| Tony Hawk's Underground | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer | Neversoft[a] |
| Publisher | Activision |
| Series | Tony Hawk's |
| Platforms | |
| Release | Game Boy Advance,GameCube,PlayStation 2,XboxMobileMicrosoft Windows |
| Genre | Sports |
| Modes | Single-player,multiplayer |
Tony Hawk's Underground is a 2003skateboarding video game and the fifth entry in theTony Hawk's series, followingTony Hawk's Pro Skater 4. It was developed byNeversoft and published byActivision for theGameCube,PlayStation 2,Xbox, andGame Boy Advance. In 2004, it was published forWindows in Australia and New Zealand as a budget release.
Underground is built upon the skateboarding formula of previousTony Hawk's games: the player exploreslevels and completes goals while performingtricks. It features a new focus on customization; the player, instead of selecting a professional skater, creates a custom character.Underground adds the ability for players to dismount their boards and explore on foot. The plot follows theplayer character and their friend Eric Sparrow as the two become professionals and grow apart.
Underground was developed with a theme of individuality which was manifested in the extensive character customization options, the presence of a narrative, and the product's characterization as an adventure game. Real world professional skateboarders contributed their experiences to the plot.Underground was a major critical and commercial success, with reviewers praising its wide appeal, soundtrack, customization, multiplayer, and storyline. The graphics and the controls for driving vehicles and walking were less well received.Underground's PlayStation 2 version had sold 2.11 million copies in the United States by December 2007. A sequel,Tony Hawk's Underground 2, followed in 2004.
Like its predecessors in theTony Hawk's series,Underground is centered onskateboarding in a series oflevels.[2] The player performstricks via combinations ofanalog stick andbutton inputs. For example, the player initiates anollie (a jump trick) by holding and releasing the jump button. During an ollie, the player may change the position of the analog stick and press one of two buttons to perform either aflip trick (such as animpossible orkickflip) or agrab trick (such as abenihana ornosegrab). The player cangrind on certain edges and rails; different tricks may be performed during a grind based on the position of the analog stick. Onquarter pipes, the player may executelip tricks. While skating on flat surfaces, the player maymanual in multiple ways via button combinations. Miscellaneous tricks includeacid drops andwall-rides.[3]
While a grind, lip, or manual trick is underway, a balance meter appears: unless the player prevents this meter from falling to the left or right, the character willbail and need a few seconds to recover. Bailing can also be caused by falling without one's board facing downward. Completing tricks in succession without bailing is called a combo.[3] Comboing raises the player'sscore and fills up the Special Meter; when it is full, the player is granted access to more elaborate tricks worth more points, such as theMcTwist and540 Flip.[4]Underground introduces the ability to dismount one's skateboard, which allows the player to explore levels more carefully and reach new areas. Each level features at least one vehicle, usually a car, that the player can drive.[2]
The levels are based on regions of the United States and other countries.[2] In each level, certain tasks that advance the narrative must be completed before the player can move on. These tasks includescore attacks, races, item collection, and reaching one of many gaps[b] found in a level.[4] Each level houses one professional skateboarder, who provides asidequest that unlocks a trick for the Special Meter.[6] On account of the levels' large sizes and the integration of goals into the story,Underground has been described as anadventure game.[7][8] Characters can level up their stats—which include jump height and speed—by completing optional goals in a level;[4] this adds an element ofrole-playing gameplay.[7][8] Other gameplay modes includemultiplayer minigames—one, a combat mode called "Firefight", can be played online in the PlayStation 2 version—and a "free skate" mode that lets the player explore levels with no goals or story.[2]
Underground features extensive customization. The player creates a custom character for the story mode, and may not play as a pre-made professional skater outside a few contexts: a special scene late in the game, minigames, and the free skate mode. A level editor allows the player to createskate parks with a large array of objects,[2] ranging from traditional skate park elements likehalfpipes, ramps,funboxes, andgrind rails to more outlandish pieces like buildings and sections of elevated freeways.[9] The player can change their park's time of day and environmental theme. Tricks, skateboards, and level goals may be customized as well.[2]
Underground features many real world professional skateboarders including:Tony Hawk,Bob Burnquist,Paul Rodriguez,Chad Muska,Mike Vallely,Andrew Reynolds, andStacy Peralta.Underground also features cameo appearances byIron Man, a parody ofC.H.U.D. called T.H.U.D., andKiss bassistGene Simmons.
