Since Tony Hawk's Pro Skater exploded onto the PSOne back in the summer of '99, redefining what could be achieved, not only in regards to skateboarding games, but for sports games in general, there hasn't been a single game that has truly challenged the authority of the all-conquering skateboard franchise from Activision. That's not to say there have been a shortage of contenders either, just a general lack of quality and innovation. Although not for want of trying, each game that has attempted to challenge Tony Hawk's supremacy has failed miserably. One of the major reasons for this has always been down to a seeming insistence on the part of developers to attempt to duplicate Neversoft's beautifully honed arcade style, fast-paced gameplay. Luckily then, just as the series starts to feel a touch dated and dare I say stale, especially given the impending Tony Hawk's Proving Ground coming across as little more than an expansion pack of Project 8, onto the scene rolls skate from EA, a game that seems to have distanced itself from the excesses of the Tony Hawk's series wherever possible.

When EA announced that they were developing a skateboarding game for next generation consoles, many a games journalist laughed at the prospect of them challenging the seemingly never-ending, yet ever popular Tony Hawk's franchise. However, as details were drip fed, revealing a much more simulated look and feel along with a very intriguing control method, the industry began to realise just how much potential skate had. If anything, you would think that Neversoft would have upped their game for Proving Ground, but instead the same old formula remains and skate has exploded onto consoles much like the first Tony Hawk's release eight years ago. Believe me when I say that skate isn't here to challenge Tony Hawk's, because this is, if anything, the anti-Hawk in every respect of its gameplay - and it's here to make the now dated Tony Hawk's engine feel nothing short of obsolete. This might sound like an exaggeration, but believe me, when you play skate you will find yourself wondering why skateboarding games haven't always been this way.

To say that the new 'Flickit' control scheme in skate is an innovation would be an understatement. This is without question one of the finest innovations of modern gaming and once again proves that EA are an extremely forward thinking developer. As much as the analogue swing system revolutionised golf games in Tiger Woods, skate's 'Flickit' control method feels like a complete revolution for the genre. Never before has there been such an organic link between a game and the sport it is based upon; it simply feels like real skating. Much in the way that the Fight Night analogue controls changed the perception of boxing games from button mashers to superbly realised simulations, so skate has turned a genre, unwilling to move forward, completely on its head. This all sounds great, and believe me, it is, but don't be fooled into thinking that skate is a perfect game, as it does have quite a few niggling little issues that will infuriate at times, especially given that the problems could all have easily been fixed. However, to moan about these minor blemishes would be unfair, as at its core, this truly is gaming of the highest standard, built around a supreme knowledge of the target sport and one of the finest control mechanics ever created.

As usual, player movement is controlled with the left thumbstick, but it is with the right thumbstick that skate truly differentiates itself from its competitors and marks itself out as a revolutionary title. The right analogue stick controls how you move and flick your skateboard around via the Flickit control scheme. Although difficult to master, it feels so natural when you first play that you will be happy just skating around the huge fictional city of San Vanelona, learning tricks trough trial and error. The controls lend such an organic learning curve that actual objectives need not be attempted to hone your skills; simple exploration and experimentation will do that for you. It feels like you are learning all the time, much as you would if you were to pick up the sport for real.

To achieve the basic tricks, say for instance an ollie, you need to hold down the right analogue stick and then push up at the moment you wish to ollie. Of course, the longer you hold the stick down, the more momentum you gain and the higher your jump will be. Other tricks such as kick flips are performed in a similar way, with a simple push up and to the right to flick your board in that direction. More advanced tricks are then achieved through curling the analogue stick as you come up. It's a brilliantly intuitive system, one that encourages experimentation right from the off. The right and left triggers are then used as substitutes for the skater's hands for grabs as you move through the air, with subsequent tilts of the right analogue stick used for tweaks. Again, this is incredibly intuitive and adds greatly to the feeling of creative control.

