Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 [OUT NOW]

Makaveli The Don · Oct 2, 2015

Oct 2, 2015
What a shame. Thanks guys for the info though. I'll pass.

ThatMalteseGuy · Oct 3, 2015

Oct 3, 2015
Honestly I kinda expected it to be bad, I still want a THUG 3 though.

Alchemist34 · Oct 8, 2015

Oct 8, 2015
This is a crime against humanity

tomroe93 · Oct 8, 2015

Oct 8, 2015
I'm glad I read this thread. Won't be purchasing this now.

JFK · Oct 8, 2015

Oct 8, 2015
Actually submitted a full review to r/games that was pretty well received if anyone cares to read more: https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/3n96jx/bugs_glitches_are_not_the_problem_an_experienced/

JFK said

After (attempting) to play Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 for a couple days, I've decided to dump my thoughts into a final critique of the game. This is coming from an experienced player with a love for the series. You might know me as slim(SiN) from the online days (yes, even THPS had clans). My expectations were lower than low, but somehow this game still disappoints. I'm not sure whether this disaster was caused by Activision rushing the game or Robomodo's complete incompetence. I'm not sure it matters.

Every review of THPS5 has focused on a few things: Bugs, Glitches, Graphics. Those aren't the real problems.

Yes, the gameplay is glitchy and graphics aren't great. Combos mysteriously end &amp;amp;amp; bails seemingly happen out of nowhere. Ragdoll physics send your skater flying into oblivion. Missions are copy &amp;amp;amp; pasted. It's a $60 barebones game with less features than THPS2. There's no true Create-A-Skater. The UI is laughable. Dozens of questionable fonts litter the screen. You're unable to change levels without quitting to the main menu. You're unable to end a mission without quitting to the main menu. You're unable to upgrade your skater without quitting to the main menu. Robomodo loves that main menu. Always-online-lobbies could have been great, but we're forced to view a loading screen between missions that delays gameplay by minutes. It's truly an awful experience.

However, those concerns are only skin deep. The real crime lies in three offenses:

1. The levels are lazy, uncreative, small, and flat out boring. They are not fun. They look like something thrown together in Create-A-Park mode. THPS1 had more levels (yes, more), more interesting levels, and even levels larger in size. That game came out 16 YEARS ago on PS1. Robomodo seems to think throwing a few quarterpipes and rails in an empty box is enough to pass for a THPS level. It's not. Warehouse &amp;amp;amp; School 2 are reused yet again, this time even smaller. I'm baffled as to what the designers were thinking during level creation.

2. Online (and offline) multiplayer is a joke. Local splitscreen multiplayer has been a staple of THPS since the first game came out. Online multiplayer carried the series after the release of THPS3. Hosted lobbies, dozens of rapid game modes, observing other players (which led to improv gameplay), etc. Online multiplayer has worked seamlessly since 2001. I logged literally thousands of hours playing THPS Online. I met people I still talk to today on THPS Online. Entire communities were built around the game. Flash forward to THPS5: No local multiplayer. Online multiplayer now matches you up with a couple of random players (usually none) to compete in just a few modes, then spits you back into career mode (after more loading screens). No observing other players. Trick Attack is the only mode returning from the original series. Oh, and Graffiti isn't even in this game. We're playing on PS4 with high speed internet whereas THPS3 (with dial up) had a better online multiplayer experience. That's just sad.

3. The worst part of this game is Robomodo's ignorance when it comes to THPS gameplay mechanics. In a combo-based game, the smallest of features can make or break the gameplay experience. Dozens upon dozens of changes have been made, mostly with no real reason at all. It feels like Tony Hawk vaguely explained the controls, and Robomodo just winged it through development.

For example:

They've removed the ability to bail while manualing or grinding. You just land. There's no risk.

The scoring system is all sorts of screwed up.

Special meter is awful &amp;amp;amp; pointless, only lasting a few seconds.

You can't choose special tricks, nor do they require special button combos.

Because specials are now random tricks, you're forced to do a backflip and fall while trying to grab off of a rail.

