[Official] Skate 2 - released!

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Developer: EA Black Box

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Designer: Scott Blackwood (executive producer)

Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Release dates:

NA: January 21, 2009

PAL: January 23, 2009

Genre: Sports game

Mode: Single player, Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer

Hands On

by Christian Donlan

Turning weaknesses into strengths is an appealingly simple approach to take with sequels. The main reason more developers don't try it is pretty simple as well: it's very hard. Much easier, then, to simply ignore the cracks that are forming, paper over them and let the problem quietly spread around the entire structure until, one day, several years down the line, it undermines the whole enterprise and you're left with a pretty mound of toxic rubble.

But EA Black Box hasn't done that. The developers of last year's Skate actually managed to take one of the very few things that annoyed players in the original game and spin it into something fun. "We discovered the control scheme could be confusing, and people fell down a lot," admits producer Jason DeLong. "We decided to reward that."

The team's solution is to turn falling down into one facet of the challenge: fling your skater off the top of a bridge, or a building, or down the side of a mountain, and see how much damage you can do to them. Once they're falling, you can explosively launch them off their boards, and make them strike any of a number of inappropriate poses, from a cannonball curl to a flailing spread eagle, in order to maximise the bone-shattering and face-grinding that ensues. Welcome to the Hall of Meat mode: it's gravity, only fun.

It's a mini-game that may be familiar from elsewhere: both PAIN and Amped 3 got a lot of mileage from variations on the same mechanic (and its inclusion in Skate 2 probably means that a large proportion of players will still be doing a lot of falling down in the main game, incidentally) but you can't really begrudge a little strategic theft when the implementation is this good: collisions are jarring and amusingly horrific, and the game presents you with a heavy chunk of stats post-splat, including bones broken and medical costs accrued alongside the distance fallen and speed of impact. Even the simple act of ejecting from the board brings back all the right memories of Monkey Target, with its emphasis on timing and its delight in experimentation.

So that's how I came to spend the best part of twenty minutes at a recent EA press event throwing fashionably-trousered counter-culture types off a bridge, delineating the minute variations in the way they'd smash against objects on their way down. It's good, old fashioned, stupid fun.

But if it suggests a more Johnny Knoxville approach to the wider game, however, that's not the case - the bodies piling up at the bottom of the canyon are about as endearingly moronic as Skate 2 gets. This is not unexpected: despite the slacker soundtrack and regular incidences of heads hitting poles, the original Skate was defined by an air of self-effacing competence. This was the game that quietly set about revolutionising a skating genre which had gimmicked itself into a tired, confusing anticlimax, and it's the same game that then quietly went on to clean up in the shops, sending Tony Hawk (and possibly even Tony Hawks, too) into a crisis of confidence resulting in a rare year off.

Continues...

Screenshots:

Videos:

What Happened To The City trailer

What Happened To That Dude trailer

Skate Deuce Trailer

Realistic Skateboarding interview

Developer walkthrough

Debut Trailer

Second Look trailer

Double Your Bag Of Tricks trailer

Goofy vs Regular Sizzle trailer

A Whole New World

Roster trailer

Making The Game: Skate Reel

Story trailer

Story trailer 2

Skitching trailer

Making The Game: Graphics Creator

Xbox 360 Achievements:

On Top Of The World 20

Perform an invert on one of the highest points in the city in career mode

Skater Evolved 5

Get off your board in career mode

I Like To Move It 5

Move your first object in career mode

That's the Way 20

Beat all of Danny Way's film challenges

GVR Champ 20

Win the GVR Contest

Big Air Champ 50

Win the San Van-a-Slamma

Still Alive? 5

Win a Deathrace in career mode

Race Hero 20

Win all races in career mode

Where's my TV show? 20

Beat all Rob Dyrdek challenges

SBM Cover 30

Get the cover of The Skateboard Mag

Thrasher Cover 30

Get the cover of Thrasher

Meet Slappy 5

Meet Slappy

How you like them apples? 20

Acquire all phone numbers for the pros

Anyone Else? 20

Beat all the pros at Throwdown challenges

New San Van Hero 20

Call Mikey 10 times

Perfectionist 50

Complete all paths in career mode

Pull the Plug 15

Drain every pool and fountain in career mode

Real Estate Mogul 50

Purchase all property in career mode

Spare Parts 50

All Hall Of Meat paths complete

Fully Sponsored 50

Obtain all sponsorships

Urban Legend Too 40

Own all spots in career mode

The Architect 5

Upload a created spot

The Critic 10

Rate 10 community videos and photos

Pwn some n00bs 15

Win an online ranked match

Active Skater 20

Successfully complete all online freeskate activities with your created skater

Online Legend 50

Achieve Legend Rank Online

Online Pro 25

Achieve Pro Rank Online

Amateur Skater 15

Achieve Amateur Rank Online

Graphically Extreme 5

Add a custom graphic to your skater

Dethrowned 20

Download and own a community-created spot

Skater's Choice 20

Win the Skater's choice award in an online ranked match

Juggling Chainsaws 20

Wipeout at high speed in career mode

Skitched Up 5

Skitch for 1000 meters or 3000 feet in career mode

Make it Big! 15

Use Big Black's service 10 times in Career Mode

Running Man 5

Escape a chase off board in career mode

DIY 35

Spend 30 minutes moving objects in career mode

Good Samaritan 20

Knock down a security guard chasing another skater in career mode

Need for Speed 50

Maintain maximum speed for 5 seconds in career mode

Sandbag 20

Break at least 15 bones in a single wipeout in career mode

Gender Bender 5

Change your skater's gender

Grasshopper 20

Perform one grass gap of at least 10 meters or 30 feet in career mode

Stairmaster 20

Perform one stair gap of at least 12 meters or 36 feet in career mode

Uninsurable 20

Break 100 bones in career mode

Playing Nice Together 5

Complete your first online freeskate activity with your created skater

Cooperation is key 10

Complete 50 online freeskate activities with your created skater

Secret Achievements

Secret Achievement 20

PS3 Trophies:

On Top Of The World

Bronze TrophyPerform an invert on one of the highest points in the city in career mode

Skater Evolved

Bronze TrophyGet off your board in career mode

I Like To Move It

Bronze TrophyMove your first object in career mode

That's the Way

Bronze Trophy Beat all of Danny Way's film challenges

GVR Champ

Bronze Trophy Win the GVR Contest

Big Air Champ

Bronze Trophy Win the San Van-a-Slamma

Still Alive?

Bronze Trophy Win a Deathrace in career mode

Race Hero

Bronze Trophy Win all races in career mode

Where's my TV show?

Bronze Trophy Beat all Rob Dyrdek challenges

Meet Slappy

Bronze Trophy Meet Slappy

New San Van Hero

Bronze Trophy Call Mikey 10 times

Pull the Plug

Bronze Trophy Drain every pool and fountain in career mode

Real Estate Mogul

Bronze Trophy Purchase all property in career mode

Fully Sponsored

Bronze Trophy Obtain all sponsorships

The Architect

Bronze Trophy Upload a created spot

The Critic

Bronze Trophy Rate 10 community videos and photos

Pwn some n00bs

Bronze Trophy Win an online ranked match

Amateur Skater

Bronze Trophy Achieve Amateur Rank Online

Graphically Extreme

Bronze Trophy Add a custom graphic to your skater

Dethrowned

Bronze Trophy Download and own a community-created spot

Skater's Choice

Bronze Trophy Win the Skater's choice award in an online ranked match

Juggling Chainsaws

Bronze Trophy Wipeout at high speed in career mode

Skitched Up

Bronze Trophy Skitch for 1000 meters or 3000 feet in career mode

Make it Big!

Bronze Trophy Use Big Black's service 10 times in Career Mode

Running Man

Bronze Trophy Escape a chase off board in career mode

DIY

Bronze Trophy Spend 30 minutes moving objects in career mode

Good Samaritan

Bronze Trophy Knock down a security guard chasing another skater in career mode

Need for Speed

Bronze Trophy Maintain maximum speed for 5 seconds in career mode

Sandbag

Bronze Trophy Break at least 15 bones in a single wipeout in career mode

Gender Bender

Bronze Trophy Change your skater's gender

Grasshopper

Bronze Trophy Perform one grass gap of at least 10 meters or 30 feet in career mode

Stairmaster

Bronze Trophy Perform one stair gap of at least 12 meters or 36 feet in career mode

Uninsurable

Bronze Trophy Break 100 bones in career mode

Playing Nice Together

Bronze Trophy Complete your first online freeskate activity with your created skater

Cooperation is key

Bronze Trophy Complete 50 online freeskate activities with your created skater

SBM Cover

Silver Trophy Get the cover of The Skateboard Mag

Thrasher Cover

Silver Trophy Get the cover of Thrasher

How you like them apples?

