bit-tech Shopping: Activision Tony Hawk's Project 8 (PS3)

Rating: 6

Time with product:

Strengths: Good Arcade Fun

Weaknesses: Bit Jittery

Summary: There are currently a couple of new skating games out on the market for the PS3. But the Tony Hawk series is still the most fun, especially for non-skaters. It's easy to pick up and just start playing. It is arcade-y in that it's not too realistic of a simulation, yet it still looks real with the great graphics and is fun to play.The only downside is that it's a little bit jittery at certain points on the PS3. The XBox version supposedly is smoother. But I haven't noticed it very much.You should be able to find this game pretty cheap now. If so, jump on it for a fun time. But I'm only giving it 3 stars, because it doesn't take full advantage of the PS3's capabilities, and while it's fun, there are still better games out there.

Rating: 6

Time with product: 2 Months

Strengths: wide open gameplay, large playing area

Weaknesses: load times

Summary: Tony Hawk Project 8 is the first Tony Hawk game for the PS3. It's not a great game but it?s a decent fun skating game. (Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 still holds a special place in my heart.)Unlike other TH games that I have played, this one is one big city. You start off in a residential neighborhood and as you play, you unlock other areas on the same city which you can go to pretty seamlessly. It provides a little continuity to the story instead of having completely new unassociated areas. In THP8 you are trying to move up the skater rankings in order to make the top 8 so that you can join a new team that Tony Hawk is putting together called Project 8.I find the start-up time to get into the game to be annoying. First you have to wait for the Activision and NeverSoft title splash screen (which you can't exit out of), then wait while the game loads, then load a saved game - wait - then continue the saved game and wait... It just struck me as very annoying.The game plays a little differently then I was used to. In each area, they are different people to talk to and goals to complete. As you use a skill more often, you increase your skill statistics. Some goals have levels such as Amateur (bronze), Pro (Silver) and Sick (Gold) while others you just have to complete. In most areas you have one person that gives you the typical TH goals that I'm used to: collect SKATE, score x number of points, perform x trick in y place. But there is so much more stuff to do as well.The graphic are decent - nothing spectacularOverall, I think that THP8 provides a lot challenging fun gameplay that will keep you busy for a long time -- but it's missing something that WOW's you.

Rating: 4

Time with product: 3 Weeks

Strengths: Gameplay and controls.

Weaknesses: Average graphics. Similar to previous versions. No Multi!

Summary: Tony hawks Project 8 is a good skating game. Just like the previous Tony Hawk games. But it doesn't necessarily look next gen and isn't much different from its predecesors. It plays just as well but it seems a little like more of the same. Finally, threre's no multiplayer, which in this day and age borders on criminal in competative gaming like this.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 2 Weeks

Strengths: gameplay, great graphics,smooth control

Weaknesses: none

Summary: Project is my first Tony Hawks game and I find it really entertaining. The grapgics are great on PS3 and the soundtracks are excellent, too. There're many levels and challenges in the game and skating around the world is really fun! The multiplayer mode is also solid, allowing slit-screen and against someone else. recommend.

Rating: 4

Time with product: 1 Week

Strengths: Interesting gameplay; crisp graphics

Weaknesses: Very hard to get started

Summary: I came to this game having never touched a Tony Hawk game before. Not knowing what to expect, I ventured first into the training mode. After about an hour in training mode, I was ready to drop kick the game and never play it again.Instead, I decided to give it 'one more chance' playing the regular gameplay, and my opinion changed. It's actually a reasonably compelling game with plenty of challenges and different activities to try. However, it's still very hard to get the hang of and I predict that I will never be able to master the multitude of various controls for the custom and chained tricks. There's also not a lot of explanation for what one should do, so I've spent several hours spinning in a circle on top of a mailbox trying in vain to satisfy some challenge that I still don't understand.Because of the difficulties, I'm giving it a 2 star.