THUG tries to be and underground skating sim, and by doing this, it lacks important stuff like THPS' realism.
User Rating: 8.5 | Tony Hawk's Underground PS2
I'm not saying that THUG is bad, far from that. It just feels that after the great THPS3 and THPS4, the ultimate skateboarding simulator takes a step back. THUG introduces some new additions that are quite useful. As you means of locomotion, you can now get off your board and run, walk and climb the scenario. This provides you to reach some areas that would be innacessable if there wasn't this feature. You also have some new basic tricks, like the wallplant, caveman and spacewalk that add some new interest to the already big trick , characteristic of every Tony Hawk game. Some other new stuff, however, are done pretty bad, as the awful vehicle sequencies. After you complete a mission that requires you driving around some car with a really wacky controls, you get the oportunity to ride it every time you wan on free roaming. But guess what? There's absolutely no reason to, as every time you get of the car, you end up on the place you picked it up. As for the graphics, THUG, also looks like it is a little behind tthe brilliant graphics seen in Tony Hawk PS 4. The game is now presented in a more cartoon-like style, with lots of hot colours and brightness. The animations however keep as fluid as it is usual in the series. The storyline is very different from the others, as here you play the role of an amateur skateboarder that is willing to be the new skating pro in the industry. So, he sees his oportunity rise when Chad Muska comes to town for a demo. Like in THPS4, there isn't a linear structure for you to accept the "missions". You start by free-roaming the level, and talking to the marked people when you want to advance to another level. This chance of playing as an amateur seems quite irrealistic, as from the beggining, you'll be always able to do highly-difficult manouvers like the 900 or Handstands. So, the season loses some credibility here. You also must give credit to the renewed park-creator, and the new trick and objectives editors. Yup, in THUG you can make your trick(s) which is very cool, if you have the patience required for it, that is. Graphics- 8 I dare to say that they are the worst, according to the evolution that all others have experienced. Gameplay - 9 It's a Tony Hawk, altought altered. Great dynamic and gameplay, even if some new additions look out of place. Sound - 10 The high standarts of every Tony Hawk game are filled here. Great soundtrack. Lifespan/Replay Value - 8 The career mode isn't very big, but the extras (THPS2 levels, secret skaters and videos) are enough for you to come back to the career at least one more time. Veredict: There isn't any Tony Hawk game that we can even consider average. However, according to its predecessors, THUG had the obligation to do a little more. 
