Tony Hawk's Project 8

Though the Tony Hawk franchise is getting a little long in the tooth--eight titles in eight years will exhaust even the most die-hard video game skater--Project 8 was a good addition to the franchise, thanks to its great graphics, the impressive Nail The Trick mode and the sheer vastness of its levels.

The PSP version retains most of the good aspects of its bigger sibling but it does very to differentiate itself.
Evolution, Devolution

For series die-hards who just want a portable version of the Hawk's latest digital adventure or a PSP owner hungry for another worthy title, this won't be too much of an issue. The main question is whether the controls are up to snuff, which is an important consideration for a franchise that has traditionally featured tight controls. The PSP version can manage without a second analog stick (since the console originals don't demand more than one), but stiffer digital buttons might have still been a problem.

Thankfully, the controls are perfectly responsive, though some concessions had to be made. For example, it's very easy to link vert moves without the use of a revert trick, and manuals are now accomplished via the square button, which helps make street combos very simple, as you can ollie, manual, and grind with a single finger.

The graphics and audio portion are also impressive, all the more so when you consider the visual quality found in the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. The levels are still vast, the number of available goals is still overwhelming, and the multiplayer portion adds some replayability. PSP owners and skateboarding freaks should definitely invest in this title but those of you who've played Project 8 on the home consoles, or are looking for a radically new skating experience, should look elsewhere. And on a personal note, here's hoping that the Hawk franchise flies into a new and exciting direction for the next inevitable installment.

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