A big part of achieving success in skate comes down to timing, and this is never more apparent than when attempting grinds. To grind, all you need to do is line yourself up, correctly time your jump and hey presto, away you go. Although this sounds easy, due to the low camera angle it's a bit tricky to master, especially in the midst of a linked combo. In all honesty though, this is another aspect that marks skate out as a skater's game, as these are issues that really need to be accounted for when skateboarding for real. Manuals, another hugely important aspect of skateboarding, are also achieved in such a subtle and responsive manner that you will find it hard to believe that it hasn't always been done this way. It's a perfect mix of simplicity and skill as you simply tilt the right analogue stick forward or backward as you move along. Although incredibly simplistic, it is actually quite a challenge to master, especially when in the midst of a high scoring combo. These controls alone are intuitive and groundbreaking, yet when linked together they feel as natural as any control mechanic to date and can build a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that few videogames manage to achieve.

Of course, as a great a control scheme as skate's may be, it wouldn't be worth much if you didn't have anywhere fun to skate around. It's lucky then that you will be doing your skating in San Vanelona, a city of almost terrifying proportions, especially given that the entire city is unlocked right from the start. The city as a whole is nearly five times bigger than the completely unlocked playing area of Project 8 and is, for the most part, a much more fun place to skateboard. Rather than having lines pointed out to you, the city screams to be explored with favourite locations being found and replaced on a regular basis. This truly is a skater's paradise; from its suburban neighbourhoods to its sprawling city centre, there are always new lines to find, new jumps to make and new avenues to be explored.

Although the city does add to the visual appeal of the game, it is the ingenious camera angle that makes it so immersing. The camera is placed low behind you, duplicating the idea of being followed by another skater with a camera on his board. This angle puts a greater emphasis on the skater than on the surrounding area. Be warned though, although it is more involving and lends a much better view of you pulling combos together, it does occasionally obscure your view, making it harder to line up jumps and judge distances. On the whole though, it comes across as a wise choice, be it one that could have been perfected with a bit more play testing.

As for the structure of the game, this is made up largely by the Creer mode. Here you find yourself as a skater starting out at the bottom after being severely injured in a rather nasty collision with a bus, giving a brilliant excuse for the configuration of your skater' face using the usual array of EA customisation options. From here it's your aim to make it to the top, subsequently getting covered by the big name skating magazines. Although there's a wide and interesting array of goals to complete, from downhill slaloms to simple score attacks and photo opportunities, for the first few hours of gaming you will more than likely find yourself ignoring most of these to simply enjoy practicing and exploration. As I've said, this is a game that demands to be explored and experimented with, probably at the cost of the structure for at least a few hours.

Once you do get into the Career mode, beyond the aforementioned challenges there are also multi skater competitions that add a bit more character to proceedings. However, it is the film challenges that are the real innovation here. Although they are simple enough in that they may ask you to achieve a set number of points via a time limit or get five meters of air from a jump, it's the fact that you can attempt these goals whenever, and more importantly, wherever you want. This again adds immeasurably to the emphasis on exploration and individualism. Just by skating around, you will find locations perfect for specific tricks from the list, be it areas with large jumps or huge rails. If it doesn't work out though, no problem, simply move on until you find somewhere better suited. It really can't be taken for granted how much this impacts the dynamics of the gameplay, giving the whole experience a feeling of natural progression that draws you into the world in a way more akin to an action adventure than a sports title.

There are few major problems that arise throughout the Career mode, however, and one that does tend to grate is the loading times. Although you will rather amazingly witness absolutely no loading screens as you skate around the sprawling city of San Vanelona, if you wish to warp to a location, something that does become necessary due to the city's immense size, you are sadly subjected to ridiculously long and rather boring loading screens. This is acceptable to a degree when warping from one side of the city to the next, but the loading times seem to share no link with distance, therefore making a short warp to restart a trick just as time consuming as crossing the entirety of San Vanelona. Beyond the issue of overly long loading times, there is also the rather baffling omission of an option to jump off your board. Given just how hilly the city actually is, it can be nothing short of rage inducing when you can see a location, only to realise that you have to take some ridiculous scenic route just because your skater seems to be glued to his or her board. Although this is by no means game breaking, it is an issue that could have been easily remedied in development.

