Tony Hawk Underground (Platinum) for PlayStation 2

Tony Hawk's Underground (THUG) is Neversoft's latest endeavor at skateboarding nirvana. What sets THUG apart from its previous incarnations is the new story mode. You start off with an average Joe-skater that just wants to make a name for himself in the pro skateboarding scene. Your first task is to name your character and change their physical appearance to your liking. Once that's in order, you're tossed into the streets of New Jersey. You must explore the neighborhood and talk to the locales. Certain people you talk to have a task that you must complete in order for the story to progress. Some tasks are very simple, like scoring a certain amount of points to impress spectators. Later down the line, you'll have to perform complex combos or search the environments for special items.

Gameplay
The story mode is divided into chapters that span various locations around the USA and the world. Locations are unique and perfectly mirror their real-life counterparts. These levels are perhaps some of the biggest the series has ever offered. Not only can you skate in these levels, but they can be fully explored. Players can get off their skateboards, walk around, and climb up buildings and other structures. This freedom off the board allows players to get creative with their environments. You'll start playing the game with a more open eye and even start busting out tricks and combos at spots you never thought were playable.

Controls
THUG's control is solid. Combinations are easy to perform and the control's very responsive when it comes performing tricks. The button layout has remained untouched, and several new moves have been included. While performing a combo, players can now get off their boards and run, and then jump back on to finish their combo. You can get off your board at anytime during the game and walk around in your environments. However, there are a few slight problems when walking. The first one is the camera. It never seems to stay behind your character, so you'll have to continuously hit a button to reposition it. Walking around the streets is a bit sluggish, while the jumping is a bit off. But with a little practice, you'll get the hang of jumping and climbing structures in no time.

Options
The game's greatest strength is the amount of customization players have with almost every facet of their skating world. Just like previous versions, you have the option of creating your own parks. All the goodies are here (even some you wouldn't expect), and with a little work you can create some great skate parks. A new feature is the ability to create your own goals for each level. You can specify a combo that must be beaten or assign letters that a player must collect to spell a word. You can then use the goals you've created and apply them to parks you've built. Other features include creating your own decks and moves.

Mulitplayer
THUG includes the standard two player modes we've come to love: trick attack, horse, graffiti, and other great games. But multiplayer is taken to the next level when you go online. The online experience allows 8 players to battle it out in various games. There's so much in the online portion of THUG that it's really overwhelming. What sticks out the most is that players can upload all the things they have created. Neversoft's Online Vaults allows gamers to upload and download created parks, skaters, tricks, and goals.

Graphics
Skater animations are smooth and imaginative. New animations, such as breaking your board and then kicking it at the screen, give the game an original and comedic feel. But the star of show is the level design. These levels are massive. The New York level contains spots where you can skate on the docks, inside an office building, and on rooftops. I can ramble on about the others, but I'll save my breath. Oh yeah, and a cool plus is that you can even unlock levels from previous Tony Hawk games.

Sound
No skating game is complete without a killer soundtrack. THUG's playlist of 70-something songs of punk, hip-hop, and rock tracks fit well throughout the game. Bands like Kiss, Jane's Addiction, The Clash, and Sublime keep the action going, while lesser known bands still pack a mean punch. There's really something for everyone here. Sound effects are also bumping. All the dynamic skate surfaces are perfectly replicated, while ambient sounds like busy street traffic liven up each level. Lastly, the voice-overs aren't the greatest in the world, but the funny skateboard dialog and expressions are all here.

Overall
Although every game in the series has been nothing short of great, THUG seems to be the definitive title for gamers looking for something more than skating. The sheer number of customizations and challenges found in THUG should keep any gamer busy and satisfied.