After three Tony Hawk’s games (and the fourth due out very soon after this), you would think that Activison themselves would be able to learn what Neversoft did and get other companies to mimic the style successfully. While Pro BMX 2 is very much a Tony Hawk style game, it feels like a massive step backwards, like it was made in between Tony Hawk’s 1 and 2. It technically works fine, but it’s missing much of what elevated Pro Skater 3.
The biggest issue is the level design. They’re all just a small area of a city with ramps dotted around. They’ve gone for a “realistic” road trip style, so there’s no over the top elements or fun locations. Even worse, is that there’s no interactivity. There’s a couple of buttons to open required areas, but that’s entirely it. Another huge issue is that it’s a nightmare to explore, as many routes go to nowhere and reset your character if you try going that way. The soundtrack is oddly slow and muted. There’s some great songs, but they don’t get you pumped up.
Dave Mirra’s took the gameplay style popularised by Pro Skater and put its own spin on it, while Mat Hoffman’s game is just a lesser version of Tony Hawk’s in every way.