Dropping in One More Time: Skate 2 Review (Xbox 360)

A year and 4 months after EA cut into Tony Hawk’s monopoly on the Skateboard Videogame world, Skate 2 if finally here to further revolutionize the once stale genre. SKate was one of my favorite games of 2007, so what better way to kick off our review section than with the review for Skate 2!

5 years after the original Skate and several disasters later, Skate 2 begins by reelasing your character from his 5 year jail sentence and into a New San Vanelona which was rebuilt after being devestated by the “Disaster-to-Gnarly-to-be-named.” What has been rebuilt, exactly? Well, everything. Top to bottom, New San Vanelona is as skater friendly as it ever was, and the game is better because of it. While in OG Skate it could take minutes to find spots suitable for lines and big drops, New San Vanelona has them littered all over. A new spot to sesh at is right around the corner no matter where you are in the city. Hidden skate parks and ramps are ready to be found by the adventurous, and Mega drops sit there for the dare-devils to take full advantage of when they’re feeling frisky. Overall, the city caters so much to you this time around that it never becomes boring as there is always a spot you haven’t found and a drop you haven’t broken some bones off of. You just need to find them.

The story of the game focuses on your release from prison, and the corporation that is trying to make the new city un-skateable, Mongo-Corp. After being released in the opening cinema, you find yourself in an unfamiliar environment, but in a very familiar world. One with many spots to hit, but also with more security to stop you then ever. Lucky for you, throughout the story you will meet dozens of Pros and gain many abilities that help you and your buddies session wherever you may please. These include calling Sammy to drain pools for you and ringing up Big Black from Rob & Big to hold security off while you try and nail a line in the heart of Mongo-Corp HQ.

Progression in the story is done through a laundry list of challenges which can range anywhere from grinding a Hubba to completing a perfect line. While fun at first, these challenges can become more of a chore than anything, and some are just straight up controller-through-TV material. One in particular, named Can You Spell GIRL?, has you play a game of SKATE (HORSE with a new name) against Pros Koston and Carrol. This doesn’t seem so bad, right? Well when these dudes don’t miss ANY trick and you need to resort to cheats to beat them, it becomes really tedious and frustrating. So much so that many people have come close to quitting after being stuck on this challenge. Luckily, I beat it after a few hours and soldiered on, but it definitely knocks this game down a little bit.

After almost ruining my TV with that GIRL challenge, I was able to enjoy the rest of the activities riddled throughout San Vanelona. Death Races, street competitions, and the mega San Vana-Slamma competition are always fun and different, and much more laid back than the goal-driven Pro challenges. But while the story is a nice diversion that allows you to unlock all parts of the city and more clothes and boards with the money you earn, but the true shine of this game comes when you forget about the challenges and begin to do what the title says, Skate.

The original Skate brought revolutionary controls, and this one just adds more goodies to the bag. Kickflips, Pop-Shuvits and the whole other array of flip tricks are still done with an intuitive flip of the right stick. In Skate 2, this feels refined to perfection as I no longer see myself pulling off tricks I did not want to like I had done so many times in Skate 1. Added to the game is a Skater’s dream arsenal of tricks and grabs. No Complys, Bonelesses, Footplants, Handplants, Judo kicks, and grinds are all handled with simple controls that make sense and are easy to handle. You will seamlessly and effortlessly go from a 50-50 grind to the a 360 flip out, right into an invert on that quarter pipe sitting in the corner. It just all feels so smooth and natural, just like it should be. The only aspect of the controls that have to be worked on are the Off-the-Board controls. While I am glad you can actually walk up stairs and the like now, moving on foot feels like you are controlling a damn tank, and you can’t even walk backwards. That got a huge WTF from me, but at least we can get off the board this time I guess.

The ability to move objects and place them for lines and runs is also a nice addition, and makes the game completely customizable. Can’t reach that ledge? Put a ramp in front of it and you’re there! Want to try an epically long grind? Line up a few rails and Viola, You’re in skate city! I find myself moving things often just so I can make that line I am trying extra sweet. And with the game running at a full 60 FPS, this all feels as smooth as it can ever be.

Skate 2 is smoother, bigger, more intuitive, and better looking than Skate 1 was. The new skate parks, city design, challenges, Hall of Meat, and online play all make for a stellar game, and one I will not be putting down for a long time. If you are a fan of Skateboarding, loved Skate 1, or are just tired of the Tony Hawk game shenanigans, do yourself a favor and pick up Skate 2. You will not regret it.

Score: 9/10

Naruto Manga 432 Discussion ۞ Prelude to Chapter 433

Chapter 433 is out.  Click here to begin reading it.

Destructo Disc!

