Skate 2

A brilliant game. For the most part it takes the brilliant template laid down in the original and injects it with a smartly integrated new move-set, an exciting world to rip to shreds, and the same addictive, unquestionably stylish gameplay which saw the Tony Hawk series bolt for the hills.

Instinctive, with near-infinite potential; only familiarity numbs its raw playable thrills. [Feb 2009, p.74]

New San Van itself is a phenomenal accomplishment, a tightly designed playground that begs for physical interaction without overly looking the part. It's easy to feel like you're a skater noticing the potential around you, rather than a gamer looking at visual footnotes of design.

Even with much of the gameplay remaining the same, Skate 2 is one of the most impressive sequels I’ve played in my tenure as a game critic. Most developers follow the line of thought of “more equals better.” In Skate 2 better is achieved by just making it better. It does the almost impossible task of making old gameplay feel new again.

It's difficult to say whether or not Skate 2 is better than the original -- it lacks that game's moxie and swagger. It's no longer that up and coming superstar that demands your attention. This time out, it's more comfortable with what it's doing, and it achieves its goal of reproducing the feel and culture of skateboarding exceptionally well.

If you have played the first one, there are many reasons to play this second entry on the series. The game is better in almost all aspects, and the great amount of content will keep you playing and coming back for more, for a long time. Plus, the Online mode is great and there is plenty of unlockables. Annals of Meat mode is stupidly awesome.

Sure, there is still room for improvement with Skate 3 with regards to the customisation and off-board controls, but it looks like the days of the Tony Hawk reign might be finally gone. Whoop!

It's a near-perfect sequel in almost every way. [Mar 2009, p.68]

Undoubtedly the best extreme sports game ever. [Feb 2009, p.72]

What EA Black Box have achieved is near enough the ultimate lazy Sunday afternoon with your friends and a bunch of skateboards.

There's a huge amount of potential in this sequel, and it has gameplay you'll keep coming back to time and time again. A must-have for any true skating fan.

Why do cars, pedestrians and the menu structure still have to be so annoying? Nevertheless it’s a great sequel and arguably the best skating game out there.

Skate 2 is very close to finding that perfect balance between realism and arcade game play, and that is why I think it’s currently the better game to pick up if you’re looking to rejuvenate the virtual skateboarding void that was created after becoming bored with the ‘other’ series a couple years ago.

Skate 2 is sport entertainment as good as the first one, and in many aspects even better. Great graphics, awesome campaign mode and an interesting multiplayer are among its highlights. We were intrigued about how the franchise would evolve after its overwhelming first entry, and the final result has not disappointed us.

SKATE 2 somehow betters the first game with more challenges and a healthier selection of moves whilst at the same time keeping the originals high standards. This is still the king of skateboarding.

Secures its status as the most realistic skateboarding game and one of the best. [Mar 2009, p.64]

It may be slightly different then original skateboarding games and the controls take some getting used to, but it is definitely worth a ride.

Skate, as a series, has improved with the release of Skate 2. Hopefully the developers will improve the next game even further.

Walking, skitching, creating new spots … It seems as if EA has drawn its whole attention to those, admittedly very important things, and so has completely forgotten to offer a new game. For “skate 2” feels, looks and is played just like the prequel.

A refined and polished sequel to a brilliant skateboarding game.

Whether you’re a skater (like myself) or simply a gamer who likes to virtually tear it up, Skate 2 offers a fairly complex control scheme that rewards those who dig into the moves with one of the most bold, creative, and downright fun games, like evar.

The game prides itself on simplistic controls and a focus on skating rather than performing inane tasks and worrying too much about a tacked-on narrative. Skate 2 continues to up the ante for genre forcing Activision to really step up for the next chapter of Tony Hawk.

It does have some problems, but besides the running controls and the steep learning curve, there is not a better skating game out there. So go out, buy it, play it, and enjoy another great game from Black Box.

Technically an improvement over the first title, and anyone who hadn't yet played the original should skip it and go right to the second. It's a really fun game that allows you to play it the way you want with a control scheme that is second-to-none at the moment. However, it's far from perfect.

SKATE 2 is great fun, and fans of the original will no doubt love it more than the first. Yes, there are still some gripes to be had, mostly dealing with control issues, but they don't hurt the game nearly enough to damage the experience significantly. With a larger campaign mode, a better playground, more tricks, the Hall of Meat mode, and enjoyable cut-scenes, SKATE 2 is worth the price of admission.

The game isn’t flawless, but it is solid where it counts and does drive the series forward if only by a small margin.

Improves on the original in many ways, but fails to address its most fundamental flaw – that its challenges are generally too narrow, prescriptive and frustrating. The fantastic new Hall Of Meat mode offers some considerable compensation, though.

