Perhaps there is no such gamer who has not heard about the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series.
Yes, at one time she made a real breakthrough by introducing many players to skateboarding. Moreover, some got up on the boards precisely after they got acquainted with this franchise. But nothing lasts forever under the moon, and games about feathered Tony are no exception. Slowly but surely, the series went downhill, first becoming a kind of game about dudes from MTV, and then completely lost its former enthusiasm. Then EA came out, bringing virtual sports to a whole new level.
What is so great about Skate? Well, firstly, these are really new emotions and sensations from the gameplay. At the forefront here is the innovative flick-it system, which makes operation almost intuitive. Using the sticks, the player is free to perform any tricks. And if you more or less understand how the athlete's legs behave at this moment, but you won't need any trickbook at all. In many ways, this is what everyone loves so much both the game and the series in general. This is one of the few games where you really take control of the character. It's simple: one stick controls the movement, the other controls the legs, the front buttons set the acceleration, and the rear ones take the hands under them for grab tricks.
It is also worth noting the general style of gameplay. There are practically no restrictions here: you can jump from any springboard, you can slide along any fence. The board itself (just like the skater) is flexibly configured, allowing you to achieve the best option for each player. If you want to ride - take soft wheels and loosen the tracks for maneuverability, but if you want to jump on ramps - if you please, take hard wheels. However, the game does not forget about its semi-simulation.
If you fail to fit into a turn or run into a curb, be sure that your hero will collect every pebble with his face. So don't forget. At the same time, the tasks look more realistic. Usually, this is some kind of competition, photo or video shooting with little restrictions. Sounds simple, but it wasn't. There is a price to pay for freedom, and in Skate you will pay with your sweat and tears. The skater may fall over minor obstacles, run into bystanders, perform tricks incorrectly, or fly over railings. There is much less of the arcade that was in the same Pro Skater: either you do everything right, or you test your gamepad for wall resistance. But this is the main charm of the game. At first you hate her fiercely, cursing everyone who worked on her. But after going through a particularly tricky place, you get the strongest gaming orgasm. In general, if you are an ardent masochist - Skate is clearly for you.
What's really bad about the game is the game design. If slamming your face on the pavement is not new to you, then the abundance of menus after that will make your nerves open a larger cemetery. The game is overly critical of the players. It is worth falling at least once - start again, but before that, confirm your choice. And if you are not the lucky owner of a hard drive that will slow down the loading speed of the game, then wait some more. Little things, but when you fail the task again, and again, and again, looking at the download, you involuntarily want to throw the disk to hell.
The tasks themselves are not displayed on the general map: on the mini-map you can see in which location they are, but in which EXACTLY - look for yourself. The absence of some seemingly simple things, like walking, also negatively affects the game: instead of stairs, you have to look for a detour. Again, these are trifles, but they accumulate quickly, and get bored even faster.
Let's finish with the game part and move on to the less tangible aspects of the game. The world is divided into several zones, each of which will appeal to the players, a bustling new city, winding streets of the old city or a cozy suburb. Each of the zones has its own places for skiing, its population and its heroes. Yes, the oldies are gone - Skate features more modern skateboarding legends. However, here they are really unique: everyone uses their own style of skating, their own style and their sponsors. And yes - finding sponsors is one of the main parts of the game. If you want more money - use sponsorship boards and sneakers. Customization has little effect here, but it's always nice to ride in branded Nike or Thrasher. Is this missing? Shoot your own skate videos and share them with your friends. And the look of the game itself is stylish, from video inserts to fonts in the menu. Don't forget about the music too. In Skate, the musical accompaniment is more directed, rap and hip-hop predominate here, almost bypassing the rock side, which, of course, plays into the hands of the street atmosphere.
You can talk about Skate for a very long time. The game definitely deserves attention, not to mention the fact that it is worth buying a console for it. It's been ten years since the original came out. The series received two gorgeous sequels, and the pleas of fans to make the fourth part are still traced on the publisher's Twitter. It’s hard to imagine if something else can shake up an entire gaming culture like that, raise the bar so high. Skate is almost perfect, and the gaming experience negates any of its shortcomings. Perhaps the only thing that is stronger than this series is real skating.
