The only other downside to the entire experience is that, when I’m out there for hours in a certain level trying to get a world-record-speedrun, hitting ‘retry’ in the menu takes a little longer than I’m used to. In THPS2 that loop started almost immediately, but here it takes 5 to 10 seconds to load back to the start of the level. It’s a tiny complaint, but one I often thought about when pulling an all nighter in the hopes of beating my PB.
Besides that minor quibble, THPS is still as ludicrously addictive as ever, and a lot of that is down to how it feels – how it feels exactly like you remember despite being nothing like it. THPS1+2 knows that few of us stopped at game number two, that we carried on to 3 and 4 and potentially even beyond, with their new moves like reverts opening up massive combo oppurtunities. Going back to THPS2 vanilla feels limiting in a way, compared to the freeform nature of its successors, so it was a genius move to simply introduce all of the later quality of life improvements to these titles. Despite making some of the goals trivial compared to their previous challenge (it’s a lot easier to rack up those sick scores now) I doubt many will complain about having more freedom in how you explore a level and craft a combo.
Presentation:
The big draw here is the complete visual overhaul – and it looks fantastic. After how good this all feels to play, there wasn’t much doubt it would become my new yearly pilgramage spot for THPS, but the graphical reimagining solidifies this as a game that will effortlessly last another decade or two of repeat plays. The lighting is truly where this game shines, no pun intended, but everything has enjoyed a complete reworking to bring the title to modern standards. This is not an upscale, this is a ground-up remake, and the fact that it feels so faithful to the original despite being a completely unique piece blows my mind.
The soundtrack – the incredible, genre-defining, totally-licensed soundtrack – is what we were all worried about when this game was announced, but Activision and Vicarious Visions clearly made a deal with the devil here: every track is back! (I think…) Every track from my memories at the very least blasted confidently back out as I ollied magic bums or pulled a darkslide over the entirety of Philladelphia. Bigger and inarguably better as this game is, the soundtrack has also received a truckload of new songs, almost all of which fit that original aural mood that defined the experience so well. If you don’t gel with any of them you can remove them from the playlist track by track, which I really appreciated, and this allows you to curate your experience entirely.
Conclusion:
THPS1+2 is the best remake I’ve ever played. This is how you preserve legacy and celebrate greatness. I didn’t think those originals could be bettered, even as old and archaic as they were, but Vicarious Visions confidently proved me wrong at every grind. At this point, I’m very hopeful that the game becomes a platform of sorts: should they ever decide to release THPS3 as DLC, I will be first in line shaking my money at them. For the wannabe skaters out there who gave up that dream for the sake of their ankles, who remember fondly the days of doing everything they can to be a superman, this is the game for you. What the hell are you waiting for?
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