Activision, as a publisher has seemingly lost touch with the fan base it has amassed over the years. Whether it be through series like "Call of Duty", games like Destiny", or even the recently released "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5" the development, and management direction they seem so intent on pushing is continuously so far out of touch with what the gamer wants that it's damn near heartbreaking. They seem to have forgotten what made the games, and series they have published so great. When it comes to THPS5 (Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5) the same holds true. The once fun arcade style skateboarding experience has become, and still remains after the patch the most shallow, and heartless entry in the series. The music selection is atrocious. Long gone are the hard hitting popular songs of yesteryear. Now all we have is repetitive songs full of teenage angst, and dulled lyrics tied to an annoying set of instrumentals. Most of the songs in the soundtrack are ones that I don't even know as a middle-aged gamer. Along with the uncomplimentary song selection comes scaled down skate parks in which said parks look more true-to-life than they ever have before in the series. The skate parks are nowhere near as large as the parks of the previous THPS titles, and in contrast to the larger character models they actually look like a skate park you'd encounter somewhere in the real world if it weren't for the arcade power-ups, special effects, and more fantastical add-ons.
Showing posts with label Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5. Show all posts
Monday, November 30, 2015
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 (PS4)
Growing up as a gamer among my brothers I had the privilege to share my time playing some of today's retro classics in good company. One of the most memorable gaming moments that I can think of in regards to those times, and those classics includes me playing "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2" on the PSOne with my brothers back at the old homestead. We always challenged each others' high scores, and even spent time laughing as the characters wiped out on the pavement of various environments in an over-the-top fashion. Things like the absurd gravity effects which caused characters to drift forever upward made for some truly laughable moments. I also loved unlocking the secret characters which always seemed to make the experience even more enjoyable. Being able to play as different versions of Spider-man was awesome as was the other unnatural characters which became a part of the Tony Hawk's lore over the years. The series was definitely epic in every way imaginable back in the day, and as time progressed with new releases the franchise always seemed to stay close to the roots only deviating from said set path to innovate a little. Everything about the series from the arcade style skateboarding features to the secret characters, and unlockables as well as the easy to learn mechanics always kept true to the classic Tony Hawk's pro skateboarding video game formula.
Past all that, and onto the recent release of "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5" though I have found that while the game has attempted to stay true to it's core standards it deviates somewhat, and sometimes fails at being the more fantastical, and rock solid skateboarding adventure that it once was. Instead of adventurous treks through larger than life skate parks for that high score we have a series of environments that are more true-to-life in size, and centered mostly around a socially interactive experience much like a true skate park would be. Things like online competitive modes, and a new "Create-A-Park" map editor will have you experiencing the game with people from across the globe in a variety of different ways as you show of your virtual skateboarding skills. Even the offline single player which has you gaming by your lonesome offers up social standings in a sort of leaderboard fashion that keeps track of your performance progress, and feats in the limited selection of levels that are made available to you. I think this time Activision really went for that true-to-life skate park appeal, and only added certain arcade style gaming nods into the mix as more of an afterthought. Those missions that have you completing gap lists, and collecting items as well as spelling words are more or less a way to unlock the customization extras which are tied to the game's new skateboarder leveling system. As such the main focus is more about impressing people with your skills, and less about the single player campaign shenanigans.
Past all that, and onto the recent release of "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5" though I have found that while the game has attempted to stay true to it's core standards it deviates somewhat, and sometimes fails at being the more fantastical, and rock solid skateboarding adventure that it once was. Instead of adventurous treks through larger than life skate parks for that high score we have a series of environments that are more true-to-life in size, and centered mostly around a socially interactive experience much like a true skate park would be. Things like online competitive modes, and a new "Create-A-Park" map editor will have you experiencing the game with people from across the globe in a variety of different ways as you show of your virtual skateboarding skills. Even the offline single player which has you gaming by your lonesome offers up social standings in a sort of leaderboard fashion that keeps track of your performance progress, and feats in the limited selection of levels that are made available to you. I think this time Activision really went for that true-to-life skate park appeal, and only added certain arcade style gaming nods into the mix as more of an afterthought. Those missions that have you completing gap lists, and collecting items as well as spelling words are more or less a way to unlock the customization extras which are tied to the game's new skateboarder leveling system. As such the main focus is more about impressing people with your skills, and less about the single player campaign shenanigans.
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