Company Activision continues to translate his hits to the next generation of hardware. Following the update Crash Bandicoot 4, which we talked about in a separate article, support Playstation 5 and Xbox series x received Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 – the best sports game of the last year according to GameMAG.ru… We tested it on PS5 and now we will share our impressions.
As is the case with some other games, in order to transfer your progress to the new console from the old one, here you need to upload your save to the cloud by launching the PS4 version. After that, you can switch to PS5 and download the “saves” in the options. And if you are a trophy hunter, then you will be glad to receive all previously knocked out trophies in the second round.
The developers of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 used the card system from the main menu of the PlayStation 5, as a result of which now, without unnecessary gestures, you can immediately start one or another game mode. Most of the multiplayer options are presented here, but there is also quick access to the park editor. This should be convenient for those who like to create their own levels, as well as for those who prefer to ride with other skaters in multiplayer modes.
Often the main task of such nextgen updates is to give users the opportunity to play comfortably on UHD screens, as well as to make the picture smoother by increasing the frame rate. In the case of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 on the PlayStation 5, the developers have provided two options for working. In Fidelity mode, the image is displayed in 4K, which makes the picture clear and well-smoothed on the corresponding screens. This is noticeable in the shadows and various elements of the environment, especially those in the background. Plus, it all works at a stable 60 frames per second. The second option is Performance, where the screen resolution remains at 1080p, which affects the clarity and anti-aliasing, but at the same time the performance rises to 120 FPS, which makes the image noticeably smoother, and the character a little more responsive. After playing this for a while, I still switched to Fidelity mode, because at 60 FPS this game already feels quite smooth and responsive, and a clearer picture and good anti-aliasing seem to be necessary when playing on a large 4K screen. It is worth noting, though, that if you don’t have a UHD TV, Performance mode might be the best option for you.
Another important aspect of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 nextgen update is downloads, although in the original this parameter was not an annoying factor, but some locations could load for about fifteen or twenty seconds. Here, the transition between levels occurs almost instantly and takes no more than a few seconds. And take into account that in just a couple of clicks you can find yourself in the parks editor or in multiplayer, then such a loading speed is certainly pleasing. In addition, it is now much more comfortable to complete tasks and all sorts of tests, constantly switching between levels.
The developers also tried to pay attention to the chips of the newfangled controller DualSense… First of all, this affected vibration, which conveys well what is happening around the skater. For example, if in the Mexican arena you go to the edge where the bull is running behind the fence, then every time he runs past, you can feel the thump from his hooves, and it is from the side of the gamepad from which he runs on the screen.
At the moment of the jump, the landing and collision with any obstacle are well felt due to the tactile feedback on the gamepad, and the strength, duration and direction of vibro-shocks also depend on the surface with which the character interacts. Thus, if you come across some element of the location, only one vibration-recoil will make it clear what you are dealing with – be it a light trash can or a metal barrel with fuel.
You quickly get used to such little things, and they cease to be very noticeable. However, then, starting a game without such tactile feedback, it already begins to seem to me that something is missing.
As for the resisting shifts, everything here is roughly the same as in the case of Crash Bandicoot 4 – the implementation is not the most spectacular. When you press R2 while driving, the character turns around on the go, keeping the trajectory of movement, and now this happens with a slight click. Initially, the game did not imply support for the new capabilities of the gamepad, and most likely for such experiments it would be necessary to greatly change the very principle of controlling the hero. If the experts at Toys for Bob continue to work on the series, we may see more interesting applications of this DualSense element in future releases.
Summing up, I would like to say that the updated version of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 pleases with an almost perfectly smoothed picture, fast loading and tactile feedback effects in the PlayStation 5 version, and some users will certainly appreciate the opportunity to play at 120 FPS. However, it should be noted that such updates are usually free for owners of the previous version of the game, but in this case there is one caveat. Only those players on new consoles who bought the Deluxe Edition will receive a free upgrade, while owners of regular versions can upgrade for only 600 rubles ($ 10).
If you are a fan of the series and still have not played Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, we strongly recommend that you correct this misunderstanding, and as soon as possible. Before us is the best release of the series in a long time, deserving 9 points. For a detailed review, read the link…
Author: Azamat Tegaev (Azzy)
Read also: A new masterpiece? Our impressions of the Project TRIANGLE STRATEGY demo on Nintendo Switch…
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