THPS 5
The logo for "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5". http://www.tonyhawkvideogame.com/

Things have gone a bit sour for “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5”. The skateboarding simulator made headlines when the game’s first patch was revealed to be 7.7 GB, leading many gamers to think that the disc doesn’t even have the game. Activision has decided to address the concern and assure fans that the disc does indeed have the game, while also explaining the purpose of the big patch.

According to Game Informer, the patch has numerous tweaks to improve the game and is needed to fully integrate server support. It was also said that the game was playable without the patch, but it's better to get the patch first since the title will always be online to capture the feeling of being in a skate park.

While the developers said that users could play the game without the patch, numerous fans told Kotaku that the game only let them use the tutorial and park editor before the patch came. This lead many to believe that most of the game’s content was in the patch, though it looks like the main problem is server support.

Despite the massive patch, reaction to the game has mostly been negative. This mostly stems from the gameplay videos that have been revealed so far, which feature numerous glitches and bugs that hamper the game’s enjoyment. The video below calls the game a “glitch mess” and from what can be seen, the description seems apt.

Most of the complaints come from the PlayStation 4 version of the game, but the Xbox One version has its own share of problems. Some textures take 10-15 seconds before they focus and there are a couple of glitches, but they aren’t as bad as the PS4 version of the game.

No word on how the last-gen version of the game play, but the overall reaction for the return of the “Pro Skater” series has been poor. It seems like Tony Hawk and developer Robomodo might have to go back to the drawing board. Whether the series continues or not will depend on how the game sells, so it will take time to determine if “Pro Skater 6” is a possibility.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 is a glitchy mess (Credit: YouTube/Eurogamer)