Tony rydes again (Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3 (GC))

Member Name: SlyClone2k

Product:	Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3 (GC)
Date:	18/04/02 (75 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good graphical presentation, Nice Sound Track, Big levels

Disadvantages: Lacking originality of first two, Really quite difficult

All full of eager awaitening was I for this title. Full of expectatoration (I know thats not a word). Full of happy glee at the idea of being able to get my thumbs behind another Tony Hawks Pro Skater [THPS] game.
I'd played the first two (on the PS1) with something akin to a feverish addiction. My wife and I played THPS1 up until about 2 hours before we had to catch a 5am flight to Tenerife. Infact we also played the second one right up until we were due to leave on another holiday.
But somehow THPS3 never captured that fever. (Perhaps because I never had a holiday lined up!)

If you haven't played any of the Tony Hawk series the premise of the game is simple. Begin with a set of characters who are all relatively well known in the skateboarding circuit. Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero, Bucky Lasek to name but a few. Or alternatively create your own skater from a quite massive set of clothing from the normal urban flak to the absolutely zany.

Different skaters have different skills that I guess must relate to their real life abilities, and with these skills you have to skate. Skate through different venues attempting to collect the predefined objectives set at the begining of each level. The collection of said objectives will aid you in unlocking further objectives, and ultimately hidden areas, and most importantly the skaters videos.

In retrospect I think one of the things that kept me playing the first two was seeing the skaters videos at the end. That and the fact that the games were fresh, innovative and well lets face it original. Now in its 3rd installment while THPS3 uses its new medium very well is hardly a new idea.

So it does do something good then? I hear you ask. Well yes it does. It didn't excite me but in keeping with the others its still fun. The levels are big. Some of them bigger than others, though I have to say I still felt THPS2 was bigger. But one thing you can certainly say is that its
smoother in the grafix front. Arenas and venues look beautiful, from Canada to Airports. When you add the cars, and people who also look reasonably realistic you do feel fairly immersed.

One of my gripes though was what seemed to be a reduction of air. The essential part of the original two was managing to get a massive ramp trick. The 3rd relies on grind combos to really ramp up the points. This wasn't really good for me. The 3rd game has become much harder, with air tricks more difficult to land and grinds more difficult to balance even when you've maxed your skills. The levels and objectives are also really quite difficult in places, but resist the urge to cheat at all costs, this really will reduce your fun.

Most of the levels come with a little story behind them. Theres a bully who must get his come-up-ance. Theres a man who can't get into his home. Each of these adds a little story to the game.

The sounds as usual are excellent. With some great tracks from US' leading rockers and including some street sounds. Although of course one has to mention Motorheads "Ace Of Spades", which could have been made for the game.

One of the special moments for me though was completing the game and opening up the old area51 level. I can't remember which THPS game this was from (1 or 2?), but it was nice to see it again. Digitally remastered.

I suppose this is a good game. But it was definately just the same old same old with new graphical bells provided by a shiney new PS2.

I got bored of it rather quick as it wasn't anything new.

Graphics - 9
Playability - 7
Sound - 9
Originality - 5
Overall - 7

Summary: