Skate 2 (Sony Playstation 3, 2009)

I am a huge fan of the original, now being called OG Skate. With it's revolutionary controls it was a breath of fresh air from the Tony Hawk series. But it was also lacking at the same time, missing standard tricks and featuring no on foot gameplay. So comes Skate 2, attempting to address a number of the gripes of the first while expanding upon it's winning formula. Below is how I break down what I experienced so far in contrast to the first which I still encourage anyone interested to check it out.

Positive:
- 60 fps is more pleasing to the eye and runs a lot smoother
- on foot gameplay is great as you are now able to move objects and walk up those pesky stairs
- New San Vanelona, a completely revamped version of the original city, this one feels larger, deeper, and features a slew of iconic buildings and landmarks from the first
- Hall of Meat and bails is a great addition as you can hurl your skater into bone crushing crashes and get information on everything from speed to body damage
- The addition of a ton of new tricks including hand grabs and hippie jumps
- The city feels more alive with leaves blowing in the wind, objects on the sidewalks, and pedestrians carrying items ranging from cell phones to briefcases

Negatives-
- The graphics can at times look almost like a step down from the first with an odd filter that gives the game a darker, grittier look to it, water is poorly executed
- On foot controls were horrendous before the March patch as your skater walked like he took a dump in his pants. The patch slightly fixed this as it is more easy to turn and maneuver but still feels awkward and unpolished
- The replay editor has some added camera angels but now does not allow you to swing the camera around while the clip is playing, plus filters are now waiting to be purchased as DLC
- Cutsceens are a joke as your created skater never says a word and has the same straight face throughout

Verdict: Overall the game is still a lot of fun to tool around with, just popping tricks in the open city. I do not however feel it is worth the $60 price tag (hence you are reading this review on ebay).

Positive:
- 60 fps is more pleasing to the eye and runs a lot smoother
- on foot gameplay is great as you are now able to move objects and walk up those pesky stairs
- New San Vanelona, a completely revamped version of the original city, this one feels larger, deeper, and features a slew of iconic buildings and landmarks from the first
- Hall of Meat and bails is a great addition as you can hurl your skater into bone crushing crashes and get information on everything from speed to body damage
- The addition of a ton of new tricks including hand grabs and hippie jumps
- The city feels more alive with leaves blowing in the wind, objects on the sidewalks, and pedestrians carrying items ranging from cell phones to briefcases

Negatives-
- The graphics can at times look almost like a step down from the first with an odd filter that gives the game a darker, grittier look to it, water is poorly executed
- On foot controls were horrendous before the March patch as your skater walked like he took a dump in his pants. The patch slightly fixed this as it is more easy to turn and maneuver but still feels awkward and unpolished
- The replay editor has some added camera angels but now does not allow you to swing the camera around while the clip is playing, plus filters are now waiting to be purchased as DLC
- Cutsceens are a joke as your created skater never says a word and has the same straight face throughout

Verdict: Overall the game is still a lot of fun to tool around with, just popping tricks in the open city. I do not however feel it is worth the $60 price tag (hence you are reading this review on ebay).

Best skateboarding game ever created! I would say enought said and be done with it and tell you to just buy the game, wich you should if your reading this review because its worth every penny you pay for it. I'm a long time fan of the skateboarding games and former skateboarder myself in younger years. The skate series took a huge step from the Tony Hawk games by adding in the flik-it controls. Basically the joysticks are the players feet on the skateboard and you flick the joystick as you would your feet in real life to do the tricks. This adds a whole new dimension to the skateboarding feeling in a game. Timing is crucial to sucess in this game. When you fist start playing it can feel very overwhelming but as the hours you put into the game the better you get little by little at doing tricks. It really gives the feeling of your learning how to skateboard and your timing to get on rails become better and landing into manuals gets easier. The sense of accomplishment is very high in this game, unlike anyother Ive played. That being said, at first it can be very overwhelming to learn. You have to stick with it awhile and learn the game by bits. The rewards pay off unlike any other game. So if your still reading this just buy it. BUY IT!!!

I love the fact you can finally make your own character; you can make a normal or odd character whatever your preference. The game play itself is the same and less sensitive. The storyline is good as well. There are new tricks and some amazing glitches. Players can now have a crown for completing certain events in online play. The one thing I miss is the x3 in Spot Battle. Overall, it is fun if you like skateboarding or sport games.

One great game that simulates skating to an extent. Most websites rate this game a 7 out of 10. They sometimes can be a little too harsh but for this game they got it right on the mark. Have you ever played Tony Hawks skating games? This one isn't like that, it uses most of the right analog stick to control what kind of tricks you may perform (such as ollie's, manuals, flip-kicks, etc.). Graphic wise this one is amazing, the world you can travel has been beautifully built, and the many railings and parks for skating is well done. It's game play could have been taken to another level but it seems like they just fine tuned it from the first Skate game. The only new phase to the game is that you can walk/run while grabbing your skateboard and ride it again with one press of the triangle button. On a final note to the gamers who loved Tony Hawks series, this one is just something to hone your skills and pass the time by, until Tony and his team actually find the time to make another hit.