Metareview: Tony Hawk Ride
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Nov 25th 2009 at 12:45PM } 
- Game Informer (5.75/10): "As a skateboarder and as a gamer, Tony Hawk: Ride is a curious idea but a letdown in practice. The huge level of frustration is not worth the time it takes to master the awkward gameplay idiosyncrasies."
- IGN (5/10): "The idea? A more immersive skateboarding game that would ride the recent wave of hit games featuring their own custom controllers. The result? An expensive proposition that neither casual nor hardcore gamers will get much out of."
- GameSpy (2.5/5 Stars): "As expected, Tony Hawk Ride is an experiment -- an interesting and ambitious experiment, but one that doesn't come together as a fully functional experience. I love the basic feel of the board, and had occasional bouts of fun amidst frequent frustration, but THR's gargantuan buy-in price is an awful lot to ask of an effective guinea pig audience."
- Giant Bomb (1/5 Stars): "While the Tony Hawk franchise has been down on its luck lately, and was probably in need of a reboot as dramatic as this, the execution is such a miserable failure that it manages to splash even more mud on Tony Hawk's legacy. I'm left with a firm belief that whichever side of the Tony Hawk/Activision partnership has the out clause in the contract should just exercise it and part ways for good. Enough is enough. "
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Shadowfax (PSN: u2fan4894) @ Nov 25th 2009 12:47PM
Not surprised...
Storm Eagle [Resident Capcom Megafan] @ Nov 25th 2009 1:40PM
Me neither.
When they were showing vids of the game early on of the "pro" skaters supposedly playing it, I knew it was fail. You never, ever saw one of the skaters on screen, on the board with the game on the TV in front of them - it was all cut up. You just knew they were pulling the wool over your eyes and that those skaters were paid to say all that b.s.
Skate ftw.
Whocares @ Nov 25th 2009 4:37PM
watch it sell like hot cakes
Stevetrop @ Nov 25th 2009 4:53PM
They took the wrong approach when trying to reinvigorate a stale franchise and now they are paying the consequences. They could have taken a 1,001 choices to revive the tony hawk series and choose the one that in essences is a shot in the foot,
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Nov 25th 2009 12:48PM
GAT DAYUUUUM!!
I mean I didn't think the game looked all that impressive...but shit!!!
people paying $130 for that shit are going to be FURIOUS!!
Maulok @ Nov 26th 2009 8:33AM
Not to worry, apparently people paying $130 includes 7 people. I agree, those 7 people will be steamed :-)
Gibbs @ Nov 25th 2009 12:52PM
Not suprised here either... Fail
squallgengar @ Nov 25th 2009 12:51PM
Suck it, Kotick.
deaftly (PSN,LIVE,STEAM) @ Nov 25th 2009 1:40PM
Suck it long and suck it hard, Trebek!
Solace @ Nov 25th 2009 12:53PM
oh just give up on the Tony Hawk Series and let it die. Activison should have released this isn't the kind of game that can be released every year like a madden or nba
Shadowfax (PSN: u2fan4894) @ Nov 25th 2009 12:56PM
*Trying to understand first part of second sentence. Brain explodes.
Solace @ Nov 25th 2009 12:58PM
*realized opps was thinking about something else while writing
jayeffaar @ Nov 25th 2009 1:01PM
*who is opps and what was he thinking about?
deaftly (PSN,LIVE,STEAM) @ Nov 25th 2009 1:48PM
Proof that listening to Paramore's awful lyrics makes you type like one of the 12 year old teens that listen to them.
Troy Powers (PSN: TroyPowers) @ Nov 25th 2009 3:01PM
Soooooo...That's What You Get?
Jack_Jackington @ Nov 25th 2009 3:35PM
12 year old teens?
Archon (PSN: Archonik, XBL: DarkARHN) @ Nov 25th 2009 12:53PM
Wow. I am, on the other hand surprised with the reviews. I thought it would be more "meh" than "it sucks. like really, really sucks".
glenn @ Nov 27th 2009 1:19AM
that's because people are focussing on the board and never stopped to think if the actual game was any good. so they see the board and go "meh" but when you see the actual game you say "it sucks. like really, really sucks"
kelly slater surfing will probably be a better fit for the board. old TH is going to see another game play better on his peripheral idea, that is of course if anybody owns the board to play it with, given these review scores i wonder if KS will even get made now.
The Pirate @ Nov 25th 2009 12:54PM
*looks at Gamezone's score*
And people say Reviews arnt corrupt...
jayeffaar @ Nov 25th 2009 1:02PM
On the other hand, maybe the Gamezone dude really liked it.
Temidien @ Nov 25th 2009 1:08PM
I can be paid to like a lot of things. Maybe I should review games too.
Beatz @ Nov 25th 2009 4:46PM
The first three reviews for the game were from no-name companies that all gave it above a 90. That is one fuck of a coincidence.
Dirty @ Nov 25th 2009 12:54PM
In the face of competition you either flounder or flourish. I blame Kotick wanting to push silly plastic periphs to all his franchises. Cant wait to see what they dream up for Call of Duty.
NForever @ Nov 29th 2009 10:05PM
*Kotick:
Look look look guys! I just came up with a new idea for Call of Duty. I know it's just a prototype but imagine this... you're blasting through trenches of enemy troops, hammering guys down faster than they can turn the corner, when... YOUR GUN JAMS! Then, with this new peripheral that plugs sideways into the wii motion plus (cuz of course you'll have your nunchuk already plugged into the bottom) you have to completely disassemble this fake gun and put it back together! And then, THAT MIGHT NOT EVEN FIX THE JAM! So you'll have to take it back apart, use a ball point pen to scrape the touch sensitive barrel of the gun, and then it'll work. Whew, oh man, this is gonna... this is gonna work guys, trust me.
ytilanigiroon @ Nov 25th 2009 12:56PM
Wait... so a game put out by Activision that has a peripheral attached to the franchise is more than likely going to fail??
