Size is not the first thing to strike at the beginning. By far one of the most impressive features has to be customisation. No skater is ready to hit the ramps without an appropriate change of clothes, and before setting out a quick dabble with what Tony can wear often turns into a full change of wardrobe. The infinite possibilities to make your character unique are slightly overwhelming, but this is not the only part of the game which overcomes you with options. A look into the skate shop shows that no longer are decks and tapes found in levels, or bonus cheats unlocked after finishing the game, but are bought with money. You’re spoilt for choice after visiting the shop, and judging by the vast array of unlockable goods there is a strong emphasis on completing the game numerous times. Some of the extras are worth their money, like the Chicago level from Matt Hoffman’s 2, and some of them are pathetic. Even the game’s description of ‘Sim’ mode confirms it as boring. Consequently, there are often conflicts of choice over what is a wiser choice; a new deck or a new level, or perhaps a player’s video.

The game does have a strong emphasis on lifespan this time round. Previous installations proved to be short, and easy to finish in a few hours. While there was significant emphasis placed on completion with numerous characters, the repetitive gameplay made most players resort to cheating. At least this is one area which has been rectified. Stat improvements affect all characters, not just the current player. Along with this, the game’s single player lifespan has been significantly increased, and collecting money rather than completing objectives is the order of the day. And since there are no time limits, you aren’t simply given objectives at the start. If this was the case, the game would prove ultimately dull. The way the developers have gotten round this is through character interaction. There are lots of people standing around the levels, just waiting for you to come up to them and press B. You’ll then be given a challenge and usually a timer. While skating around and pulling a few tricks is very relaxed, when it comes to the crux of the game, it simply cannot give up the time limit. Luckily though, the norm is no longer two minutes and this does give way to more flexibility. Some challenges may require only ten seconds in order to start off a combo, whereas for others which involve collecting items you may be given many minutes. Challenges are varied, more imaginative, and more fun.

Each level has got sixteen people who’ll give you challenges. They aren’t all loitering from the start, for instance, in the Alcatraz level Elissa Steamer appears three times, presenting three progressively tougher scores to beat. On the same level, there is a prisoner who needs help to escape. On the first of his challenges, he needs a distraction so he can get to the roof. Meet him there, and again he needs help, this time to escape from the island. One of the hardest in the game, this challenge does demonstrate the power of trick lines - 1 minute to collect 33 items all around the level seems daunting, but the clever setting shows the effects of many set pieces. The fact that there are many people wandering around does make the levels seem populated, in stark contrast to previous games which felt cold and uninhabited. In Tony Hawk’s 4 the levels seem absolutely thriving, and many objectives take advantage of this. Alcatraz has tourists roaming the level, and tour-buses driving around.

Alcatraz itself is probably the most impressive level. It is part of the game which feels complete, not like a hemmed-in portion of a seemingly massive city. The island itself is impressively large, and gives way to some remarkable set pieces. Graphically, it is very impressive, with twisted towers, rusty pipes and run down buildings. Coupled with this, the frame-rate rarely slows down, and fits nicely with some of the fast paced parts of the game. It’s a shame that other levels in the game aren’t so pretty; the first level, the College, seems quite barren and not very detailed. It does set the game off to a slow start, but the game never shakes the feeling of being like a tarted up version of the a PSone game. If not in the levels, the best graphical improvement has to be in the character animation. As per usual, the best motions are seen in bails, and bloody elbows and knees are some of the goriest - if pleasing animations seen yet.

But it’s in the tricks that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 comes alive. Now boasting a huge array of moves, there are so many that only a small portion are assigned button combinations - there are nowhere near enough for all the tricks. Of course, executing combinations has always been a big emphasis in the Tony Hawk games, and 4 doesn’t disappoint in this area. Many of the objectives involve using manuals and tricks across preset areas to prove your aptitude, and in addition to collecting the letters ‘S K A T E’, there are now ‘C O M B O’ letters which must all be collected in one long trick run. In addition to these more imaginative tasks, each level now holds at least one competition. They aren’t as vital to progression as in previous instalments, so any people who prefer mission-style objectives to tricking can shy away. Tony Hawk’s 4 easily has the most depth of all it’s extreme sports offspring, and the sheer wealth of grabs, flips and manuals available are staggering. What’s so impressive about them, is that they’re all animated with the fluidity of their real-life counterparts (bar of course, some of the more ‘imaginative’ specials).

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 is a contradiction to what the word ‘sequel’ entails. Sequels should improve substantially on it’s previous subject matter, but Tony Hawk 4 is still very similar to its predecessors. As with the previous games, few major gameplay changes have been made and the focus is still on the small details, the added extras. Unlocking ramps and boxes in levels was a much hyped feature of Tony Hawk 4 among gamers, so is probably the most disappointing. Levels are so vast that the odd quarter-pipe and ramp added mid-game make almost no difference to the way you play. If you took the time to plan a multi-million scoring run it’s doubtful that these minor changes would make a whole lot of difference. Consequently, this feels like an aspect of the game which was enthused, but not executed to its full potential. Far less documented, but far more useful, are the use of the L and R triggers. Both can be used for reverts and spinning, but pressed together they will straighten your character up. In truth this has already been done in previous instalments, but the new way to execute it now actually works. In Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, it was a case of luck rather than skill when it came to bailing during a misjudged jump, but now it’s easy-sailing. A minor detail, but one which is very welcome to experienced players. The triggers can also be used to transfer from adjacent pipes - good for getting out of bowls or over walls.

As if Tony Hawk 4 doesn’t improve upon the game enough, it also sees the addition of some great new minigames. Of course, their purpose always revolves around generating cash, but their diversity is one of the best things about them. In the College level for example, your character takes up his board as a street luge, and this objective involves gathering tremendous speed down a hill and navigating a suddenly cluttered road. Speed is also something your skater encounters when they take on the bobsled run in Kona, a huge skate park with bowls, jumps and lots of tramps. Probably the most impromptu is the baseball-style ball whacking on the island of Alcatraz.. Using your board as a bat, cash can be earnt by hitting what the ghostly pitcher throws to you.

Ultimately, it transpires that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 has had a lot of thought put into it. It tries to do what a sequel should, but because the series seemed so complete from the beginning there’s little that can be improved upon. At the start, the game does feel too samey and a bit dull, but with sufficient input the game does show its true colours. Purchasable characters, levels and boards are the reward of a good player, as are high scores. It could be argued that the game has been ruined by becoming a free-flowing game, but in truth it was the only direction Tony Hawk could go. The game is more akin to Jet Grind Radio now; like a platformer on wheels, but there is nothing wrong with this. With multiplayer which almost mirrors previous instalments, Tony Hawk 4 isn’t as essential as the publishers would like to think. It does contain new gameplay, but the series is perfectly good as it is. Undoubtedly Tony Hawk’s 4 is a great game, but the only direction now for the series to go is in expansion. Extra modes, extra levels and extra characters, but no more gameplay innovation. The series has reached its pinnacle, which is why Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 isn’t a necessary purchase. It’s the perfect game, but one which we’ve all seen before.