Silver Trophy Acquire all phone numbers for the pros

Anyone Else?

Silver Trophy Beat all the pros at Throwdown challenges

Spare Parts

Silver Trophy All Hall Of Meat paths complete

Urban Legend Too

Silver Trophy Own all spots in career mode

Active Skater

Silver Trophy Successfully complete all online freeskate activities with your created skater

Online Pro

Silver Trophy Achieve Pro Rank Online

Perfectionist

Gold Trophy Complete all paths in career mode

Online Legend

Gold Trophy Achieve Legend Rank Online

Platinum Trophy

Platinum Trophy Platinum Trophy

Secret Trophies

Taste The MongoSilver TrophyMongo Push 5000 times in career mode

Reviews:

Going to add a new section to my layout for reviews. Will start off with Metacritic pages for each platform :)

Xbox 360 Metacritic page

PS3 Metacritic page

Demo:

Skate 2 demo this week

Monday 5-Jan-2009 4:00 PM

Prepare to sample new tricks, handplants and hippy jumps

EA's planning to release a Skate 2 demo via Xbox Live Marketplace later this week.

According to a listing on Xbox.com, the demo should arrive by Thursday, allowing you to sample the Black Box developed boarding sequel ahead of its European release on January 23.

The game features a load of new tricks and moves the action to an all-new city where you can get off your board and move objects around to create ramps and scenery.

MS is running a Skate 2 download and win sweepstake, offering Skate goodies and MS Points to the winners, more details of which can be found here.

There's no word on a PS3 demo yet, although we're checking with EA.

Tom Ivan

Source: CVG

Links:

Skate 2 official website

Eurogamer game page

Gametrailers game page

Gamespot game page

IGN game page

Edited January 21, 2009 by DrunknMunky

[Green_Eye]

Looks amazing (Y)

Looking forward to it :yes:

[blachole]

Loved the first SKATE, can't wait for this one. There should be a demo out on Live this week.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

WTF dude, a picture with a res of 6400px ? 3600px:laugh::

I thought I was bad.

Looking forward to this though.

[sambrentnall]

That is one big picture, took more than 2 mins to download on my computer (i am downloading a trailer or two as well lol) but onto Skate 2

This games looks amazing, Cant wait to play the demo. I traded the first one in and really wish I didn't. I really loved just picking up the controller and skating a spot for ages!

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Whoops didn't even realise. It loaded in a flash for me :laugh:

Down sized it now (Y)

[t0mbi]

faark yeah BRING IT ON!! so thursday the demo is coming out? as in the 9th?

[sambrentnall]

as in the 9th :hmmm:

[Shadow_Thief]

how does it compare to the tony hawk series?

[sambrentnall]

The tony hawk series really cant compare to this game. I lost interest in tony hawk when it became a button basher with massive unbelievable game play features.

The thing most people love about skate it the way it focuses on skating, skating, skating. The flick control scheme is really well done, you flick the right stick down then up for a ollie, down and up to the right for a kick flick and down and up with a bit for the right a heelflip.

If the demo for skate 1 is still on the marketplace go have a look for your self.

[habnad]

Nice, can't wait until Thursday... :woot:

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

how does it compare to the tony hawk series?

Night and day really, its not a close comparison to say Fifa and Pro Evo.

The thumb sticks control your feet and depending which direction you push them, it flips the deck accordingly.

Here is a wallpaper EA created for Skate 1 which gives you an idea how to pull off moves..

Also give this a watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3kcdzyUegc.swf

Skate is the simulator of the skateboarding games, Tony Hawk is arcade.

[Jimmy0]

I used to be a fan of the old Tony Hawk games, never gave Skate a try though, although this has certainly caught my eye!

Hopefully they will release a demo to the PSN soon after Xbox.

[mail]

I heard the game was really hard?

[Sethos]

I was really excited about the first Skate but was really disappointed, have always been a Tony Hawk fan but this game is so "slow" it makes it incredibly boring.

