Honestly, if you were hanging around a GameStop in late 2015, you probably remember the vibe. There was this weird, desperate energy surrounding the launch of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 PlayStation 4. We hadn't had a "numbered" Pro Skater game in thirteen years. People wanted it to be good. They needed it to be the comeback of the century.
Instead, we got a lesson in how corporate deadlines can absolutely murder a beloved franchise.
Most people look at THPS5 and see a bad game. But if you dig into the history, it’s actually a tragic story of a ticking clock. Activision’s licensing deal with Tony Hawk was literally weeks away from expiring. If they didn't get a game onto shelves by the end of 2015, they’d lose the rights. So, they rushed it. They rushed it so hard that the game on the physical disc was basically just a title screen and a tutorial.
The Day One Disaster
You’ve probably heard the legends about the day-one patch. It wasn't just a "fix." It was the entire game. The base data on the disc was about 4.6GB, while the patch you had to download just to play the thing was over 7GB. Think about that. If you didn't have an internet connection, you bought a $60 plastic coaster.
Even with the patch, the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 PlayStation 4 experience was... well, "glitchy" doesn't even cover it. You’d be mid-combo, doing a perfectly normal kickflip, and suddenly your skater would phase through the concrete. Or you’d hit a ramp and get launched into the stratosphere like a SpaceX rocket.
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It was a mess.
The developer, Robomodo, tried to pivot at the last second. A few months before launch, they completely changed the art style to a "cel-shaded" look. They claimed it was a creative choice to make it feel more "comic book-y," but everyone saw through it. It was a desperate attempt to hide the fact that the textures and models looked like something from the early PS3 era—maybe even late PS2.
Why the Controls Felt So "Off"
If you grew up on the Neversoft games, playing THPS5 felt like wearing shoes that were two sizes too small. The muscle memory didn't work. The biggest culprit? The "Slam" mechanic.
In every other game, you press the grind button (Triangle on PS4) to stick to a rail. In THPS5, if you press it in mid-air, your skater instantly "slams" downward to the ground.
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- It killed your momentum.
- It ruined your timing.
- It felt like the game was fighting you.
The developers eventually added a toggle to turn it off, but by then, most of the player base had already moved on. The level design didn't help, either. Maps like "The Bunker" or "Rooftops" felt hollow. There were no NPCs. No cars. No life. Just a series of ramps and rails floating in a silent, lonely void.
Is It Even Playable Now?
Here is the real kicker for anyone thinking about buying a used copy today: the servers are dead. Activision pulled the plug on the online functionality years ago.
Since Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 PlayStation 4 was built as a "quasi-MMO" where you’d see other players skating around the same park, the loss of servers gutted the experience. You can still play the single-player missions if you have the digital version or the disc (plus that massive patch), but the "Freeskate" with friends is gone forever.
Comparing THPS5 to the 1+2 Remake
It’s almost hilarious to look at THPS5 next to the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 remake that came out in 2020. It’s like night and day. Vicarious Visions (the remake devs) actually cared about the physics. They understood that the "feel" of the board is more important than the brand name on the box.
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THPS5 had:
- Static, lifeless levels.
- A bizarre "Power-Up" system with glowing orbs that felt like a mobile game.
- Limited customization that didn't let you build a unique skater from scratch.
The remake brought back the soul of the series. THPS5 was just the ghost of a contract obligation.
The Actionable Verdict
If you are a collector or a completionist, you might want it on your shelf just to document the "dark ages" of the series. Otherwise, stay away.
If you still own the game, here is what you can actually do with it:
- Check your version: If you haven't updated to the final 1.05 or 1.06 patches, do it now (if the PSN servers still allow the download). It adds two extra levels—the Underground and Wild West—that weren't in the base game.
- Toggle the Slam: Go into the settings and disable the "Grind Slam" mechanic immediately. It makes the game feel 20% more like a classic Tony Hawk title.
- The Create-A-Park Loophole: You can still build parks locally, which is honestly the most stable part of the game. It’s a decent way to kill an hour if you’re bored of the 1+2 maps.
Basically, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 PlayStation 4 is a digital fossil. It’s a reminder of a time when the "Birdman" almost lost his wings to a corporate deadline. It's fascinating as a piece of history, but as a game? You're better off dusting off your old PS2.
To get the most out of your current-gen skating fix, stick to the 1+2 Remake or check out Session if you want something more realistic. If you absolutely must play THPS5, find a physical copy for under five bucks; paying any more than that is essentially a donation to a legacy of bugs.