Tony Hawk's American Wasteland (Sony PlayStation 2, 2005)

For me, I like Tony Hawk for the different levels to play in, different storylines, soundtrack (I know it sounds a little stupid!), and change of challenges. What I don't like is too many new moves being added, ways to do moves, and changes in the very basics of the game. One of the biggest pet peeves I have with the game, is the way you have to get your cash. Before, all you'd have to do it reach a high place, or find a secret spot with some cash hidden, and you'd be golden. Now, you reach a mission where you need $500 in funds and you only have $50! Time to get some cash, right? Easier said then done. You have to find this one dude with a dollar sign over his head and finish his "challenge" which ranges from holding a manual for 5 seconds (big whoop!) to doing tricks he calls (2 of them) while holding a grind or plant! VERY EASY, but annoying since he only gives you $25 (sometimes $50) at a time!! And to add to that, once you see him for cash (whether you complete it or not) he moves to another spot in the level and you cannot go to him twice in a row in one level! It gets annoying and repetitive sometimes.

The graphics are pretty good, room for improvement, and the storyline is OK. They do have some good 'ole Tony Hawk one-liners and statements that will make you laugh! The action and movements are very smooth and no "choppyness" what-so-ever on a decent TV. I am using component cord with digital optical sound, however, so your experience may be a little different.

There is a catch with the "no load time" thing as advertised...technically there is a MINOR load time (you actually "drive" a truck from place to place if you wish, and the 3-4 seconds you're in the truck sitting there acts like a loading screen). The whole game is split up into different "areas" in which you must travel through; it's not just one big open field.

All-in-all the game is pretty good, but the Tony Hawk's as of late have been lacking something....I just don't know what. What happened to all the competitions they used to have and getting some mad scores! OH! I almost forgot, this game has two modes. One mode is the story mode with free roaming, and the other is the good 'ole "old school" classic mode with the goals, hidden tapes, and 2 minute runs we're all used to! I would give it a 3.5 if I could because of this "classic mode"!

This game has tons of new moves as well as all the old ones we have come to love about the Tony Hawk Skater Series Games.

The ads boast a huge playable/explorable level with no loading times but in reality there are several seperate levels divided by even smaller levels. They got rid of the loading time by making you transition through a small level to the next. I was under the assumption you could freeskate from one end of the huge level to the other when in fact you HAVE to transition through these smaller levels.

The game itself was super short and almost seemed too easy for me compared tro earlier renditions of The Tony Hawk games.

BEWARE OF THE ***STORE GLITCH*** - I have personally encountered this and have spoke with many others who have as well. After you join the "Skate-Club" which is a ripoff of Fight-club you end up skating around only wearing your board shorts...no shoes...no shirt....nothing else.... For whatever reason you cannot enter ANY of the stores in ANY of the levels in order to put clothes on or get more or different clothes which is a big problem because one of the missions is to buy and wear an ALIEN costume in order to progress through the game. Now you are stuck with no way to continue through the game!

My advice...Save often and save a bunch of different files in case this happens so you can load up a previous save or two until you can get around this glitch!

This game was a big let down for me as have been most of the Tony Hawk titles since THPS2.

This Christmas I considered buying the latest Tony Hawk video game, but instead I purchased Tony Hawk's American Wasteland Collector's Edition. The main reason I chose this title was the good reviews it received about it's story mode, so far I have not been disapointed. The interaction in the story makes the tasks in the game make sense. Even when free skating, there are challenges you can do, and if you like an area, you can stay there for "days*" and keep getting new challenges to complete. *(The game cycles from day to night as you play and keeps track of the time. Every new day there are new challenges posted at the skate shop) As you follow the story you are drawn farther into the world of the people you meet as you skate to impress them. Story mode is terrific!

The best parts of what makes this copy the collectors edition are "Classic Mode" and a behind the scenes feature of how they made the game. (I love that stuff) In classic mode, you get to go back through areas from all the previous THPS games! If you liked the series, you'll love this retro trip.

As far as dislikes, there aren't many. Do follow the rating code. There are suggestively dressed women, some coarse language, and violent images in this game. These mostly follow the edgy nature of skateboarding and are not over the top in that regard, but if you are not used to them, it could be a turn off.

Over all, this is the best time I've had playing Tony Hawk since I bought my brand new copy of THPS2. I recomend it!

it's a good game. it's got a better feel than previous games. the tricks feel as though they're not as mechanically strung together, but they're truly being performed by a real skater (motion capture advancements).

i dislike the game's level of difficulty (easy....easy easy). the game let's you perform almost no serious challenges but the stat challenges. the game's missions are jokes for the most part.

i decided to buy this game because i only borrowed it to play it a year ago and i loved it as much as any other tony hawk game that wasn't a total mistake (ie. thug2).

I like to look for just about everything on ebay because you will probably find it there. Everyone has something for sale and you can take your choice of who has it and what the shipping will be to whereever you live. The reason mostly that I buy the games online is that I have children and they like games for a very short period of time and then we can put then back out there for sale and they can look for another one and the cycle comtinues. I have had good experiences on ebay except for one and that stalled me from the game for awhile and then I realized that you will find bad people everywhere and you just have to keep your eyes open.