While the console versions are fullythree-dimensional, the Game Boy Advance version is rendered in anisometric style that incorporates both2D sprites and 3D models. This version is a more traditionalTony Hawk's game, with little attention given to the story or customization.[10] The mobile version is similarly restricted.[11]
The protagonist and their friend, Eric Sparrow, live in suburbanNew Jersey and dream of becoming famous skateboarders. The protagonist manages to impress professional skaterChad Muska, visiting town for a demo, who gives them a new skateboard and informs them that a good way to start a skating career is to gain a sponsorship from a local skate shop. The protagonist seeks outStacy Peralta, who agrees to sponsor them on the condition that the player does something to set themselves apart from the other local skaters, so the protagonist travels toManhattan, New York with Eric, who is on the run from drug dealers after setting their car on fire as revenge for stealing from the skate shop.
There, the pair shoot a skating video that impresses Stacy, who loans them a van and suggests they enter the Tampa AM, an amateur division skate contest held annually at theSkatepark of Tampa, inTampa, Florida. Upon arrival, Eric is arrested for insulting a police officer, and the protagonist does favors for the local police department to secure his bail. However, when they arrive for the contest, it is revealed that Eric had only completed his own application form and not the protagonist's, forcing a dejected protagonist to try and impress competitors in the pro contest in order to gain admission. After impressingTony Hawk, the protagonist wins the Best Trick event at Tampa AM and is offered sponsorship deals byBirdhouse,Element,Flip,Girl, andZero to join their skate teams, much to Eric's dismay. After selecting a team, the protagonist then heads toSan Diego, California to meet Todd, the manager of the team, and completes several photo shoots for a magazine. Following a wild celebration party, it is revealed that Eric has been picked up by the same sponsor.
The team then flies out toHawaii to film a video, with the protagonist aiming for local spots that skaters have not filmed at before. Finding a tall hotel, the protagonist climbs to the roof and recruits Eric to film a trick video atop it. The police arrive to arrest them for trespassing, but the protagonist uses the opportunity to perform aMcTwist over the helicopter and onto the awning of the adjacentRoyal Hawaiian Hotel, allowing them and an awestruck Eric to evade the police. The team then travels toVancouver, British Columbia, Canada. After doing errands for locals and finishing their part of the team video, the protagonist attends the video premiere at theSlam City Jam. Eric steals the idea and edits the protagonist's part out of the video, allowing only Eric to become a professional. After angrily confronting Eric, the protagonist enters Eric's pro contest and wins, becoming a pro as well.
After designing their own pro skateboard and signing a shoe deal, the protagonist and Eric embark on a team trip toMoscow, Russia, where they reconcile. Eric gets drunk and joyrides in a Russian military tank. The protagonist hops in and attempts to stop the tank but, being unfamiliar with the controls, fails to stop it from crashing into a government building. Eric jumps out and runs away, leaving the protagonist, trapped inside, to be arrested by the Russian military. Eric then lies and claims the protagonist stole the tank, stating that he in fact tried to stop them. Unwilling to pay the $700,000 worth of damages, Todd kicks the protagonist off the team, much to Eric's delight. TheAmerican Embassy bails out the protagonist, leaving them to do favors for locals in order to return home to New Jersey.
Eric, who now owns his own skate company, reveals that he had been planning to betray the protagonist after having long abandoned the idea of "soul skating" (skating for enjoyment rather than riches); after unsuccessfully trying to exempt them from the Tampa AM, Eric stole the helicopter footage in jealousy before finally getting the protagonist kicked off the skate team by lying back in Moscow. Determined to fight back, the protagonist teams up with Peralta and several professionals to create a soul skating video, creating a new trick in the process. Due to the success of the video, Eric challenges the protagonist to one last skate-off, with the unedited helicopter tape at stake. The protagonist wins the skate-off and walks away with the tape while Eric screams at them.
If the story has been completed more than once on two different difficulties, analternate ending occurs, where the protagonist knocks Eric unconscious, taking the tape back instead of holding the skate-off.
The GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox versions ofUnderground were developed byNeversoft,[7] while the Game Boy Advance version was developed byVicarious Visions[10] the mobile version byJamdat,[11] and the Windows version was created byBeenox.Activision, which had acquired Neversoft in 1999, published all the versions.[7][10][11]Underground was conceived as the fifth entry in theTony Hawk's Pro Skater series under the titleTony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 (no relation to the 2015 gameTony Hawk's Pro Skater 5),[12] but it was reworked.[13]
Underground was created with a theme of individuality: it stars an amateur skater in a true story mode, whereas each previousTony Hawk's game had starred professional skaters and had lacked a plot.[7] One reason for only allowing the player to use a custom character was that certain criminal acts completed in the plot would not reflect well on real-world skaters.[9] Previous games in the series had included character-creation features as well, but Neversoft expanded customization inUnderground by implementing face-scanning for the PlayStation 2 version:[7] if the player emailed a photograph of their face tofaces@thugonline.com, the company could digitize it for use in the game.[2] Regarding the customization options, especially the park editor, producer Stacey Drellishak said that Neversoft was "trying to create the most customizable game ever".[9] The developers used storytelling and exploration to distance their product from the plotless, task-based format of previousTony Hawk's games, which led Neversoft president Joel Jewett to describeUnderground as an adventure game.[7]
Levels in the console versions ofUnderground were significantly larger than those of earlierTony Hawk's games. Neversoft expanded each level until it ceased to run correctly, then shrunk it slightly.[14] Most of the levels were modelled closely after real-world locations; the designers traveled to locales representative of each city and took photographs and videos as reference. The New Jersey level was a replication of a neighborhood where team artist Henry Ji had grown up as a young skater.[15] Neversoft wanted the player to become familiar with the basic game mechanics quickly and to noticeUnderground's differences from previousTony Hawk's games immediately. To accomplish this, they introduced the ability to travel on foot, and the ability to climb along ledges in the first few missions.[16] While Neversoft wanted to keepUnderground realistic and relatable for the most part, they added driving side-missions as an enjoyable diversion and to push the boundaries of freedom in skateboarding games,[15] but these missions were not intended to take away from the main experience of skateboarding.[16]
Pro Skater 4,Underground's predecessor in theTony Hawk's series, had received criticism for its difficulty: Neversoft had not realized that each game in the series was drawing new fans who were unaccustomed to the demanding tasks. As a result, Neversoft added four difficulty settings toUnderground's story mode,[17] ranging from "Too Easy" to "Sick". Neversoft wanted players to develop skills for higher difficulty settings on Too Easy while still progressing through the story. The company had included extremely difficult missions in each previousTony Hawk's game; the methods used to create these missions were the inspiration forUnderground's Sick mode.[15] Development of the basic gameplay mechanics and structure began quickly but by the end of August 2003, only two months before the American release, work was still in progress.[14]
While the cutscenes are animated with 3D graphics, the team recorded live-action videos to introduce the real-world skateboarding teams, so that players could better understand each team before selecting one to join. Neversoft interviewed professional skaters about their experiences of becoming known in the skateboarding world, then compiled elements of these stories into the script.[7] Every skater who appears in the plot helped to craft their own scenes and voiced their own character.[2]
Underground was promoted with a playable demo atMicrosoft's "GameRiot" event held atLollapalooza in July 2003.[18] Activision promotedUnderground with the "Tony Hawk's Face Off Mobile Tour", a series of events across 29 cities in October. Attendees could play the game early and compete in it for tickets toBoom Boom Huck Jam 2003, whichTony Hawk himself attended.[19] Activision, which sponsored the OctoberGravity Games extreme sports competition, promoted the game at the event and used its rendering engine to model tricks performed by the real-world skaters.[20] The console and Game Boy Advance versions were released on October 28 in the United States,[2] November 14 in Europe,[21] and May 2004 in Japan.[22] Themobile phone version was released worldwide in January 2004.[11] This version was distributed in the United States viaAT&T'smMode data download service and also byVerizon Wireless.[23]Underground had a marketing budget of $8.6 million.[24]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | (PS2) 90/100[25] (GC) 89/100[26] (GBA) 86/100[27] (Xbox) 85/100[28] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Eurogamer | 7/10[4] |
| Famitsu | (PS2) 33/40[29] |
| Game Informer | 9.25/10[33] |
| GameRevolution | A−[30] |
| GameSpy |   [31] |
| GameZone | 9.5/10[32] |
| IGN | 9.5/10[2] |
| Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | 10/10[34] |
Tony Hawk's Underground received "universal acclaim", according toreview aggregatorMetacritic.[25][26][27][28] GameZone's Michael Knutson wrote thatUnderground is "one of the best skating games around" and that players of every skill level would enjoy it.[32]Eurogamer's Tom Bramwell concurred that "as a 'pick-up-and-play' sort of game,THUG is endlessly rewarding" and called it the best entry in the series.[4]
