It's more Tony Hawk Pro Skater 6 than THUG 2, but who's complaining?
User Rating: 8.7 | Tony Hawk's Underground 2 PC
THUG 2 is a tricky bird because it's almost like a "cake" rather than an entire new package, borrowing elements from all parts of the series, while adding it's own features to the mix. The story mode has been changed - now focusing on Tony Hawk and Bam Margera and their "World Destruction Tour", to which you have been "invited" to participate in. The two teams then are given a set of tasks which are completed for points. Get enough points and you move on to the next level. Along the way, you'll meet "guest" skaters like Ben Franklin (?), a Tagger, a Bull Fighter, and a Jester, and a host of "secret" characters that ride special vehicles like mechanical bulls, go-karts, and special scooters. Each of these characters features their own goal lists and can help you reach the next level. Probably the first thing you'll notice is how cut back the roster is this turn around. Only 8 pro skaters are listed on the credits, and some big names are left off the list, like Steve Caballero, Kareem Campbell, Andrew Reynolds and Elissa Steamer, and others who are conspicuous by their absence. The American rating box warns of "Crude Humour" and they aren't wrong. Most of the crude humour comes from Bam and his team, some of whom are a little bit on the unlikable side. I gather that most of these people are part of the "Jackass" program (including Bam himself), and as such the game has a heavy "Jackass" influence. Whether or not this is a good thing, I don't know, but it would have been nicer to have included some more pro skaters instead of these characters. One thing I found slightly confusing is that most of the goals are non-specific, which means that anyone on your team can complete any of the goals, but some of them are character specific, but sometimes there's no indication of what's what. It's a minor gripe, but it does mean that you can complete most levels without using the extra team members at all. You do have to find them in the first place to get the goals, though. The Story is complimented by the Classic Mode, a return to the THPS days of the two-minute run. It still plays well and extends the single-player gameplay a lot, and gives you access to some favourite levels like Canada, the Airport and the Downhill Jams. The Tony Hawk series is one of those rare beasts that almost lives and dies by its soundtrack, and THUG 2 contines the proud tradition of presenting a well-balanced selection. There's some absolute masterstrokes here - The Ramones' "Rock & Roll High School" and Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" in particular - but the real kicker is the Frank Sinatra track "That's Life". It's a brave approach and one I hope the developers stick to for future games, because it really does work. As for the voice acting, all the pro skaters make good accounts of themselves - although if there is an odd-man-out, it's actually Tony Hawk himself, who starts out sounding like a nerd, but does gets better as the game goes on. Unfortunately, the same due care and attention has not been given to the pedestrians who inhabit the levels. Surely to goodness, you can hire people who don't sound like they escaped from the set of Hogan's Heroes, or cheap Australian and Spanish sound-a-likes. Some of it is actually borderline inapropriate - but then again it's probably not worth getting too worked up about it. The new gameplay elements are fun - the tantrum is fun to do, and sticker slap is great, and the focus, while not exactly letting you recreate the Matrix, does make things a lot easier when pulling off tricks. Unfortunately I can't pass comment on the mulitplayer because I don't have the facilities to experience it. I did however find it disappointing that a single machine HORSE mode wasn't available, or any other single machine multiplayer modes for that matter. It's either LAN, Online or go home. Fair enough, I guess. What problems THUG 2 has are minor and not detrimental to gameplay, but they do tend to gang up on the player. Though the levels are nicely detailed and large, they are on the slightly empty side. The Story mode is well developed but short, and the goals for each level aren't that well displayed for each level. Also, the art of Cavemanning hasn't really been fixed up. Sure, this isn't Tomb Raider and makes no claim to be, but for an increasingly important part of the series' gameplay, you'd think they'd make it a little easier to manage. There's probably not enough variation in the levels, either. It will be the later levels before you see any real variation in the level type, most of which are urban City-like environments. All that concrete tends to give gamers headaches. Though it's called Tony Hawk Undergound 2, it looks and plays more like Tony Hawk's Por Skater 6. There's of course nothing wrong with this, but it may be disappointing to those expecting an extention to the RPG-like gameplay of the original THUG. There's still RPG elements to it, but nowhere near as important as in the previous installment. All in all, THUG 2 is a strong package, but unfortunately that's all it is. While it certainly wasn't a bad idea to return to THPS-like action, it probably would have been better to develop the Story mode more. Still, you can't really complain - there's nothing wrong with the gameplay, the soundtrack's great, the graphics are fine, the cutscenes are well developed, and the levels are nicely presented. It's a great game, but could have been much, much more. I tell you, they're never going to get out of that warehouse alive.... 
