Skate 2

Skate 2 was released back in 2009 by EA Black Box. Skating games were a big success back then, in the Playstation 2 era, and Skate 2 tries to bring it back by introducing new gameplay mechanics.In EA’s title, the right joystick motions’ creates different tricks, creating a much more intricate game then the button mashing from other skating titles. The game relies heavily on simulating reality and prides itself in being a more “grounded” game.

Being released only two years after it’s predecessor Skate, it was able to deliver a great game that was amazingly received with gamers at the time. Especially amongst players who jumped on top of a skateboard at least once in their life because Skate 2’s realism, challenge and learning curve are the game’s most prominent features. The more grounded experience gives you the feeling of skating on the streets., and the satisfaction of mastering tricks. Unlike the fast-paced, arcade-style, over the top, Tony Hawk franchise, where you can do absolute insane tricks without really knowing what you’re doing.

A Flip on Skating Games

Skate 2 gives you freedom to do whatever you want to. The game takes place in a huge city, filled with different urban environments for you to explore, and naturally skate in. While creatively piecing environments together, you also get to create and customize your character with multiple boards and outfits.

The physics of the game is great, and - just like in real life - there is no better feeling than just messing around, skating through the city and finding different places to try tricks on. Developers understood that skating is about creativity, adaptability and freedom, and the game nails that feeling perfectly. There is a wide variety of tricks for you to learn and do, and the mechanic of making the player do a motion on the joy-stick to perform the trick, really helps with immersing you in the game.

The game's main story won’t take more than twenty hours to complete, but there are still a lot of things to do after completion. Players won’t be short on entertainment as the end-game challenges will be enough to test your abilities, and explore how good you really became at the game. For all the missions, and goals the game offers, one of the best parts of it is going around the city, and setting your own challenges.

Community is a huge part of skating in general, and usually an activity best enjoyed in groups of people. Fortunately for players, some of that magic is captured with online gameplay, in Skate 2 you are able to invite friends, and join the world to cooperative and competitive activities.

Old, But Gold

One year later, EA released Skate 3, and even though it introduced new tricks and certain new mechanics, fans still see Skate 2 as a better game. The city feels more alive in it, and there are more details, not only visually, but also with the NPC’s. Here the city is connected, alive, and you have absolute freedom to walk around everywhere, on the other hand Skate 3 lacks the same freedom by having certain out of bounds areas. Skate 2 feels more realistic in its challenges, as it makes you perform certain tricks that a real person could do.

Over a decade since its release, don’t let age dissuade you from this groundbreaking title. Yes, it is an eleven year old game, but it still is one of the best simulations and most nuanced depictions of skating that videogames have ever seen. To express how insane this title was its servers are still online, by its dedicated fans and community, so if you decide to give it a try it is still possible to have fun with your friends.

Overall

Easily a classic for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, Skate 2 adds a different spin on games of the same genre. In 2021, it is still a fun game, of course visually it shows its age as the progress from 2010 changes substantially, still Skate 2 still has plenty to offer gamers.

PROS:

• Fun and unique gameplay
• Huge sand-box world
• Tons of challenges to keep you busy
• Amazing sound-track

CONS:

• Cars and NPC’s can be a little annoying
• Some challenges can be extremely hard
• Huge learning curve