For the first time in a decade, Neversoft is disassembling the Tony Hawk franchise and building the next-generation version entirely from the ground up. The result is nothing short of jaw dropping, particularly graphically, but the real innovation and gameplay addition is the inclusion of real-world physics and gravity.
Graphically it’s easy to see the difference between this and the last iteration of Hawk, especially in little details such as wheels moving and trucks turning. Athletes heads are also now modeled with 100,000 polygons each, all player animations are strung together without any transition hiccups between moves, and tricks look entirely cohesive whether you string together either animations or pull off a 20-trick combo. Just one word describes these aspects: fluid.
Yet gravity and momentum, not graphics, are the elements that will truly affect the gameplay. Neversoft has spent considerable time researching weight distribution and physics, hoping that the game will eventually reflect gravity and momentum so realistically that players will be immersed in the game without the need for a HUD. With the new physics system, when players ollie or jump in Tony Hawk’s Project 8, the moves have a much more organic look to them. The athlete might bend his knees deeply to brace for a high landing, or he might keep his or her knees only slightly bent when jumping up to a roof, which doesn’t require the same impact protection.
As players make their way through the campaign to join Tony Hawk’s touring company, they’ll encounter a world that looks more detailed and realistic than gamers ever expected to see from a Tony Hawk game. Buildings, benches and other environmental objects ae much more detailed and sharp than ever before, and from water to glass transparencies to the general look and feel, the single, seamless world in Project 8 seems reminiscent of the urban areas we’ve all skated in before rather than an artist’s vision of what those places look like.
Between the graphics and the gravity, it’s easy to get excited about this new next-gen Tony Hawk game. Even silly diversions like some jumps going into bullet time or doing an ollie sound fun, as does grinding down an edge that reveals a piano keyboard, complete with sound effects that’s activated when you move. But it gets better: “Remember, how you used to bail?” asked our guide. “How would you like to have the Havok physic engine incorporated into the mix? How would you like a bonus point system based on how many bones you break each time you bail?” “Yes, please,” is about all most Hawk fans could muster.
With the game set to go in the next six months, Neversoft technically has more time to make improvements and tweaks. But the world we experienced at E3 looked essentially ready to ship today. If you’re one of the many gamers who have wanted a change in the series, Tony Hawk’s Project 8 should provide exactly the change you’re looking for.
— Phil Vollmer