First DJ Hero, now this...
IT'S THE END OF THE WOOOOOORRRRRLLLLDDDD...
Also; I feel fine.
PedoJokerBear [Planeteer | Power of Gall Bladder] @ Nov 25th 2009 1:19PM
first dj hero? that game is awesome
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Nov 25th 2009 1:22PM
What dick are you smoking? DJ Hero is the bees knees.
Oh yeah, fuck you Kotick.
ytilanigiroon @ Nov 25th 2009 1:31PM
I still see stacks and stacks of the game everywhere (gamestop, BestBuy, et al), exactly where they were at launch. The sales were extremely slow for a "Hero" franchise: http://news.softpedia.com/news/DJ-Hero-s-Sales-Are-Predicted-to-Drop-Even-Further-125323.shtml
I've played it briefly, my friend bought the Renegade edition, and I was unimpressed. The game seems half-assed and his fader snapped within a week. One thing that confused me ever since the concept art was released; since when do you have buttons on the vinyl? I know it's a video game, but really?
Troy Powers (PSN: TroyPowers) @ Nov 25th 2009 1:37PM
If by "fail" you mean "be awesome," then, yes. You've hit the nail on the head where DJ Hero is concerned.
ytilanigiroon @ Nov 25th 2009 1:46PM
My point is that the DJ Hero franchise has a very small niche, especially when compared to other rhythm games. I never said the game sucked, I said I was unimpressed by it and that the sales will not be anywhere near what they need to be to consider the game a success. You fan-boys and your illogical fervor...
johnnynumber5 @ Nov 25th 2009 2:49PM
I guess if I paid as much as you fellas did for Dj Hero I'd be justifying my purchase as well. The game failed at retail ... Tony Hawk likely failed at retail and in review. What were they thinking anyway? It is the dumbest concept I've seen in a long time.
Comet @ Nov 25th 2009 3:07PM
I loved DJ hero and was planing on buying it until I heard it was selling like shit. Now I'm gonna wait until it hits A ridiculously low price. Im a bad person.
Hafkie @ Nov 25th 2009 3:16PM
DJ Hero did sell less than 100k units in October. Did it fail? NO.
It had FIVE DAYS in October.
Also, DJ Hero was a projected slow start, and they expect it to gain momentum via word of mouth (much like how GH did). For the most part, it has started to go down that route. Will it be as big? Probably not. But it's no failure, especially if they knew the game would have a slow start.
PedoJokerBear [Planeteer | Power of Gall Bladder] @ Nov 25th 2009 6:25PM
why in the hell did i get downvoted? :(
deaftly (PSN,LIVE,STEAM) @ Nov 25th 2009 10:14PM
Dj Hero is easily in my top 5 favorite games of the year. Don't knock it till ya tried it.
President Taco @ Nov 25th 2009 12:58PM
Glad to see the suckage confirmed. Just because there is a peripheral doesn't mean people will love it.
The Swedish Chief @ Nov 25th 2009 12:58PM
HA! No money or cake for you, Kotick! SUCK ON THAT, MOTHER-EFFER!
copa @ Nov 25th 2009 1:09PM
Kotick's not an idiot. He cashed out before this abortion hit store shelves.
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=26071
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Nov 25th 2009 1:23PM
Are you fucks serious? Did you not see the sales of MW2?
the_pop @ Nov 25th 2009 1:24PM
He has a face that makes you want to grab it and hold it up against a belt sander.
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith @ Nov 25th 2009 1:26PM
I believe he has described his sessions of crying face down in his pile of money.
offday @ Nov 25th 2009 12:58PM
The Tony Hawk games were awesome back in the day, but they just suck now.
I remember playing the heck out of Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4. Best one IMO.
Archon (PSN: Archonik, XBL: DarkARHN) @ Nov 25th 2009 1:03PM
Seems you are to young to appreciate THPS 2 - the opus magnum of the series.
Paul @ Nov 25th 2009 1:14PM
You are both incorrect. THPS 3 was by far the best of the series.
Smoother game play, Better graphics, More tricks, Better levels and much better music.
But all of them from 1 to the first Underground were great games and I wasted a ton of time playing all of them. It's too bad they had to kill it by adding too much garbage that just wasn't fun.
ytilanigiroon @ Nov 25th 2009 1:17PM
I remember playing the two minute demo for literally hours at a time, seeing how high I could get my score, finding the idea of a manual earth-shattering and awe inspiring... Man... I need to find that demo disk, and the one with Thrasher on it, again.
johnnynumber5 @ Nov 25th 2009 2:52PM
The Thrasher game was where it was at and was way ahead of it's time. It was like actual skateboarding ... frustrating to learn.
Comet @ Nov 25th 2009 3:03PM
I played the shit out of all of them but when it comes down to it I was just to young to appreciate the earlier entries in the THPS series and thus THUG 2 is my favorite game out of all of them. Although I still usually just use cheats to get all the levels and characters then just play free skate forever.
Young_Nastyman @ Nov 25th 2009 5:54PM
The best Tony Hawk Games were THPS2 (best levels), THPS4 (best character creator, bonus characters *cough*Eddie the Head and Jango Fett*cough*, and soundtrack), and THUG (most innovations from one title to the next)
offday @ Nov 25th 2009 6:01PM
@Archon
I'm 23. I've played them all. 4 was the best. That is all.
Shadowbender (Nelson Is Behind You) @ Nov 25th 2009 1:06PM
Looks like Kotick let out another crapper through his money-eating hole.