.............CONTENT
.Home
.News
.Reviews
.Previews
.Features
.Fun Facts
.Wallpapers
.Forums



.............MISC.
.Advertise
.Contact
.About Us
.FAQ
.Legal
.Privacy Policy



.............AFFILIATES
.insert credit
.DigitalBackSpin
.Rock, Paper, Shotgun
.The Wargamer

	Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer
	Developer: Treyarch Publisher: Activision Genre: Sports Players: 1-2 Similar To: TransWorld Surfing Rating: Everyone Published: 11 :01 : 02 Reviewed By: Ryan Newman Overall: 8 = Excellent

Screenshots

- - - -

Like all O2 titles, players will get to choose their favorite athlete and compete against the clock to accomplish objectives and unlock new locations and boards. Before each new level there's a full-motion video clip of the new locale and a bit of history about it from Kelly himself. While fans of his might find these entertaining, they came off as a bit pretentious to me; I don't know, maybe since I've never been surfing, the 'zen life is on the waves' mentality wasn't able to strike a chord with me. Each new beach will sport different kinds of waves and each will require different approaches in going about accomplishing the goals. The goals, unlike those in the recently released O2 Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2, are actually attainable in a respectable amount of time and are also more fun to strive for.

The tricks that are capable of being pulled off on the waves were a bit surprising. I hadn't really expected there to be so many tricks, especially with those catching so much air. Needless to say, the stable of moves that the player can use are pretty impressive. They wouldn't be all that enjoyable if the waves hadn't been accurately represented, but as luck would have it, they were. Maybe it's the added tension of having to not just beat the clock, but to set up tricks precisely on the waves. The new dimension of unpredictability was a large part of the fun to be had and the constant pressure to find a new spot to get a trick off before the wave crashed down was like a breath of fresh air for the O2 line.

With plenty of objectives for each beach, and plenty of locations at which to surf, fans will be busy for quite some time. Having the standard unlockable goodies (i.e. surfboards) is less impressive now as this kind of title continues, but they'll still tack on some extra life to the title. For those who never liked or are getting tiresome of the Tony Hawk formula, Kelly's Pro Surfer might not convert you, but considering how well the fourth installment is doing, I'm guessing that not many of you have that problem. This is a promising start for the new series, and I have a feeling it won't take long before it's just as refined and polished as the other titles on its label.

For now though, there are a few problems to work through. The learning curve can get a bit steep, especially for barrel tricks. The camera can also use some tweaking; the view is always facing the surfer, making it hard to appropriately just his surroundings and the close third-person view wasn't as useful as the default angle. Getting on waves is also a fairly easy task, while they are judged and I can understand why it was made easier so it would be immediately accessible to people, a balance system would've been nice; maintaining a more steady course would benefit the player with more points or a better transition to their first trick. The moves can also get a bit monotonous after a while. Despite the impressive and unpredictable nature of the waves, there's still only so much that's available to do, unlike Tony Hawk where there seems to be an unlimited amount of potential to pull tricks off. As I said though, this is a promising start.

Graphics: 8/10
With some gorgeous looking waves and lighting, it's unfortunate that the character models are so mediocre. Their animations are limited and their overall presentation is very rigid. Whenever the camera is close to the action and the surfer falls into the water, an atrocious splash of pixels spurts up, making the game look similar to a PlayStation title. The graphics really hit their peak in the middle of a run as the scenery can look very picturesque with the sun glistening off the water and the wave fully taking form. The beach's surroundings play a surprising small graphical role and what's seen is pretty average; this really was a lost opportunity to enhance the atmosphere, because the FMV intros show most of the places bustling and, in-game, not much else will be seen aside from an occasional surfer getting in the way, along with bland backdrops. The framerate is also fond of taking dips as well, with full views of the wave making the screen stutter. But, boy howdy, them waves sure are pretty!

Sound: 7/10
You're presented with a nice blend of rock and waves slamming against the still water, and while the quality isn't as good as I had hoped, the soundtrack and effects fit in well. The variety of the tracks is more toned down than in other O2 titles, with a nice melodic undertone that helps to keep with the game's theme. The effects are adequate, if a bit generic.

Control: 8/10
It'll take some time to get used to, but the layout is handled well enough so that gamers will be surfing with the best of them in no time. Well, that's not entirely true -- it'll take some time to learn the moves, and then more time to actually perform them without excessive cussing, so you'll have to play it for a while and then you'll be surfing with the best of them. The camera will provide some problems, but overall, everything from the menu navigation to gradually earning, and performing, new tricks is handled well.

Overall: 8/10
The change of pace was nice from my seemingly monthly O2 regime of bikes and skateboards. It should go without saying that fans of surfing should definitely pick this up as the Treyarch formula has proven successful again. Regardless of whether you've enjoyed past surfing titles, you know how it'll play and it's just as solid as the other extreme sports titles before it. While it has its growing pains, Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer looks to be the premier surfing title and another notch in Treyarch's belt.

[ top ]