[blachole]

I was really excited about the first Skate but was really disappointed, have always been a Tony Hawk fan but this game is so "slow" it makes it incredibly boring.

I could understand why Tony Hawk fans find this slow and boring, but if you're looking for a realistic skateboarding experience, this is where its at. This game was designed so that it was as realistic as possible. I find myself sitting in one area of the massive city just skating one section of stairs or ramps, just as you would in real life. This game was a hit from the beginning and now that you can move objects around and get off your board, it will completely change the game. Until the Tony Hawk series gets its act together, this is where people should be focusing their attention to.

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

I heard the game was really hard?

It depends if you have played Tony Hawks a lot in the past. Switching from one game to the other, you might find hard to adjust to the different control schemes.

If you're new to the genre and go into Skate with an open mind its incredibly easy. If you watch that YouTube video I posted a few replies back, the guy pretty much nails it. After playing for a few minutes your mind will click and you'll just "get it".

Try the demo when it comes out :yes:

Edited January 5, 2009 by DrunknMunky

[t0mbi]

I think that Neversoft are going to have one finally go at making another THPS. If it fails (my bets on that) i reckon thats the last we will see of any skating games from them!

Skate (to me) has re invented skateboarding games. I remember when i was a young boy, September 1999 playing the demo of of Tony Hawk's Skateboarding i got with OPSM for the first time, it blew my mind! and eventually it got stale, but skate has made me excited again about skateboarding videogames!

good work Blackbox!! :)

[Spookie]

Been following this for months. I still play the original now. Possibly one of the best games, imo, I've played in years. Really addictive. :)

[habnad]

Ok, now that I can see the pics...where's the Mega Ramp??? :p

[WolfieZero]

I used to play THPS so much when I was in school. but the games became much of the same after a while, the last decent one was THUG.

But Skate appeals more as I used to skateboard so in a weird way, I find this easier as what you do in RL is what you do in Skate (within respect).

Once you give Skate a decent try you learn to love it!

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

THUG is when THPS went downhill, imo anyway. THPS4 was the last good one before Project8.

[Spookie]

Skate Early With The Skate 2 Demo

Skateboarding fans eager to experience the second game in EA's Skate series will find satisfaction in the coming week, as the company announces a Skate 2 demo for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

The Skate 2 demo features both single player modes as well as two of the game's online party play modes - Thrasher's Hall of Meat and Spot Battle. The Hall of Meat is a challenge to see who can hurt themselves the most, and Spot Battle is where players...do battle...on spots. Probably not. Either way, there'll be plenty to do.

The Skate 2 demo will be hitting Xbox Live tomorrow, January 8th, while the PlayStation 3 version is taking up the rear on the 15th. Or you could just wait until the 21st and buy the whole thing. I'm not going to tell you how to live your life. A skater has to make their own way.

Get on Board Early With the Skate 2 Demo on Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Network

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.?(BUSINESS WIRE)?Black Box, an Electronic Arts Inc. studio (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that the Skate 2 demo will hit Xbox Live Marketplace on January 8th and the PlayStation Network on January 15, 2009. The demo introduces players to the city of New San Vanelona where they can skate with style and individuality via access to the enhanced character customization tools. Gamers will get a first glimpse of the deep single-player story and exciting challenges in all-new locations. The Skate 2 demo will also feature two of the game?s online Party Play modes: Thrasher?s Hall of Meat and Spot Battle.

Skate 2 ups the ante in delivering all the grit, creativity and culture of skateboarding. Equipped with double the bag of tricks, players are tasked to rebuild their career and revive the skate scene. Now with the ability to get off-board and move objects, gamers can create their own epic spots and challenges, which can then be uploaded, shared and experienced by others around the world.

Skate 2 hits retailers in North America on January 21st, and worldwide on January 23, 2009 ? making it one of the first must-have games of 2009. Skate 2 is developed by Black Box, a studio of Electronic Arts in Vancouver, British Columbia and will be available on the Xbox 360? video game and entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION?3 computer entertainment system. The game is rated ?T? for Teen by the ESRB and is rated 16+ by PEGI.

source

More demo details including details on multiplayer being included in th:Ddemo too! :D

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Niiiice :D

[Spookie]

MP Details video thingy-ma-bob

Looks like they are taking hints from burnout at last! :D

Hell it might even be worth taking it online. :)