The story was well received. Joe Rybicki ofOfficial U.S. PlayStation Magazine said that, as an extreme-sports game,Underground has a real story with "honest-to-goodness characters".[34]IGN's Douglas Perry called it "a kick, albeit relatively lightweight in nature". He especially praised the pervasive sense of humor in the narrative and in the portrayal of real-world skaters.[2] Knutson called the story "unique" and said that it blends well with the gameplay.[32] Ben Silverman ofGame Revolution described the plot as a "silly" cross between those of the 1980s filmsNorth Shore andGleaming the Cube, but he praised it for giving context to the level goals and keeping distance between the skill unlocks.[30] Bramwell called it "hackneyed".[4] Rybicki found that the plot hurt thereplay value and caused missions to be overly simplistic.[34] By contrast,Game Informer's Justin Leeper thought that "it serves to make some of the less-entertaining goals tolerable, because there's a reason for doing them".[33]
The aesthetics were generally well received. Bramwell called the graphics "unchanged and increasingly antiquated" and criticized the presence of "sharp, angular character models, eerily unrealistic lighting and odd little moments when the player is trying to turn round and ends up banging into a curb".[4] Knutson, meanwhile, was positive regarding the graphics, art, and animation: he called them "nearly flawless" and praised the realism they brought to the inherently fantastical skateboarding genre.[32] Williams said that "THUG's cityscapes are incredibly well designed" and singled out the GameCube version ofUnderground as exceptionally well rendered.[31] Rybicki called the levels "big and beautiful".[34] Knutson commended the soundtrack's large size and the sound effects' realism.[32] Perry appreciated the "hilariously hurtful" injury sounds and the extensive song list.[2] By contrast,IGN's Craig Harris praised the graphics of the Game Boy Advance version but was more mixed on the soundtrack.[10]
The alternate gameplay modes were received well. Knutson lauded the high degree of customization; he summarized that "everything is expounded a hundred fold: from create-a-skater to create-a-park mode, it is simply amazing". He singled out the level editor as one of the deepest he had ever seen.[32]GameSpy's Bryn Williams identified the level editor as an "extremely well-designed" feature that contributed to the overall "brilliance" of the full product.[31] Leeper said that each customization mode is "intuitive and user-friendly", and both he and Rybicki especially enjoyed the trick-creation feature.[33][34] Reviewers forFamitsu magazine praised the story mode, whoseopen world format they compared to theGrand Theft Auto series.[29] Knutson and Perry enjoyed the multiplayer, particularly the online Firefight mode.[32] Williams thought similarly and stated that "the most notable disappointment" was the lack of online play for non-PlayStation 2 owners.[31] Harris found the board customization of the Game Boy Advance version to be poorly implemented, though in-depth.[10] Despite his praise for the customization modes, Leeper admitted that his greatest enjoyment still came from "seeking great lines" and beating own scores.[33]
The walking and driving controls were criticized. Bramwell claimed that these modes felt "like they've been attached with an old stick of glue that's about as adhesive as baby oil".[4] Knutson agreed, though he praised the novelty of these diversions. He stated that "theTony Hawk series has always had exceptional controls" and thatUnderground, overall, was no exception.[32] Perry felt that the feature increased levels' replay value.[2] Similarly,Famitsu reviewers noted that, although the fast pace was extremely challenging at times, the high difficulty provides a sense of accomplishment when jumps and tricks are performed correctly.[29] Williams found the GameCube version's controls mediocre, albeit manageable.[31] Damon Brown fromGameSpot said that the mobile version's restrictive controls—many tricks require three button inputs—were that version's only caveat.[11]
Underground won Best Sports Game at the 2003Game Critics Awards hosted byElectronic Entertainment Expo (E3).[35] The2004 MTV Video Music Awards introduced a new category, Best Video Game Soundtrack, whichUnderground won.[36] During theAIAS'7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards,Underground received nominations forConsole Action Sports Game of the Year,Outstanding Achievement in Game Design, andOutstanding Achievement in Licensed Soundtrack.[37]
In Europe the week after the release, the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube versions were respectively the fifth, sixth, and eighth-best selling games for those consoles.[38][39][40] It would remain uninterrupted in the top twenty of every week until January 24, 2004, for the Xbox and GameCube[41][42] and February 21 for the PlayStation 2, inclusive.[43] As of December 2007, the PlayStation 2 version had sold 2.11 million copies in the United States.[44] The GameCube version made Nintendo'sPlayer's Choice list by selling 250,000 copies in the United States.[45] Its PlayStation 2 version also received a "Platinum" sales award from theEntertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),[46] indicating sales of at least 300,000 copies in the United Kingdom.[47]
Neversoft and Activision released a sequel,Underground 2, on October 4, 2004, forWindows,GameCube,PlayStation 2,Xbox,Game Boy Advance, andPlayStation Portable consoles. The plot continues that ofUnderground and focuses on the player character and their team sabotaging an opposing team. The gameplay, structure, and level design are very similar to those ofUnderground, butUnderground 2 features new tricks and gameplay mechanics, like theNatas spin, the ability to plant customized stickers in levels with the "sticker slap", a slow-motion "Focus" mode, and the ability to earn points by having a tantrum after falling. The plot is set in new locations, includingBoston,New Orleans,Berlin,Barcelona, andSkatopia.[48]
Hough, a pro on the player's team: Alright, here it is. They want pictures of you blasting some big grab airs. Above us is a nice open gap over the front of this atrium. It's perfect for these photos.
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