Tony Hawk Pro Skater was a sensation when it was released in 1999. The appeal of the game was not just limited to skaters at the time, as everyone was in love with extreme sports and Tony Hawk was the icon of it all. However, after fourteen games, the Pro Skater franchise has been looking a little worse for wear, especially after the disastrous game Tony Hawk: Ride. Now Activision is looking to recapture the franchise’s former glory by rebooting, and the best way to do that is to revisit the original Tony Hawk Pro Skater with the upcoming Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD. Will this update of the classic reinspire interest in the brand, or will it crash and burn right out of the gate? Here is what we know of the game so far.
The first thing that needs to be laid out is the fact that this is not an HD port of the original Tony Hawk Pro Skater game from 1999. This is a remake, with all new graphics to match the latest graphics in gaming. While this may seem appealing to the people who played the original game when it first came out, there have been times when applying new graphics to old game play has not worked out. It remains to be seen whether or not the same control scheme will be kept on the Playstation 3, as the design of their controller has not changed since the original Playstation 1. However, it can be expected that on the Xbox the controls will be different. It does not matter how amazing the graphics are, however, if the controls are not fluid and fun for the gamer.
Something that made the original game so iconic to many gamers was the eclectic soundtrack. Since musical trends have most definitely shifted since 1999, it is not very likely that the soundtrack will be kept the same, although some of the songs on that soundtrack may make an appearance. Some purists of the franchise may be put out by this possible change, but in the name of rebooting the franchise, it may be a necessary step that helps to bring in a newer audience that may never have played a Tony Hawk game before.
Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD will also be the first game in the franchise that is downloadable only..
This means that you will only be able to purchase on Playstation Network or on Xbox LIVE Arcade. While this may put off some people who prefer disk based games to save hard drive space, if the game is as short as the original was, this may not be such a bad thing. However, it is being speculated that some levels from the second game may make their way into this one.
There are some gamers out there who feel that this is a simple cash grab isntead of the reboot that it is intended to be. The fact is that gamers will not know until the game is actually released, but there is some validity to their concerns. Remaking an older skate game with new graphics is all well and good, but if it is nothing but the same old game in a prettier package, then it could very well backfire on Activision. Fanboys are notorious for both their franchise loyalty and their ability to tear games down with bad word of mouth. Activision had a bad experience when the latest edition of the Call of Duty series received overwhelmingly negative reviews from gamers who felt that it offered a trivial amount of content. Without new content to go with the new graphics, Activision could have a problem on their hands.
Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD is definitely something that fans of the franchise should keep their eyes out for. Whether you were a fan for the first few games or if you are a devotee, Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD is a point of intrigue. With its new graphics, and perhaps even some brand new content, Activision just might capture lightning in a bottle for a second time and recreate a masterpiece that lives up to the original. Perhaps the game will come to remind gamers of why they enjoyed the franchise to begin with.
I´m looking forward to the new Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD game!
A long I wait for Skate 4, for me it´s a little light at the end of the tunnel to get a new skate game 😀
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