10 Video Games That Wasted Your Money
7. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5
Until the mid-2000s, the Tony Hawk’s games constituted the quintessential extreme sports series, as they set the standard for how well the subgenre could capture the music, attitude, and feel of skateboarding culture. The first four entries under the Pro Skater banner were particularly nostalgic for players of that era, too.
It's no wonder, then, why longtime fans were so excited when 2015’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 was announced. After all, its name and advertising signified a triumphant return to form following numerous critically and commercially disappointing detours (such as 2007’s Proving Ground, 2009’s Ride, and even 2012’s Pro Skater HD).
Oh, how wrong we were.
Developed by Robomodo – who also created Ride and Pro Skater HD, so the writing was on the wall – Pro Skater 5 was a horrendously constructed product rushed to market before the licensing deal between Tony Hawk and Activision ran out.
Everything about it screamed “cash grab!” From the absolutely lifeless levels and repetitious goals to the antiquated graphics, broken physics engine, and disastrous online component, it was a mess from day one. (It even had trouble transitioning between modes.)
Honestly, THPS5 would've been overpriced if it were free.