Review: Tony Hawk’s Project 8

I’ll level with you guys. The last Tony Hawk title I played was THPS 2. Yes, the PS1 title. OK, I did get to play a bit with the GBA version of Underground 2, but since that was one horrible experience I’m trying to forget, it doesn’t count. As for the Xbox 360 version, all I got was an onlooker’s view at my girlfriend’s brother playing the game. That’s why when I first decided to make a review of Tony Hawk’s Project 8, the latest in the Birdman’s videogame franchise, I felt kind of like a total newbie coming in. Anyway, here goes. It’s a bit late (Project 8 was a launch title, after all), but here it is. On with the show.

The setup for Project 8 is pretty straightforward. Tony’s looking for the eight top skaters (hence, Project 8) in town. It’s your goal as a hopeful to move up from rank 200 in order to crack the top eight and make it into the Birdman’s lineup. In order to climb higher, you’ll need to skate like there’s no tomorrow and steadily improve your skills.

Of course, if we’re talking PS3, graphics will always be involved. While Project 8 certainly does not disappoint, there are still a few issues here and there. Maybe I’m just looking for too much realism in games, but the faces of the pro skaters do look like zombies at times – most notably in the CG intro (which is the same as the trailer). But hey, that’s just me. I didn’t really see that much of a difference compared to the Xbox 360 version, but all in all, the graphics are still impressive. Not mind-blowing, but impressive.

The full article awaits after the jump!

 

I’ll level with you guys. The last Tony Hawk title I played was THPS 2. Yes, the PS1 title. OK, I did get to play a bit with the GBA version of Underground 2, but since that was one horrible experience I’m trying to forget, it doesn’t count. As for the Xbox 360 version, all I got was an onlooker’s view at my girlfriend’s brother playing the game. That’s why when I first decided to make a review of Tony Hawk’s Project 8, the latest in the Birdman’s videogame franchise, I felt kind of like a total newbie coming in. Anyway, here goes. It’s a bit late (Project 8 was a launch title, after all), but here it is. On with the show.

The setup for Project 8 is pretty straightforward. Tony’s looking for the eight top skaters (hence, Project 8) in town. It’s your goal as a hopeful to move up from rank 200 in order to crack the top eight and make it into the Birdman’s lineup. In order to climb higher, you’ll need to skate like there’s no tomorrow and steadily improve your skills.

Of course, if we’re talking PS3, graphics will always be involved. While Project 8 certainly does not disappoint, there are still a few issues here and there. Maybe I’m just looking for too much realism in games, but the faces of the pro skaters do look like zombies at times – most notably in the CG intro (which is the same as the trailer). But hey, that’s just me. I didn’t really see that much of a difference compared to the Xbox 360 version, but all in all, the graphics are still impressive. Not mind-blowing, but impressive.

Once the game starts up and you get a look at the environment, you’re faced with one hell of an open-world treat. You still have to unlock all the different areas, but once you do that, it’s all seamless. Hypothetically, you can even run a line from one area to another. I wasn’t able to try it because I had to beat a deadline, though. Compared to earlier titles in the franchise, this is really a step forward. The lines are a bit too obvious, but I don’t really think of it as an issue. You may be able to see them, but the trick has always lain in running them, or in some cases, getting to them anyway.

Gameplay has also seen a slight overhaul, with the different difficulty setting already integrated directly into the Career Mode in the form of Amateur, Pro, and Sick ratings for tricks and goals. Two of the most notable additions are the new Nail The Trick mode and full support for the PS3’s SIXAXIS controller. While the Nail The Trick mode can be quite brutal when it comes to timing and definitely needs some getting used to, it does add a lot of fun to what could otherwise be just another routine run. Both hardcore fans and new players should get a kick out of it. I certainly did. I didn’t even pay any attention to Rodney Mullen even though I kept bumping into him during the tutorial.

The SIXAXIS’ tilt controls also need a bit of getting used to. While the D-Pad is still the best option for executing tricks, the tilt controls do come useful when you’re balancing during manuals and grinds. I personally found them to be better than the analog stick. Speaking of the sticks, I found them a bit hard to use when you want to execute tricks, but they’re definitely better if you relegate their use to navigating through the environment.

Another good thing that Project 8 has going for it are the Spot Challenges, all of which can net you an Amateur, Pro, or Sick rating. Most intermediate players would have no problem getting Pro scores on these. They also make the whole game come alive, and it really adds to the experience when you attempt a Spot Challenge and break a record set by someone else, even though that someone else doesn’t really exist. The only issue I have with the Spot Challenges is that they can be quite hard to identify, but aside from that, they’re definitely a welcome addition.

OK, Project 8 = PS3. PS3 = next gen. Next gen = online play. In a weird twist of geometric transitivity, there is NO ONLINE PLAY IN PROJECT 8. Nada. Zilch. Don’t ask me why it’s not there. Frankly, this is the biggest letdown about this game. I really can’t see any reason why Project 8 is the only PS3 launch title without online play, since it would have been great if you were able to earn Stokens off of other online players, or just playing H-O-R-S-E off a vert ramp.

The lack of an online multiplayer mode is also compounded by a pretty shallow skater customization feature. You only get to choose from five designs, and when you do, you can only tweak your skater a little bit. The only way to really distinguish yourself from others is by choosing different aftermarket options like shirts and pants. Even choosing a hair color is pretty limited. I would have preferred an RGB color choosing scheme over the game’s color+brightness+saturation. On the somewhat bright side, with the lack of a multiplayer option, at least you won’t have to worry about skating against someone who looks exactly like your skater.

In closing, I found Project 8 to be a fun and interesting game in its own right, and the Nail a Trick feature and the Spot Challenges really give it that next-gen feel. Fans of the series will find enough new things in Project 8 to keep them amused. Newbies looking for something new to try will also enjoy it, but the omission of online multiplayer is a huge drawback, though. While hitting that ridiculously long grind or nailing that impossibly psychotic combo feels downright awesome even if you’re playing by your lonesome, everybody knows that letting others halfway around the globe see your awesomeness adds even more to the fun.

I give it a seven out of a possible ten.