Video Game Vintage Title: Skate 2

Skate 2

Skate 2 is a sandbox skateboarding video game developed by EA Black Box and distributed by Electronic Arts as a sequel to the 2007 game, Skate. Skate 2 was released in January 2009 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Skate 2 Plot

Skate 2 is set 5 years after the events of Skate. The main protagonist of the series has been incarcerated for five years, after he illegally attempted to perform a drop into the San Vanelona Dam. During this time, earthquakes devastated the city, leaving it in ruins and prompting a mass evacuation of the city. The city has been rebuilt since, and subsequently renamed New San Vanelona. However, instead of the skater's paradise the city used to be, security has been stepped up by Mongo Corp in order to protect the best parts of the city. Most of the good skating spots have cops on them, who seek to prevent skaters from entering, and there are security guards almost everywhere else. After being bailed out by Giovanni Reda, the protagonist must progress through the story by completing challenges for magazines like The Skateboard Mag and Thrasher, as well as participating in vert contests, street contests, and races in an attempt to regain interest after their five year hiatus.

Reception
Skate 2 was well received by many publications and websites. OXM scored Skate 2 as an 8/10, saying it had good control but will be too hard for casual gamers. Game Informer gave the game 9 out of 10 in their February issue, stating that Skate 2 accomplishes the impossible task of making old gameplay feel fresh. They said that while some new tricks were added, the game built upon the original and improved its formula.

Gamespot rated it a 7.5 saying that the new content was welcomed but the walking and moving objects were clumsy at best. IGN scored Skate 2 an 8.3/10, praising Black Box for building upon their winning formula and keeping the gameplay fun. They explained that while the presentation is good, the story seems weak at times and the graphics are not as sharp as they could be.