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EA's plan to challenge Activision's reigning Tony Hawk series for skateboarding supremacy proved to be a critical and commercial success, and the once original IP Skate officially becomes a franchise with the release of Skate 2. Players return to the mythical city of San Vanelona after a five-year hiatus, only to find security forces from the Mongo Corporation heavily patrolling a landscape drastically altered by earthquakes. Gamers must help restore the city's reputation as a skating Mecca by shredding around town and meeting up with 25 different professional skaters, including longtime vets Danny Way and Eric Koston.

The game once again makes use of a control scheme that relies heavily on the shoulder buttons and analog sticks, and Skate 2 doubles the total number of tricks available in its predecessor. There are more than 20 different areas through which gamers can ollie, rail slide, and kickflip, and the new option to roam freely on foot and manipulate more than 100 different objects means players can put together an infinite number of unique skating lines. The "skate.Reel" replay feature returns, once again letting gamers relive all of their best tricks, and a new graphics creator means skaters can outfit their gear and decks with original designs. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide