Tony Hawk's American Wasteland Review - Square Eyed Jak

Year 1, Day 3: Transitioning between old and new generation systems is always a good source of interesting game design to say the least. THAW was a launch title for the Xbox 360 back in 2005 and with new technology, old methods are reinvented. But how much of American Wasteland is old news and how much is new a different? But more importantly, was the transition a smooth one?
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Intro/Outro Music:
kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6GsnZ-soKmFi68

[@thestackcash01]

i strongly disagree with a lot of what you're saying. intro was still incredible!

[@cloutjay831]

Same!

[@eythanvasquez2665]

Same it kinda made me mad lol

[@rigo_saladbar1008]

I thought this game was really fun

[@n1njahawkssecondchannel84]

I do to but yes they were some bad things in this game but it’s still fun

[@nevermindgaming6848]

The game doesn't age well

[@hadinasrallah8928]

Dude how did u make the intro your editing is amazing

[@SquareEyedJak]

Just a LOT of Photoshop, cheers mate! :)

[@ptt619]

@@SquareEyedJak After effects?

[@tombrindley3420]

I strongly disagree with you THAW is awesome and a great game

[@nevermindgaming6848]

Eh it's Soo clunky dude

[@n1njahawkssecondchannel84]

Yes there is good in this game but there’s a lot of bad things in this game which is why I don’t really revisit the game.

[@adamcolebaybayqc2400]

In my opinion thaw thps4 thug1 and 2 are the best

[@Beleth420]

It was the last good Tony hawk's game imo.

[@ThatBoyDanny1996]

Yeah Tony Hawk American Wasteland was pretty fun

[@pedrum23]

These intros are honestly fucking amazing and so impressive

[@SquareEyedJak]

Cheers mate, worked hard on them :)

[@pedrum23]

Square Eyed Jak yeah it definitely shows man videos are so polished and well made

[@Beleth420]

This is probably the last Tony hawk's game I enjoyed

[@dragonkingf3]

This is a sentiment I can definitely agree with, the last Tony Hawk game I actually played before wanting to came out again Project 8 in that one just felt way too I don't know.

[@fatherofall7036]

This is my favorite tony hawk game maybe because it's the one I started with

[@HomerS95]

Same (though THPS4 was my first). Especially the day/night cycle and open-world feeling got me so immersed back as a kid. Also, the soundtrack was pretty great!

[@Matt92Machine]

THPS2 was my first tony hawk game, but THAW is still my favorite of the series.

[@ministryOFmuff]

@@AP90x 15 years ago I would have said 2 and 3 were much better than THUG, but I think with the way games have changed since then THUG has probably aged better.

[@Juannee]

CGI has come so far. It's like he's really there.

[@1blink4yes99]

This may be my all time favorite TH game. That intro song is my fucking childhood dude.

[@bigblackdaddyblue]

I respect your opinion, man, but nonetheless, I still like this game. I'm disappointed you can't play a female skater in story mode but you play one in classic mode. Plus, the soundtrack is very good, and I enjoyed it

[@UltraPrimeHunter]

So much quality and attention put even into the intros of these reviews. Excellent work dude.

[@SquareEyedJak]

Thanks, it's been a rough time but I'm glad the final product is up to standard :)

[@therealrockstargamer]

​​@@SquareEyedJak I just can't learn how to skitch in that game in the ps2

[@Giablo1]

this is my favorite tony hawk, loved the soundtrack, loved the cheese but endearing skaters dream story

[@Giablo1]

cheesy*

[@JmanRising]

Probably my favorite entry in the series, I don't get where you're coming from. I think its safe to say I'll always disagree with the fans ranking of the series. The level design never bothered me and the story was actually pretty good, honestly one of the better efforts from the genre. Considering how much depth the game has its understandable why the game had as many tutorials as it did. I'll take some tutorials to learn new tricks over driving for no good reason in Underground. I respect the fact you're always making progress in THAW, they could have easily had alot of filler in the game like Underground and got away with it at the time. Because of this the game holds up really well and a good place to start if anyone wants to get into the series.

[@gergonikk]

Well, I think Jak has made himself quite clear where he's coming from. Do you mind why you see this one as your favorite? Also, I gently disagree with this game being a good place to start - that game is probably THPS3.

[@Solz_Reaper]

The stroy was bad, this wasn't a good effort by Neversoft(the last good effort was THUG 2), classic mode is soo ez compared to THUG 2 which was when classic mode was introduced, and the tutorials are only good if you're a new player and Underground at least had better stroy, gameplay, CREATE A SKATER WAS USEFUL, create a park was better than any other create a park ever, the levels flow the best and were in depth, and create a goal was underrated. THAW is easily the first nail in the coffin and the wasteland park wasn't even worth it because the look of it. Thps 3 gba final level when you 100% with every character was the zone which is one of the best tony hawk lvls from that generation of thps 3-thug 2. THAW is mid and is only enjoyable in free skate mode. I forgot to mention the lack of good new tricks and the cutscenes for learning tricks we could do back in THPS 4 makes the game feel like a sloth at times and the characters in the animation are lifeless and the in game characters you meet along the way are your stereotypical punk-rock skaters which looks atrocious

[@somepoliticalgamer6459]

My favorite in the series as well. I also love the ds version which is remarkable in its own right.

[@commanderproton7763]

I agree, I really enjoy this game and I grew up with it. It's tied with my favorite in the series alongside THUG1. Has decent level design, I like the attempt at a connected world, the story was a vast improvement over THUG2 with some pretty decent voice acting compared to it and the first THUG. Plus, the soundtrack selection is a real banger. I'm certainly one of those people who consider this the last great Tony Hawk game before the series underwent a slump.

[@Saxdude26]

"Australi*n Wasteland" That whole sequence was SO FRICKING SMOOTH! Okay, taking the deep dive and going back through the Hawktober vids, this is probably my favourite logo edit.

[@IIMIKEYMOII]

I have to disagree with so much that was said here. I know you value "skateability" over most other things in this series, but the *vibe* of THAW is probably the strongest in the series (soundtrack, aesthetic, and overall art direction). I really enjoyed skating around Los Angeles and thought the levels were really fun and added to the "skate rat in LA" vibe.

[@Spring_air]

Same

[@sanescobar2369]

THUG 2 all the way

[@Zachskatesstreet]

the soundtrack made it the best game but id say thug 2 and that is still better but thaw was my fav

[@toxxik4933]

Of all of them I played in my childhood THAW is the one that sticks out most. I genuinely loved the way they expanded what you can do beyond just skating it made it feel more immersive. Was one of my favorite games of this type. Also Jet set radio future. Just want to shout that out because I don't hear it mentioned enough and it needs a part 3

[@IIMIKEYMOII]

@@toxxik4933 There is a spiritual successor to Jet Set Radio coming out in 2022: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJCalIiLjMyajKM So your wishes are coming true!

[@Slapped]

Nah THAW is great. Last good one though

[@V1VISECT6]

Proving Ground is the swan song of the series. To me it's what THUG2 should have been.

[@quentindugger5389]

Proving Ground..good times.

[@cloutjay831]

Proving ground, good times.

[@TastyChurro]

@@V1VISECT6 and Eric Sparrow is in it.

[@nevermindgaming6848]

Not even close dude nostiga blinds people

[@svddsosa7396]

underrated channel

[@claysoggyfries]

svdd sosa 2020 and he’s still underrated

[@larajanesen8795]

2021, still, nothing has changed

[@BlueBirdRR]

2024,his still underated

[@cordzfx]

Loving these reviews, biggest nostalgia trip.

[@SquareEyedJak]

Cheers mate :)

[@chronic_johnson_a.r.a.b]

It's a toss-up between this and THUG2 as my favourite Tony Hawk game.

[@chronic_johnson_a.r.a.b]

@Literally a White Male nice.

[@chronic_johnson_a.r.a.b]

@Literally a White Male very cool.

[@1r0zz]

@Literally a White Male Thug 2 is considered the best and more complete skate system in the series, and THAW for how bad you can criticize it there is still the core experience, just less polished. While I can understand that people would not like the jackass style of THUG2 and the "ehhh" story of THAW, frankly the series never had this great stories ever because the "rise" of a pro skater removes a LOT of the "free spirit" from skating...

[@ministryOFmuff]

@Literally a White Male I agree that THUG2 was the start of the decline (part of it was just oversaturation though, it wasnt only about the quality of the games) but both that and THAW are still very worthwhile. THUG2 had that whole unique OTT Jackass thing going on plus one of the best soundtracks in the series. THAW again was somewhat unique with the 80s aesthetic, plus the story was decent, the attempt at having an interconnected world was honestly not bad at all for the time, and the BMX stuff was good too.

[@iroyhanouwer4240]

dont take this the wrong way, but you're videos have become re-watcheble ( if im spelling that correctly) my weekend just started and having myself a square eyed jak'a thon instead of the usual avgn, dunkey or jontron marathon. Love your stuff mate ! have a good one

[@mmiller1264]

I was never into the Tony Hawk series, but your presentation of this is what makes it so enjoyable to watch, same for the wrestling series. Nice work Jak!

[@SquareEyedJak]

Cheers mate! :D

[@JohnnyHikesSW]

The plot of this game is basically going around and committing acts of domestic terrorism- I call it Skaterrorism

[@paulw858]

Hahaha... man, the rant about the American Wasteland Classic Mode sounds like it was written by me. Totally agreed about the disappointing brevity of the classic mode. American Wasteland is actually the first Tony Hawk game that I never beat. I gave up on it an hour in when it came out, but in recent years I've been told that I need to go back to it and give it a second shot. I'm not sure why I hated it back then. But your review starts to ring some bells. I will still try it on my currently-on-hiatus Tony Hawk's Pro Marathon Twitch series, but this review certainly doesn't inspire confidence! I know a lot of people love this one, so despite it being unfortunate that you didn't love it like they did, it is also somewhat refreshing, as with all your reviews, how honest you are. Some of your reviews feel like true Nostalgia Critic reviews, based solely on the fact that you are able to separate your rose-tinted glasses from the actual product. One of the reasons I love your reviews. They're not overwhelming praise and circlejerks. They are legitimate analyses of games that may have been outstanding when they came out, but perhaps have lost more than a little credibility over the years. If Project 8 is the next game you review, I will be interested to hear your thoughts on that. I actually quite enjoy it on the 360 despite the random framedrops. The PS2 version was absolutely garbage for me, though. Horrible experience all around, but seemingly for very minute reasons. Little differences like how when you are told to do a certain trick for the camera, on the 360 version you see a visual element that represents that the camera took a picture, but you are still always in control of your character... yet in that same goal on the PS2 version, control is taken away from you completely as it freezeframes for like 2 seconds. Doesn't sound like a big deal, but it is infuriating to have that control taken away from you, especially when you still sometimes need to follow it up with another trick. Little stuff like that. It matters. Anyways... sorry for this tangent, haha. Great review as always. Can't wait for the next one! Part of me hopes you will look at Tony Hawk Motion in the future. I've only heard horrid things about it but I can't find much on KZbin for it except trailers. Even as big of a Tony Hawk fan as I am, I never heard of it until a couple weeks ago, but if you're unaware: it's a DS game that utilized the GBA slot for a motion control device, and you tilt your DS around to paint the levels and do tricks? Or something? Again, not much to go on. But I hope you look at it sometime purely on a Schadenfreude level! :P It would be a fittingly horrifying end to Hawktober ;)

[@SquareEyedJak]

Cheers mate! :D

[@robertnewland3566]

Man I played every THPS and American Wasteland was one of my personal favorites

[@aarongabrielcornejo]

Dude your videos are gold! I’ve managed to binge watch all your videos even if I hadn’t played the game before

[@Mickice]

THPS2 was godlike.

[@gamemaster468]

Loving all these intro animations for the Tony Hawk reviews. XD Your editing has evolved quite alot recently. Keep it up man. Looking forward to the next review. :)

[@xRocketzFighterx]

I fucking love these intros man you deserve more views and subscribers.

[@Lucas-qo5go]

I always played this game exclusively for the BMX bike. I rode BMX a lot as a kid and there were only a few BMX games ever made, so we had to play this!

[@Rdup222]

These videos are awesome! I remember requesting this on your THPS reviews. And now its here. AND ITS AWESOME. Lotsa Nostalgia incoming for me since I loved THAW. For some reason.

[@JomasterTheSecond]

I loved renting American Wasteland from the Video Ezy down the street. Good times.

[@KMcD1097]

I watched this before i was going to buy this game and this video did scare me off buying it but i recently picked it up and had a great time with it. I do agree that choosing a pre made skater before starting was a little lame but with so much customisable items it really isn't that bad. I viewed it as you're progressively changing throughout the story to become your true self but still should of used the create a skater from the beginning. From start to finish i was engaged enough to keep playing. The skate ranch was a little lacklustre in terms of just getting a high score on new pieces but its cool how they incorporate and change them up to make Frankenskate park. I was very happy they included the classic mode and if anyone like me was put off by this video pick it up, you wont be disappointed.

[@bbjb7459]

You don't know how good it feels when Jak uploads 3 days in a row and 2 more to come. Also the intro like the other videos is absolutely stunning. ^_^

[@The64Whore]

I was so excited for this one! My favorite Tony Hawk ever!! Also really neat skate effects. Great job

[@mikeg931]

I had a lot of fun with this game as a kid but I agree with everything you said here. I went back and tried to play it the other day and the levels just aren't good. I had more fun getting off my board and exploring them than actually skating.

[@a_nervous_wreck]

This game is the epitome of what went wrong with the Tony Hawk franchise. Not to say that it's the worst game, I actually quite like it. But it's a display of why the series failed in the first place; it was trying too hard to jump on the latest gaming trends. You could argue it really started with THUG, when they added a story mode and drivable vehicles around the time when Vice City was one of the biggest games. But I think this was the game that tried the hardest to be "the next GTA" with the so called open world format, going to different stores to do things that used to just be a menu option. It kinda felt like by this point Tony Hawk games were losing their identity. And this trend seemed to follow when they had competition with EA Skate, and suddenly they were trying to reinvent the wheel and out innovate EA Skate, leading to atrocities like Ride and Shred. It seems like every time a new gaming trend comes around, everyone tries to copy and paste those trends into their games, shoehorning them in leaving behind cobbled together messes. Call of Duty does it, Halo has done it, Assassin's Creed has done it; the Tony Hawk franchise is the earliest example I can think of when it comes to trend hopping their franchise into the ground.

[@d3parturee]

Excellent intro. Though I disagree with a lot of what you’re saying, it’s great and admirable that you stick heavily to your opinions. Enjoyable video as always, nonetheless:-)

[@mistergremm735]

Jak, Seriously where's the love you deserve

[@Giablo1]

amazing editing though by the way, you really are on cinemassacre levels of editing

[@SquareEyedJak]

Thanks! :D

[@-AK-]

I'm quite suprised that you didn't like this one. I thought the controls and physics were on point, as well as the level design. Not having your create a skater usable in story mode, nothing new in the create a park, and a good 80% of the game being tutorials was definitely a let down. That being said, I still think this game was fantastic, and was at the peak of the Tony Hawk games.

[@SquareEyedJak]

This was always going to be the most controversial of the special because I know the fandom for this game. Everyone is entitle to their own opinions and I respect that, but I'm sorry. The level design in this game is fairly poor in my opinion. I consider myself good at these games, any of the titles up until this one, I can navigate and get large scores with ease and all that. But in all my years of playing this, not once have I ever been able to get any kind of flow going (excluding the Classic Mode levels, all ripped from previous games). Not trying to change your mind or anything, just explaining my biggest issue here to some more detail.

[@finnfinity9711]

@@SquareEyedJak East L.A. wants to have a word with you

[@flaviopenas4576]

@@finnfinity9711 East L.A. is from THUG 2 PSP game, not THAW.

[@finnfinity9711]

@@flaviopenas4576 that's literally a lie

[@noneyabizzness7351]

This game is all me and my sister played as you could customise your own character and free skate together endlessly soo good.

[@Ikcatcher]

Did the cool kids at the skate park kick you out? Cause that would explain the change to green screen

[@SquareEyedJak]

I'll go into more detail in a Making-of episode down the line but long story short, this video originally featured more parody of the awkward, false in-game cutscenes and the green screen was part of that, to make the video feel less authentic. But a lot of that got cut due to various reasons so... this video kinda got left a little weird because of it. :P

[@chumpyman]

I remember buying this as one of my first xbox 360 game with GUN. Its one of the few xbox 360 games where you can use the cheats and still get achievements. This video brings back some amazing gaming memories. Keep up you amazing work, Sir.

[@n1njahawkssecondchannel84]

Me I remember getting this game the same year Halo 3 was out great times

[@utsavbasu1048]

Gun 😯

[@Matt92Machine]

This game was fun to play, especially with friends online.

[@NanaKyoto]

Have I ever told you that the recent thumbnail art you make based on the game you're reviewing is an incredibly excellent attention to detail? One thing I forgot to mention here, is that there's a level called Kyoto?!

[@gamerguy425]

this was at one time my favorite TH game, but I definitely don't feel that way anymore. One thing you didn't hit upon was the repetitiveness of all those like hobo/rock thorne challenges. they could have been condensed into like 6 missions, but instead there's like 80 of them doing mindlessly simple tasks individually. still a better story mode than THUG 2, like that one was just way too meanspirited and immature. Even if you destroy way more stuff here.

[@TR1PLE_6]

Will THPS5 be getting a 1/10? :P

[@stephenthedude4383]

RockBandAddict666 what would you rate Shred and Ride? 0/10? Even if THPS 5 is really bad i think its still better then those 2

[@TR1PLE_6]

-1/10. Fuck motion controls!

[@stephenthedude4383]

RockBandAddict666 lol perfect

[@eddierobinson118]

RockBandAddict666 yes I'll will be. Thps 5 is a piece of garbage

[@DuelmasterX3]

TR1PLE_6 It was given a 3/10

[@catherineholmes8423]

These tony hawk reviews are so awesome 👍

[@CrystalFissure]

That skateboard trick with the green screen was everything.

[@SquareEyedJak]

Just a special trick I unlocked.

[@ps_lol]

I have played this game for 4 years but now still playing it

[@goobrious7505]

A note on that statement about critics at the end. I agree. When you watch a video by an independent critic like Jak Cal or some more popular examples like PBG and Projared, you always know where the opinion comes from regardless of whether or not you agree with them. Watch a review by IGN or Gamespot and you have know idea which of their 30+ critics is in charge of the opinions within, making their content extremely inconsistent.

[@SquareEyedJak]

Especially with concluding statements like Chris here, literally the wrong thing to say. Factually incorrect garbage!

[@blazingwaters7469]

Opening up with a loving tribute to a game's opening along with a Dead Kennedy song? Yep, I can tell this is going to be a great one. Keep em coming, Jak, this series so far has been interesting from a non-Tony Hawk fan.

[@SquareEyedJak]

I'm glad you're enjoying it having not played the games, that's what I needed to hear. I can rest easy now! :D

[@blazingwaters7469]

+Square Eyed Jak Hey no problem! Recently I've actually been meaning to get into THUG 1 and 2 because of your reviews, but I think that's gonna be on hold until I finish up my Batman Arkham marathon with Arkham Knight (so I can finally experience the disappointment with my own hands!), along with a few other games I have on the backend.

[@lozifor]

In addition to all things you mentioned, I experienced a game game breaking bug that did not allow me to progress because the camera was stuck in one spot and I could not see where I was skating.

[@Kevin-uj4uu]

im glad you brought up cap and create a goal at the time i remember being very sad about that but ive never seen anyone else bring it up

[@jdh21403]

I love the soundtrack in that game. Good emo/pop punk covers of hardcore punk songs

[@rXHrzn]

I player it as a kid and grind it so hard. Now i played it again 10 years later and i need to agree with you

[@SpungPob]

Really Good Review Jak, while it's my favorite in the franchise (THUG1 is literally right next to it) this review actually sums up my own thoughts on the game yesterday night when I was really looking back on it. The stiff controls, less great levels (though Santa Monica mixed with any song in the ost is great fun) but in my own views I think it's solid but even I knew what the end score was going to be. I wonder how many individuals are going to rage simply because one pro reviewer didn't like the game, like come on guys it's called an opinion be respectful. All the OSTs are great but from this point forward the franchise fell with the next title I guess, it's been a while since I played Project 8 but that's beside the point. Jak this is some remarkable effort and it's cool that you went all out with this review series, something some reviewers don't really do. I'll be patiently awaiting the next review so before I go, I'd like to say Have A Great Fucking Day Jak!!!!

[@SquareEyedJak]

I think Santa Monica is pretty rough to be honest. Literally the definition of an empty void once all the pieces are gone but eh, my favorite area is the Vans Skatepark and that literally gets boring in about 5 minutes so... what do I know? Cheers mate!

[@thomasunitt2934]

Great week of content so far. I'm loving the intros, you've put a lot of work into this week and it shows. Also an original concept for a review series in October glad you didn't just do scary games. Informative and entertaining as always jack. Keep it up!

[@SquareEyedJak]

Cheers mate! :D

[@macosiris2916]

Should've been there the days on PS2 where mods for this game were absolutely rampent & honestly made the game stupidly fanf***ingtastic. Hoverboards, glitched outfits flashing neon colors green yellow red etc. & pitch black hoodies that while not always perfect would create some sick gear that beat anything the game originally had to offer lol. A genuine wacky out of control hell of a time & one of my favorite memories of gaming in my childhood. But i with no doubt could see the game being a bit stale & dry if run nowadays in its normal state, a shame too.

[@vongolawingjace2364]

Jak I love all of these reviews and how fast they come out, think youll do a video of just you trying to skate

[@Sitdruk97]

Your editing is friking awesome!! It is inspirational, I want to make high quality editing reviews like this, I’m applauding your hard work bro!!! Merry Christmas

[@ToastyMann]

I'm surprised none of these changes comments say "First love me pls".

[@keviolaf01]

But but I actually enjoyed this game :(

[@SquareEyedJak]

That's ok, I still play it on occasion. I just don't think it holds up like the others.

[@Custer_X_Of_The_DAU]

I also hate you can't add specials or edit specials in story mode. That kill American Wasteland's story mode for me

[@dxkp]

7:45 rip headphone users

[@marc.silden]

I really like this game... It miss some things, but it's great. I give 7/10. Anyway, great video!

[@EmperorDank]

Oh my, just in time before bed!

[@FirBurger98]

I love your videos man, but I played this game up the ass as a kid and loved it. Bought it for my 360 and played it again last year, and still loved it.

[@GamingCornerYT]

Really enjoyed this game! And for ps2 it’s crazy to say how big the maps were and the ‘open world’! Was a great play back in the day! Now were stuck in 2021 with a £9.99 graphics upgrade to THPS1&2 which is probably half the size and has robotic character models haha!

[@tremblence]

im finding out that most retro games are 10x better than newer games (other than like warzone and dota 2) I thought assassins creed would be amazing, it was all hyped up Its is SOOOO BORING.... it literally just puts an exclaimation point on the map and expects you to just follow it on the map and do tasks like a drone No fun at all.... I tried Prince Of Persia made in 2003........SO MUCH MORE FUN.... same goes for games like Diablo 2 (project diablo mod) and tony hawks pro skater 3 and related games are 10x better than the newer skateboarding games

[@GamingCornerYT]

@@tremblence yeah agree, found new Tony hawk and even session robotic, I play skate 3 still and skater Xl but on console skater Xl needs more maps and mods unfortunately, I’ve not played Warzone too much find mw 2019 a little clunky still probably just prefer the days of cod 1/2/4 MW2 etc And now the past year most games have a bad review… BF 2042, Farcry 6 etc all rushed out and patched on day 1! Back in the day they couldn’t just patch games on launch! And Tony hawk 3&4 remaster looks to be off the cards!

[@tremblence]

@@GamingCornerYT I think when developers have limitations that forces them to make everything else good It seemed like the past 15 years have been "look how good these graphics are" and then the game is trash like cyberflunk or diablo 3..... luckily I barely started looing into lesser known games and there are gems everywhere, with emulators its awesome... games around 5-7 bucks like ps3 and 360 games are a good deal too

[@DonaldVale]

​@@GamingCornerYTvv got absorbed so no 3&4 officially but it exists unofficially atleast.

[@kgedgeyo5839]

I was 13 when this came out and was entering my “edgy” years and this game fitted right in with the style I was going for. Maybe not the best game but I enjoyed it for sure. Nothing will beat THPS2 + THUG though (:

[@somepoliticalgamer6459]

My man lookin extra Dracula this video.

[@c.syde65]

Dead Kennedy's music at the beginning. Interesting.

[@RetroAli93]

Hey jak great want ask where u get that crash shirt from cause i want it now XD

[@e93sports80]

Maybe you could re review this.

[@paulphoenix1669]

Your editing skills have seemingly sky rocketed over the past while jak, really impressed

[@SquareEyedJak]

Cheers mate!!

[@phillindablank]

Fuck yeah dude, I've been loving this series so far and am a big fan of your channel! keep up the good content

[@SquareEyedJak]

Awesome, cheers mate! :D

[@9doublem28]

I loved thaw.. It's a great game man and the skate ranch was a great idea.. I don't know man.. I liked it

[@churchgest]

This was one my favorite video games of my childhood and this man ripped it to shreds.. he right though. The nostalgia still makes me want to play it again

[@SmookDevilleTV]

American wasteland was amazing

[@patriots234]

Thug and Thaw are the pinnacle of the series 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@m.hreels9822]

I had the PS2 special edition

[@n1njahawkssecondchannel84]

What did it have compared to the default version?

[@DiabolikalRA]

Finally someone who feels the same about this entry. It was my least favorite of the ps2 Era ones, even trumping project 8.

[@K12machinima]

I have to point out now, I'm glad you included the GBA soundtrack in the background, as I find it very charming to listen to, and actually a good game (same with THUG 1 for GBA). You know, coming off of my love of THUG 1, and having played THAW since the day it was out, I agree with most of the entire review. THAW was marketed to Hell and back that it was an open-world, unlimited Tony Hawk game, with lots of customization and new stuff to do off your board, but... it fell flat... really flat... I remember going to an EB Games (back when they were a thing), popping the special edition into my PS2, staying up really late, going to bed on the couch, waking up, hours later, and finishing the game in the early morning, being very disappointing. Not only did I find the story kind of lame, I didn't even enjoy the fact that my created skater was irrelevant to the story, and was used for other modes. I actually remember resetting the story, twice, to make sure, because I found it that stupid that my character didn't matter. I also remember not enjoying the fact you couldn't play as a female, because, shit, I was a young, male-type humanoid, and any chance to make a girl character was dope, at that age, just to be like, "Hur, she's wearing a skirt, and they're short dresses!" Not even that, the character creation in THAW is BARE, and I don't care about all the product placement on a shirt - gone were the days of Sack Dude, who wore a pink dress and high heels, BoneArmsGone and his floating eyeballs, The SKUUUUUUUUUL, Sub-Zero, Daisy Duke... nope... the most extreme and funny thing is the alien suit, which isn't even that great. Not even any really exciting secret characters, too. Create a Park was very lackluster, and as a HUGE THUG fan, the fact I couldn't make my own game in it was depressing, to me and my friends that played it. The only thing me and my friends could make any enjoyment from was making death runs, and even then, it felt muddy and shallow... like the graphic filter the game has on it, on all versions. The most exciting thing for me and my friends was the fact there were glass panels to break, and that's only because we'd not played THUG 2 at the time, and trust me, when we found out that most of the park objects were THE SAME as that game, we were glad we thought it was special, at a young age... The story, to this day, bothers me, not from the fact it's literally a reskin of THUG 2, but because it just feels... poor. Boone cracks a few good jokes here and there, but other than that, I found the cast to be annoying and unlikable - even the fact your main character BECOMES a complete jackass with no apology, is terrible, and I remember actually disliking my character's rise to fame towards the end, like the line where you say, "Yeah, I'm freaking bad-ass, and Iggy's just a junkie..." or something like that, always bothered me, especially since it's right after he hits you in the face for being a complete bag of douche in the first place. I'll never agree to the almost forced love interest at Mindy, because even as a kid, I saw that as stupid, being like, "Oh, she's my character's girlfriend... I guess," and it made ZERO impact on he story, and an even more stupid to the fact you couldn't play as a female character, simply because of the scene where your character and her kiss awkwardly. The skating is very floaty, and almost (no pun intended) on rails, with very little weight or feel to it, where it makes the game feel very unsettling to play, and I remember the inclusion of parkour didn't even come into my usual way of playing, because it was pointless and hardly worth doing in an actual combo. The BMX bike was an awkward and stiff gimmick, and it bothered me that you HAD to do it, just to advance they story, and to this day, despite playing this game many times, I'm still perplexed as to how the fuck it's supposed to control. The fact Classic mode was a thing was cool, but I always had this really weird feeling of finding it shallow and half-baked, but what I wanted the game to actually be, if that makes any sense; trust me, by the way, the bonus levels aren't much better on the PS2 version. All in all, I like the soundtrack. I still fondly recall having the biggest, cheeky, red with joy smile when I popped it into my PS2 for the first time and hearing "Holiday" at the menu for the first time, long before hearing ANY song by Green Day would instantly put me into a shitty, love-deprived, regretful mood. It's a soundtrack that's just this weird mish-mash of what I recall the early 2000's to sound like, and I think it's aged well, with a very mellow, almost atmospheric choice to the tracks, but still catchy. "I Like Dirt" has always been a top song, for me. Only thing this game influenced on me was to wear my hair to the side, and have an appreciation for the fact the early 2000's are over... I'm glad you were honest with this one, because I literally felt like I was the only one on the planet to find this game to be over-hyped and not as good as it should have been.

[@SquareEyedJak]

The SKUUUUUUUUUL xD Yeah it's a real shame. We'll get to the GBA and other handheld versions of the series in good time but just real quick, while I've only played THAW on GBA, it's confusing as fuck cause of perspectives etc. so I'm not looking forward to the rest. But yeah, this game is just rough as guts. While I didn't make female characters too often when i was younger, I get where you're coming from and remember being like "why isn't the option there?" The idea of American Wasteland is awesome but it was executed so poorly it's just embarrassing and I've always enjoyed it the least, out of all the games we've looked at (so far anyway).

[@K12machinima]

I agree that THAW feels the weakest in the series. Even THPS 4 has more charm and fun, and that's the 4'th game in a series based on doing the same concept as the other 3 games behind it. I'll always say THUG 1 was where the series was at its best, in tone, personality, design, and creation aspects - and honestly, I'm going to pop that fucker in (as of writing this), brew a pot of coffee, and pull an all-nighter with it, because I've gotten blue-balls, just thinking about it, ha. Can't wait for the rest of the series, and your eventual GBA torment. To be fair, THUG 1 on GBA is actually half-decent, after adjusting to the angle and different controls; I find it somewhat funny how your character also has an energy meter that stays up with sports drinks and candy bars, and is protected longer with a helmet and padding, ha. THAW on GBA is... eh... I remember disliking the art-style, and finding it very hard on the eyes, and the gameplay very stilted and slow, but, still okay for a port. The music on both is still very charming, especially the watered-down version of "Burnt" for the menu in THAW.

[@hyliansirloin]

I'm glad I'm not the only person that was so taken aback by this game back in the day. Going from THUG 2 to this kept me from even caring about future entries (the graffiti was on the wall).

[@makeitthrough_]

I felt that way going from THUG 1 to Jackass: The Skating Game

[@Anquavaous]

Thank you jak for taking me on a nostalgic trip.

[@Herzeder]

THAW had the greatest online ever tho

[@pariahgames4655]

I never thought I'd live to see the Penguin review a skateboard game. This is what the internet was made for.

[@133thefallen]

What are your thoughts on American Sk8land on NDS? If you've played it of course. Love the videos my friend. Keep em coming

[@skate6788]

American Wasteland had the best multiplayer :#

[@ericmarriott850]

I respect your opinion but I totally disagree regarding the gameplay aspect of this review. This game is my top 5 favs for the Tony Hawk series. When they introduced BMX’s in this game it was like a new love was found for me lol. Such a simple addition but brilliant IMO. Anyways cheers mate , keep up the good work 💯

[@zohaib915]

I just realised I need to wait a WHOLE year for another 5 part extravaganza :0, The next two episodes better be worth it ಠ_ಠ(they will:)

[@SquareEyedJak]

I'd like to do more specials throughout the year, this is kind of a tester to see how things go and if it's worth all the extra workload.

[@zohaib915]

Square Eyed Jak Your rigorous experimenting and random ideas are awesome and I think this time it has paid out. Probably takes effort but your work schedule is actually badass and your balls to the walls genius ideas like games+workout and this make you feel like a whole new genre on KZbin...:D

[@SquareEyedJak]

Damn thanks dude. I wouldn't go as far to say new genre or anything like that, I'm just making shit I'd want to watch. That's KZbin 101 really. But cheers, really appreciate it! :D

[@rhinox9292]

Gotta correct this fool: RIDE started the downfall…with a bang. THPS1-4, THUG, THAW, THP8, and THPG are all great…THUG2 was decent. Am loving this video series though 😎

[@cacomeat7385]

The core gameplay saves this game heavily for me. I enjoy the weightiness and depth of the trick system, it's a lot of fun to mess around with in the classic levels. Plus we finally got the levels that were exclusive to THUG 2 Remix on consoles. Project 8 is where the games became absolute shite for me until 1+2 remake

[@ThatBoyDanny1996]

I'm played all the Tony Hawk games up to Proving Ground then after that the games just started turning crappy with the motion sensor stuff Tony Hawk shred and Tony Hawk ride tried Tony Hawk Pro Skater 5 right whenever it came out pre-ordered it which was a bad idea but really looking forward to Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 and 2 remastered for PS4 those two I know we're pretty good actually some of the best

[@drewskigocrazy]

literally the best one next to underground 1

[@valentinsantander7483]

this is the best game of the franchise

[@ZombieGorilla1]

That was the best intro yet

[@SquareEyedJak]

Cheers mate!

[@babakcole4787]

You literally complain about tony hawk games when the character creator lacks and you complain here when they give you all these options. You didn’t even get into create a park or the secret skaters you can unlock such as Billie joe Armstrong. Very lacking review and way too hard on a decent game. Cheers mate

[@Wubsy96]

My, SEJ is a fellow achievement hunter!

[@SquareEyedJak]

I was back in the day, just don't have the time (or patience) to go for 100% completion on anything these days.

[@Wubsy96]

@@SquareEyedJak wow, you actually replied! Since you're here, I have to say that I really enjoy your videos. I just recently subscribed to your channel. As for THAW though, I would vehemently defend this game. I finished it multiple times on multiple consoles. Even the Xbox 360 version, where it took me more than 10 years to find a copy of.

[@ParallaxSound315]

I'll be honest, this game is probably my favorite in the Tony Hawk franchise. I know a lot of people hate it, but I've always loved it

[@RonnieRomanoX]

American Wasteland is the best of the franchise. It's flawless-its storyline, its pro skaters, the selection of tricks, its soundtrack, its Los Angeles locations, its secret unlockable and playable characters, the selection of skateboard graphics , and the quality of the game graphic was amazing back in 2005 when it came out. American Wasteland is the true soul of skateboarding and punk rock in Los Angeles. I am a 40-year-old punk skateboarder from Los Angeles in real life, and this video game represents for real the actual street life style and culture of mine in a video game universe. Way better than games like GTA. Tony hawk's American Wasteland is a masterpiece.