Tony Hawk's American Wasteland - Page 2

Alive and Skitchin'
Of course, all the choices in the world don't mean jack if the gameplay is sub par, but you needn't worry. In fact, THAW represents the most ambitious Hawk game to date in that it allows for continuous skating action. That's right--during Story mode, you won't have to worry about loading times as you transition from one level to the next, because as you progress through the game it opens up to become one, huge cityscape, that can be navigated via causeways or by taking vehicular transportation. Neversoft further streamlined the gameplay by incorporating skate shops and clothes and accessory venders into each part of the city as well as inspiration and tagging spots for creating tricks and graphics. There also isn't a need to micro-manage your character's attributes as that's done automatically by completing various objectives.

Mechanically, THAW is tight, and the 360 controller is simply dynamite. Since there wasn't a need to revamp the key map, anyone vaguely familiar with the schemes of old will have no problem getting right into the action (it also helps that the black and white buttons have been replaced with shoulder buttons). However, Neversoft did add a few more moves, including the Bert slide, Natas Handstand spin, and new off-the-board techniques such as wall runs and flips.

The visuals are the sickest they've ever been in a Hawk game, but that should come as no surprise--this is the 360. The player skins and massive environments are polished beyond belief, while the moves look exceptionally lifelike. And no Hawk game would be complete without a generous helping of tasty rock and hip-hop tunes, and THAW delivers with hits both new and retro.

Skating For the Rest of Us
As with any new hardware launch, the initial gaming pickins' aren't very robust--fortunately for you there's Tony Hawk's American Wasteland. Its easy pick-up-and-play style will have you skating like a pro in no time, and its addictive gameplay will keep you glued to your chair for days on end.

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