With fans praying for a return to the seminal series for years now, it seems Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater will finally be getting its first huge entry since the disastrous release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 back in 2015. This time, the game will be handled by Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy developer Vicarious Visions, who has bundled remakes of the first two games in the franchise to create Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2.
Debuting to thunderous acclaim with its first trailer and then garnering even more positive reactions after the release of the Warehouse demo, it seems the team has accomplished something really special with its re-imagining of the two classic titles. However, fans are likely wondering what a very specific group of players are thinking about the game, with some of the industry’s most notable critics recently getting their hands on the upcoming skating remake.
With numerous publications weighing in on whether Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 is a worthwhile re-imagining of the innovating skating classic, it’s time to find out what the consensus is on Vicarious Vision’s newest project.
VG24/7 (Dom Peppiatt)
“Vicarious Visions has proved that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater was more than just a product of its time, and that – like skating itself – it has every chance of penetrating the mainstream once again. The studio should be lauded for twice proving that it is a steward of 90s nostalgia, and that it can reanimate games to be just as good – if not better! – for their second turn under the sun.”
Score: 5 / 5
The Sixth Axis (Thomas Hughes)
“Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+ 2 is a labour of love and an ode to the series’ glory days. Every inch of the game has been perfectly restored and updated for modern consoles and it’s an absolute delight to play from start to finish. This is a must-buy for skateboarders, gamers and everyone else in between.”
Score: 10 / 10
IGN (Luke Reilly)
“Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 is such a tremendous turnaround from 2015’s disastrously dismal Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 that it’s difficult to believe they share even a shred of DNA. The accessible yet tricky skating is earnest and old-school fun, the wonderful looking levels are lovingly designed odes to the past, and the music is like the hearty embrace of an old childhood buddy. It’s pretty easy to be cynical about how rapidly selling us our favourite games again became a central pillar of Activision’s business strategy, but when it’s this much fun I’m finding it impossible to be sour about it. It turns out going backwards has been the best step forward Activision has taken with the Tony Hawk series in nearly 15 years.”
Score 9 / 10
GameSpot (Mat Paget)
“Because it nails so much about that original Tony Hawk experience, it’s really hard to be mad at Pro Skater 1 + 2 for any of its downsides. The load times aren’t enough to keep you away from the plethora of satisfying combos, and the lack of level goals for every skater isn’t enough to keep you from jumping back in with a new character. Playing through the newly remade levels is immensely enjoyable, and that on its own is enough to call Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 a success. However, smart additions and an engaging challenge system make it an experience that’s more than just a brief skate through Tony Hawk’s past.”
Score: 9 / 10
GAMINGBible (Mark Foster)
“Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 is about as good a remaster as we’ve ever had, staying as close to the originals as possible, and only veering off slightly where it spots a chance to improve on the source material. There’s really no reason not to get this if you have even a passing interest in the original games, or skateboarding, or hanging out with your buddies on a Saturday night to see who can nail the craziest combos.”
Score: 9 / 10
GamesRadar (Ben Tyrer)
“Vicarious Visions has built an engine that could actually push the series in a new direction, with the focus on skating rather than gimmicks that came from the annual release cycle that the series was stuck in. Here’s hoping this is more of a warm up than a victory lap.”
Score: 4 / 5
Attack of the Fanboy (Dean James)
“Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater as a series fell off a long time ago, with it once looking like the series may never see a resurgence again. This is probably why Activision enlisted Vicarious Visions to step in like they did with Crash Bandicoot and help to bring the series to its roots. The addition of multiple new goals within each stage makes them feel a bit more fleshed out than before, though it would have been nice to have seen a new stage or two thrown into the mix for good measure even as a remaster. The Tony Hawk series was always just pure unadulterated fun in game form and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 takes players back to those good ole days once again.”
Score: 4 / 5
Destructoid (Chris Carter)
“Blemishes aside, Activision is doing so much right this time beyond just putting Vicarious Visions in charge. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 isn’t going to blow people away, but it preserves the original experience with a few modern conveniences. It’s a win.”
Score: 8 / 10
The reviews seem to be absolutely glowing, with a number of sites calling Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 a huge comeback for one of gaming’s most iconic series. It seems the remake’s attention to detail and love for its source material shines throughout, from its detailed recreations of iconic maps like The Mall and Venice Beach to its killer returning soundtrack. It seems the gameplay is slicker than ever too, with many commenting on how solidly Vicarious Visions has upgraded the feel of Pro Skater’s movement and combos to make it feel more seamless to play. Negatives are few and far between, however, some have noted that the game’s loading times could use some work and that playing as different skaters doesn’t offer as unique an experience as it did in Pro Skater 1 and 2.
The solid score has netted it an outstanding 88 on Metacritic, although the aggregated number is sure to change as more publications join the discussion over the next few days. Interestingly, its current score puts it at the fifth best-rated PlayStation 4 game of the year, sitting behind Dreams, Pistol Whip, The Last of Us 2, and Persona 5: Royal. Evidently Vicarious Visions has proved yet again that it has a unique aptitude for remaking the PlayStation 1’s most iconic releases.
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 + 2 is out on September 4 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
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