Sup guys and gals,

So last off  Naruto was about to unveil his new move.  So he pulls out some clones and makes a huge rasenshuriken.  Surprised anyone?  I was more surprised at how he used it because this fox is known for close-range attacks and seeing him throw that thing totally threw me off.  After seeing him cut up that grass in frogland I was expecting some heavy gore in this chapter, but that wasn’t exactly the case although I did manage to crap my pants.  Wait till you get to my conclusion .  Anyways, Naruto fires that thing directly at the pains and

Duck, duck, goose! You're it Human Realm!

at first I’m thinking, ok the rasenshuriken made contact with Human Path so maybe it’ll cut off one of his arms and/or limbs.  But then the radius of the rasenshuriken expands by 10 times and it ends up cutting his body in half.  In Human Path’s effort to avoid the blast he manages to save Animal Path.  Naraka and Deva Path avoid the blast completely and watch as Human Path is incapacitated.  Nagato must of thought, “It’s ok if you destroy those guys.  I need Naraka path to revive them later.”  That and he sacrificed Human Path for Animal Path to keep an offensive front.  Ma frog and Pa frog are on the sideline completely bewildered by Naruto’s attack because they had never seen him practice it during their training.  Well of course they weren’t going to see it; Naruto was developing it on his own while Pa frog was still sleeping.  Click here.

I’m over here looking through this panels realizing that Naruto’s taken out 3 of the 6 Pains!  Pretty amazing if you think about it.  Had Jiraiya have been prepared with more knowledge about Pain then he probably would of taken out most of them as well.  It’s only right that Naruto avenges him though.  He is the “destined child” afterall.

Poor Shikamaru wants in

So much for being Chuunin, right Shikamaru?  Click here.  It’s clear, in my opinion, that Naruto has gone beyond the ranks of a Chuunin and perhaps even a Jounin.  Where would you rank him?

Soon after Human Path is incapacitated, Animal Realm summons an ugly bird that attacks Naruto and the multi-headed Clifford dogs from before return to attack the mammoth frogs.  Before I continue, let’s take a trip down memory lane when Jiraiya fought the Pain.

Do any of you remember one of Pain’s weaknesses?  All the Paths can share the same field of vision thus allowing them to see from each other’s vantage point.  Click here.  The only way to combat that is by singling out each pain.  Precisely why Pa frog ordered Ma frog to create a huge cloud of smoke in the middle of the battle field.

Deva:Where is Animal girl!?

The cloud comes into play just as Naruto jumps into the air after raping the ugly bird Animal Path summoned.  I honestly did not know where Naruto and Animal path had disappeared to until I flipped over the pages a second time.  I thought, ok cloud of smoke, now naruto can corner Animal Path and rape her with his rasengans.  No pun intended.  Anyway, Naruto and Animal Path emerged in Gamabunta’s belly which appears to be incredibly huge!

Stop summoning animals B*#$%!

Naruto knew exactly what to do now that Animal Realm was vulnerable.  He took advantage and completely frog pwned her with two ransengans.  Yes folks, no more ugly animal summons!  Cheers to that.

One, two, three, four…that’s four down and two to go.  Woah is this for real?  But wait!  Naruto’s no longer in Sage mode?  Woah not good!  No more awesome pwnage from the frog gods.  He’s practically human now.   Uh oh, panic attack! Time for another poll!

On the brightside the huge Clifford dogs disappeared and he has the frogs to back him up, but are they enough for these two Paths?  Something tells me Naraku will revive at least one or two of the incapacitated bodies, but let’s not jinx it, heh.

Deva: He no frog no more.

I don’t like that look on Deva’s face.  I fear the worst for Naruto now that he’s not in sage mode anymore, but I’m sure something awesome will happen.  Either Pa frog comes up with a backup plan or Naruto’s pretty much toast unless he somehow uses the nine-tails’ chakra or something.  Who knows, Team Guy has been observing the battle this whole time.  Just a possibility… I can dream.  I don’t know if you’ve caught on, but I love making fun of Deva Path.  Don’t ask.

On a side note, the next chapter can very well involve a race of who can recharge the fastest.  Let’s not forget that Deva’s Shinra Tensei depleted much of Deva’s chakra so he’s not completely recharged; well Nagato’s technically.  Had Naruto  fused with Pa and Ma like Jiraiya did, they could constantly feed him Natural Energy, but let’s not forget that the Kyuubi won’t allow it.

Nagato definitely made Deva and Naraka Path his number one priority seeing as one is super powerful and the other can revive dead bodies.  If I were Gamabunta I’d gobble up the incapacitated Paths and wait till I got back to frogland to borrow some reading material while I sit in the heavenly frog le’toilet.  Ok, so remember what I said in my intro ^_^.  Well…I didn’t really crap my pants, but I just made reference to it!  Yeah my co-writer thinks I fail at jokes,but whatever…Until next time guys and gals.

-ron “broken1i”