After 20 years since the release of the critically acclaimed original games, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 Remake brings the series back to life with HD graphics and new additions. The game is developed by Vicarious Visions, known for their remasters of classic games and ability to bring nostalgia back to life.
From the moment I picked up my controller, it was evident that a lot of effort had been put to stay loyal to the originals while still having the courage to make some changes. The locations are significantly more detailed and seeing comparisons between the new and old ones would make it tough to believe that this is the same game. However, while playing through the levels, it becomes clear that the levels haven’t changed in terms of layout and are basically 1:1 remakes. The levels benefit from improved lighting, draw distance and increased graphical detail to make them feel more alive than ever. While the visuals aren’t top of the line in comparison to modern AAA games, they’re still a huge upgrade from the originals and look great.
While both games were initially relaesed as standalone experiences, this new remake allows for fluidity between the two titles thanks to the central hub and cross-progression. For example, sharing skills points used to improve your skater in the first game will carry over to the second.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 +2 features excellent level design that allows you to perform insane combos when connecting your tricks. This is possible thanks to the many rails and ramps available across the maps. That combined with the smooth mechanics and exciting gameplay makes skating feel seamless especially with the updated controls.
Customization is one of the main features of the game, allowing you to create both your own skater and skate park. New gear can be earned by completing any of the seemingly endless challenges and spending the cash rewarded on new items rather than feeling the need to purchase in-game currency. The park creator allows you to build your own levels and upload them for others to enjoy. This is easily one of my favorite aspects of the game and is will definitely give the game a lot of replayablity for years to come thanks to an active community.
Online multiplayer offers a great way to put your skills to the test by competing with other players for high scores to get to the top of the leaderboard. Skating solo was more enjoyable for me, but multiplayer was a nice change of pace every once in a while and I could definitely see the mode getting better once private parties are added in an upcoming title update.
Local multiplayer was a blast to play and couch coop brings back many childhood memories, especially when most other modern games don’t include splitscreen as an option. In addition, the OST (Original Soundtrack) is still great to listen to after so many years with the added 37 new tracks also blending in with the rest of the songs.
Overall, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 recreates all the enjoyable aspects of there originals all while drastically improving the visuals and core gameplay mechanics and controls. The Tony Hawk series hasn’t really held the attention of fans with most of the newer entries, however this release goes above and beyond to exceed expectations and bring the series back to life with a new look.
GameRev was provided with a digital download code for the purpose of this review.
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