If you loved the first, you’ll love the second, and if you hated the first, you’ll hate this one even more. This isn’t over-the-top arcade skating, but it is the closest alternative to the real thing.

I like to see how a game evolves over time and so I’d like to suggest to all readers: Get yourself all three titles in the series – skate, skate it and skate 2 – because if you won’t take offense in the dull story and some mistakes as well as the costly DLC you will get just the right portion of next generation skating feeling.

While it’s basically just a more polished version of the first game with a few additions here and there, Skate 2 is easily the best skating game on the market. The city is massive, the trick system still feels like butter on wheels, there are endless challenges, events and places to discover, and the online features are plentiful.

But for the vast majority of players there will be a challenge hurdle at some point that is just too high to overcome. It's no accident: the game has been designed that way. It's testament to the strength of the surrounding package that Skate 2 continues to be compelling place to inhabit even after its primary purpose is gone and all that's left is the playground.

For hardcore Skate players the new moves, altered city and new features (getting off your board, moving objects) will make Skate 2 essential, but at the same time perhaps not as big a leap over the original as they'd have liked. For everyone else, if you've got time to kill and fancy yourself as the next Tony Hawk, Skate 2 is well worth it. It's hard and often punishing to the point of frustration, but the rewards make up for all the effort.

Just like the first game, Skate 2 is a lot more enjoyable if you just look for spots to work from every conceivable angle and go to town. It’s when you attempt to actually complete the game’s career mode that things start to bog down as you’re forced to endure the finicky, imprecise trick controls, awkward on-foot movement, repetitive mission objectives, and god awful racing. But when you’re on-board, cruising down the sidewalk looking for an edge to grind or slide it really comes into its own.

The urban stylistic boarding in Skate 2 continues down the realistic path while still managing to feel refreshing.

While the career mode of Skate 2 lacks focus, the open-ended nature of it works out pretty well, and the additional online components really add a lot to the overall experience, as well. Some players may find the difficulty or the open progression a bit overwhelming at times, but the advances in the trick system and the new ways to play make Skate 2 a great sequel that further capitalizes on the concepts introduced in the original.

A better game than the original, but also a less even one. [Feb 2009, p.94]

Skate 2 does have a lot to offer but it falls short in a lot of ways. Its realistic feel is great when it comes to technical aspects like tricks and controls but it's taken one step too far. [Mar 2009, p.79]

Skate 2 is also an ideal choice for multiplayer action, thanks to enjoyable online skating sessions; solo players will also love the career mode.

Skate 2 is a diamond in the skateboarding genre, but loses focus every now and then. Nevertheless, it’s a definite purchase if you’ve enjoyed the first game, and a great opportunity for newcomers to give the trademark Skate-gameplay a try. The controls are just as intuitive as before, performing tricks is ultimately satisfying, and San Vanelona remains a great place to reside in.

Skate 2 does manage to pull of some refreshingly new and stylish moves that should please fans of the first game. Despite its few technical problems, though, it makes the trip back to San Van well worth it.

Whilst Skate 2 isn't polished to a gleaming shine, sporting issues with the environment, both getting stuck on it and manipulating items within it, it is an accomplished game.

Skate 2 is great because the core mechanics have been expanded thoughtfully and we’ve been given a (mostly) whole new playground to master them in. It’s not great because of Mongocorp security, it’s not great because you have buddies you can call on, it’s not great because there’s are mountain trails now, it’s not great because you can judo kick while bailing, and it’s not great because the challenges are compelling.

The presentation is slick, the controls are great, and at times you really do feel like you're skateboarding. It’s unfortunate that things get dragged down by the occasionally frustrating and buggy challenges; that walking on foot isn’t handled better; and that the game’s physics and artificial intelligence aren’t consistent and sometimes get in the way of the gameplay; because Skate 2 has so much to offer.

Skate was the first interesting alternative to the monopoly of Tony Hawk and its sequel improves many aspects of it, adding new features like multiplayer modes. Some AI problems and a lack of innovation over the fist one are the big problems of this title.

We think Skate 2 still has some room for improvement in control, however advances in this part, but it looks like it will have a great future as it evolves building on its base.

Black Box’s sequel ultimately struggles to offer any single compelling justification for its own existence. [Feb 2009, p.93]

The camera is one of the most immediate problems that needs to be fixed, but Black Box has done a good job with the title, and if they can keep making substantial improvements with each title in the series, then they'll be the undisputed frontrunners for the new generation of skating titles.

In some areas (like the moveable furniture) it adds interesting enhancements, whilst less successful innovations can simply be ignored. But what it fails to do is to keep the momentum of the first game.