Although the entire city of San Vanelona is open to you right from the off, there is the chance to unlock indoor areas such as the extremely fun and hugely impressive X Games Stadium and the skating heaven that is Danny Way's MegaCompound. These areas alone are probably worth the admission price, with the X Games Stadium being particularly enjoyable and incredibly detailed. It is in areas such as these that you really get a measure of how much effort and, more importantly, finesse has gone into this game. Amazingly, although not heard from for the rest of the game, the actual X Games announcer Sal Masekela turns up to commentate on your time spent at the Stadium! Although this may not sound hugely impressive, developers Black Box have shown the kind of well thought out reservation that isn't usually reserved for a budding videogame sports franchise. Believe me, it would have been easy to have his voice all over the game, but luckily Black Box's choice to use his excitable commentating expertise sparingly and at just the appropriate time gives your trip to the X Games Stadium even greater potency.

Beyond the lengthy Career mode, there is also the option of numerous online multiplayer events. These include many of the events you will run into during your time spent with in career, including slalom races, best trick contests and Jam sessions, which challenge you with achieving the highest score possible in the allotted time. Although each of the online game modes is good fun, it is the technical aspect of online play that sadly lets skate down. Many online games suffer from lag, which is especially grating considering just how important timing is. There is also the problem of the city being broken down into smaller areas for online events. Although disappointing, it does make sense for competitive purposes, it's just a shame that some of the areas are so small that when the full allocation of six online players are competing there simply isn't enough room for everyone, leading to numerous annoying collisions and an even greater rise in lag. Saying that though, when it does come together and you have a decent enough connection, online competition can be great fun.

On top of competitive online events, there is also a rather impressive community aspect to the game. You can upload a thirty-second clip or a rather impressive screenshot onto the skate website. This is a great way of sharing experience and skill, especially as no purchase of the game is necessary to view these videos, allowing players to openly share there achievements with friends and family. Making this all the more worthwhile is the easy to use video editor, which really lets you put some cool looking runs together. It isn't as deep as it could have been, but the simplicity encourages all gamers to have a go, adding to the potential community surrounding the game while still offering enough options to be creative.

Much like any skateboarding game, branding and authenticity also play a large part in skate, with unlockable boards and clothing becoming available as you rack up the cash in Career mode. Of course this is nothing new to the genre, but, to skate's credit, the developers have clearly gone all out to cover the bases with a exemplary collection of clothing and skateboarding brands from Nike to Etnies; hell, you can even wear T-shirts with your favourite bands on the front. Sure, EA does push it occasionally with the blatant advertising on display, but it's probably worth it to have the wealth of customisation on offer.

Whereas the Tony Hawk's franchise has always had at least a hint of arcade styling about its visuals, Black Box has unsurprisingly gone for all out realism in the looks department and, in all honesty, it suits the gameplay perfectly. Minor a few little glitches, the world is beautifully crafted and, more importantly, believable from one location to the next. The skaters look great and the animations throughout are especially impressive. It's not just the visuals that impress either; the world is full of interesting and well recorded ambient city noise and NPC chatting, which all adds up to make the city of San Venelona that much more compelling. The sound of the skateboards is also a step up from the average too, with an array of great sounding effects as you grind, land and turn, while the soundtrack is of the highest order, offering up an eclectic mix of high calibre tracks. The thing that really impresses though is the lack of a soundtrack in-game; as you skate around, the only music you hear is from the radios of local skaters. Of course, if you want music throughout then you can change the settings in the menu, but for a truly immersing audio experience, leave it on the default setting and enjoy the world's wide range of sounds.

Although not quite perfect, skate has outdone the Tony Hawk's series on its very first attempt, an achievement that really can't be understated. In crafting such an organic and well balanced control scheme, Black Box and EA have probably produced the great gaming innovation of 2007 and in doing so have reinvigorated a genre that was becoming stale through lack of competition. Beyond the brilliantly intuitive and natural control scheme, a thoroughly believable, solid and more importantly downright fun game world has been created, one that perfectly houses the realistic but always entertaining skateboarding on offer. Minor issues aside, skate is all we could have reasonably hoped for from a new series and is a game with stacks and stacks of potential. With this as a debut, hopes are high that the surely inevitable skate 2 could well turn out to be a masterpiece.

Reviewed by Liam Pritchard for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).