Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1123 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: ACTIVISION
• Released on: 2007-11-02
• Platform: PlayStation2

Amazon.co.uk Review

Tony Hawk is thirty-nine now and yet already nine of those years have been spent appearing in Activision's yearly skateboarding sims. As such he has nothing at all to prove any more but in this game you do, as the series takes a turn away from the action adventure gameplay of previous titles and recalls the glory days of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2. Not only does it include real world landmarks from the older game, such as FDR Skatepark and the Love Park, but it also sees the return of favourite features such as Create-a-Park.

In the main single player mode you create your own skater and then follow their entire skateboarding career in one of three classes: hardcore, rigger and career. Hardcore skaters aren't interested in competitions or trophies, career skaters are and riggers prefer to invent tricks and layouts out of ordinary environments. The control system expands on the Nail the Trick concept from the last game, which essentially creates a kind of slow motion bullet time that zooms the camera in closer to your board. Proving Ground adds in Nail the Grab and Nail the Manual which work in a similar way. New moves include the turbo boosting Aggro Kick and Skate Checking, which basically amounts to knocking people out of the way. Like many new game at the moment the online community will allow you to upload videos of your endeavours as you attempt to prove you're the best, at the best new Tony Hawk's game for years.

Manufacturer's Description
In the largest and deepest Tony Hawk game yet, gamers are now in total control of their skating destiny in Tony Hawk's Proving Ground. Set in the streets of Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., the title empowers players with the freedom to define their character, story and style based on the choices they make, the paths they select and the style of skating they want. The game delivers deeper customization than ever before, including a full-featured video editor to create epic skate videos and a completely customizable online Skate Lounge, where players can skate with friends in the ultimate pad. Gamers also have the freedom to skate from single player to online seamlessly. Tony Hawk's Proving Ground also features an arsenal of amazingly detailed Nail the Trick moves, and new gameplay mechanics like skateable terrain building and Bowl Carving to deliver the most personalized and immersive skating experience ever.

Customer Reviews

One for die-hard Tony Hawk's fans only
Let me start by saying that I have 7 of the previous Tony Hawk titles and unfortunately this game is probably one of the weaker in the series. Although the graphics are impressive and the handling of the board feels pretty realistic, the game play lets this title down. On the plus side, there are a few new additions from previous games - like the new skater style game play in which each task either develops your Hardcore, Rigger or Career skater style. This is not half as much fun as it sounds and Rigger in particular, where you have to place and trick off your own quarter-pipes and rails etc just gets annoying!
Then there's the problem of realism. One minute you'll be admiring the superbly realistic graphics but the next you'll be collecting imaginary balls by tricking on various objects - the game just can't decide whether to stay true to skating or be a more fun, relaxed title.
Finally there's the game's biggest flaw - the difficulty! It's just all very inconsistent - some goals are simple even for newbie's to the TH games and others seem very near impossible what with gravity and everything!
All-in-all, if you're a die-hard TH fan then give it a go, otherwise try a more user-friendly, and frankly more fun, earlier title in the series.

Some great additions making this game worth the money...
Some very good additions to this version of yet another Tony Hawk game, but difficult to say if it's better or worse than it's predecessors. New things to enjoy are different Skater Styles, (Hardcore, Maverick, Competition), and you can also 'create' your own tricks and grab tricks. Apart from that there's not much new.

A comment as well as a review.
First of all, to the previous reviewer... O.Ramsell.
I believe you meant to say:
Tony should HAVE stopped making these games years ago...
At least get it right.

Secondly, my review.

Although it isn't to the same glory as some previous Tony Hawk games, Proving Ground is still ok. It still has the basic things that you enjoy, including tough missions, pro movies, and something a little different. The way the game is set up allows players to choose their own path, and each different selection leads to getting a pro board, or a shoe deal or something else along those lines. The tricks are all still basically the same, and it isn't the sort of game you can clock in 2 hours.

Overall, not one of my favorite TH games but still worth the money.