Tony Hawk's Underground 2

 PlayStation 2
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 101 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 83 out of 101
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 101
  3. Negative: 4 out of 101
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  1. Jake
    Jul 6, 2006
    5
    This game adds nothing to the storyline of the first which was one of its best points. The skating was of course good but I could just play my old THUG for that. With the strange random hidden characters and the insainly stupid missions Tony should be ashamed to letting Bam hijack this game and making it just like Jackass.
  2. genesisdoes
    Oct 2, 2020
    7
    Just like Tony Hawk's Underground was the first game I ever loved, the sequel was the first game I was ever excited for. I have memories of seeing the commercials before release and talking to others about it before I was able to play it for myself and I'm almost 100% sure this was the first time I was hyped for a game release.

    I was not disappointed either. THUG 2 maintained the smooth,    Just like Tony Hawk's Underground was the first game I ever loved, the sequel was the first game I was ever excited for. I have memories of seeing the commercials before release and talking to others about it before I was able to play it for myself and I'm almost 100% sure this was the first time I was hyped for a game release.

    I was not disappointed either. THUG 2 maintained the smooth, addicting gameplay of the previous Tony Hawk games while adding upon it as well as taking the crude humor of the series and amplifying it to 11. Considering I was super young at the time, that was right up my alley.

    THUG 2 has a massive tonal shift from the first Underground, ditching the serious plot for flat out chaos. You have to understand the context that this game was released in, pro skateboarder Bam Margera was in the peak of his popularity at this point thanks to Jackass and his MTV show Viva La Bam. Anything with his name on it made absolute bank during this time period. For that reason, this game has Bam all over it. The tone is much more in line with Jackass and the game tries to make you laugh even more often than the previous entries. It's also got a lot of gimmicks. Graffiti has been added to the game, serving very little purpose. On top of that, they've also added characters who don't skate. They either ride a motorized moped, a go kart, a mechanical bull, you name it. Skateboarding is still the focus but it feels a lot more an overall mayhem simulator than previous entries.

    Does this retract from the quality of the game? For the most part, I don't entirely think so. The skating is still as good as it ever was and even when you ignore the vehicle characters and the graffiti, the game still has a good amount of content just meant for skating.

    The levels are still very good and not all the new additions were gimmicks. Classic Mode has arrived, making a return of the old time limit style of playing that put the series on the map.

    Overall, it's a really good game and one of the ones I look back to fondest when thinking of my childhood. I also don't mind that they made this more of a Bam Margera's Pro Skater game. I was a huge fan of him at the time and upping the ante on the mayhem served as a breath of fresh air, despite having its pros and cons.The story is quite a bit shorter than THUG 1's though, that's probably my biggest fault with the game.
    I beat this game in July of 2020 after beating it countless times before.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

31
#31 Best PS2 Game of 2004
47
#47 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2004

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 59 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 59
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 59
  3. Negative: 0 out of 59
  1. Game Informer
    98
    An irresistible package born of the classic mold but with an invigorating twist. [Nov 2004, p.140]
  2. DarkStation
    90
    A much more detailed game that improves upon last year's graphical system with much better character models.
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  3. Gaming Nexus
    89
    If you’ve ever been a fan of the franchise you owe it to yourself to at least rent it. What starts out as a weekend rental just might turn into your next yearlong obsession.
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