Special is now activated with L1, meaning you can't spin with L1 unless you want to trigger your special.

Spinning is now limited to auto-180 degree spins, which makes it hard to perform longer/precise spins.

"Slamming" is now a feature activated by holding triangle/grind (and is unnecessary).

Literally everyone holds grind before grinding, but now slam forces you to the ground before getting close to the rail.

Grinding is entirely too forgiving, morphing your skater several feet sideways onto the rail.

Wallrides are automatic now, which seem to randomly activate when you get close to a wall.

Wallrides use to be triangle (which is now slam) so now you slam to the ground when trying to wallride.

Reverts no longer lose speed (Since THPS3, reverts slowed you down each time to increase difficulty).

Removed the ability to ollie directly after a revert and continue your combo. Now you're forced to manual first (ollieing after reverts, before manualing, was a technique used to conserve speed during combos).

Removed the ability to dropdown while grinding with R2 (technique used by advanced players frequently).

You now auto-ollie out of quarterpipes.

There's no drop-in feature.

Leveling out mid-air seldom works.

Wallplants are assigned to a different button and seldom work correctly.

No quick turn feature (technique used by advanced players frequently).

No wall push feature (technique used by advanced players frequently).

No trick variations by double tapping trick buttons (although now you can only do it by double tapping directions).

No trick switches by tapping during grinds/manuals/inverts.

No rotating during a manual.

R2 is push / L2 is break, even though Ollie/Down have been those controls since THPS1 and work better.

No ability to customize tricks.

Balance meter is glitchy and does not perform the same as traditional THPS games. It will randomly invert and doesn't slightly forgive with each grind/manual (as it has done the entire series).

No get-back-up animations (even THPS1 had them) with the ability to tap X to get up faster. The screen flashes white and respawns you.

I'm literally not sure the developers have ever played a true THPS game. These gameplay features might go unnoticed to the average player/reviewer, but they're crucial to anyone even slightly experienced.

Robomodo may be responsible for the worst letdown in entertainment history. They took any nostalgic remnants fans had left and slaughtered our hopes and dreams of a new THPS game. The "5" in THPS5 is a disrespectful cash grab. Promising a full featured game and delivering this is downright disgusting. Do NOT buy this game. Do not support half assed efforts and ridiculous price tags.

No patch can fix this game. Only a new game (with a new developer) can fix this game and series.

Rating: -1000/10
Click to expand...

JFK · Oct 8, 2015

Oct 8, 2015
After thinking this through, the only way for Robomodo to redeem themselves is to release "THPS Online" as it's own game within the Xbox/PSN Stores. This game features refined gameplay, way more levels (new & throwbacks), and is focused on online multiplayer only (although offline is an option). With a similar experience to the massive success of Rocket League, and slightly similar to how GTA: Online compliments GTAV, "THPS Online" could stand on its own, raking in money from DLC levels/game modes and advertising.

One can dream.

Poohdini · Oct 8, 2015

Oct 8, 2015
What a disappointment. I grew up with this game and was really hoping they'd deliver.

Prosciutto · Oct 11, 2015

Oct 11, 2015
anyone know where I can find thug 2 pc download? every link Ive found looks dodgy

JFK · Oct 12, 2015

Oct 12, 2015

LateNightAtJoondi said

anyone know where I can find thug 2 pc download? every link Ive found looks dodgy
Click to expand...

Have you heard of THUG Pro? It's a mod for THUG2 PC created by the community that implements THUG1 physics and almost all levels from every THPS game. Check it out: http://thugpro.thmods.com/thugpro/

Also PM me if you find a good THUG2 download. I've been looking as well.

Prosciutto · Oct 12, 2015

Oct 12, 2015

JFK said

Have you heard of THUG Pro? It's a mod for THUG2 PC created by the community that implements THUG1 physics and almost all levels from every THPS game. Check it out: http://thugpro.thmods.com/thugpro/

Also PM me if you find a good THUG2 download. I've been looking as well.
Click to expand...

yeah man I was looking at that the other day, looks promising.

Will do

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