot is going on

The Stupid
? No online play
? No online play
? No online play