Skate 2

While the original Tony Hawk game and Skate's first forays into the gaming sphere helped breathe new life into what was at the time a stagnating genre, Skate 2 fails to build on that; with developer Black box instead relying on novelty additions such as the ‘Hall of Meat', ‘Skitching' (clinging onto the back of a moving vehicle) and the ability to navigate the open world on foot to pull in the punters.

I admit to being biased and an insufferable prude, when presented with games of the board like variety: skateboard, wakeboard, snowboard and even your garden variety family board games bore the pants of me, but personal preferences aside, the game doesn't present a compelling enough argument for the uninitiated.

Available in four modes: Career, Online, Free skate and Party play, the game's story (should you choose to tackle the career mode) sees the player released from prison after a short stint only to discover the city of San Vanelola has undergone a significant face lift for the better. The city is a huge open world that offers a plethora of challenging terrains and missions. Your goal from the onset is clear: rebuild your reputation and earn as much money as possible, while trying to stay clear of the numerous security personnel that populate the city.
To do this, the control system has been completely revamped, with a rudimentary flick it system, called the' trick stick' that has been flawlessly implemented for easy execution. There are a host of new tricks to master, such as hand plants and the delightful hippie jump (which oozes cool and comes in handy when encountered with tricky situations - you jump over an obstacle, while your board continues to roll under it).

The online and co-op mode is one of the games high points, with the collaborative challenges being extremely satisfying and a particular favourite of mine. Nothing beats trumping a group of mates as you all try to execute a perfect grind rail simultaneously.

While there appears to be a huge gallery of tricks and special moves to learn and execute there is a glaring lack of progressive skill development. Once you've mastered a trick; that is it. There aren't any options to further enhance your skill set, which I believe is a missed opportunity to prolong replay value.
Skate 2 is a gorgeous looking game with a classy soundtrack that coupled with its huge array of characters from the skating fraternity, intuitive controls for easy trick execution as well as an impressive online and multiplayer mode should keep fans of the franchise happy.

However, the infuriating AI, low replay value and the lack of fluidity on all off-the-board activities are a massive let down that could be off putting for less patient players. The deviation to a more slapstick approach also dilutes the notion of Skate 2 as a serious skating simulation.