Industry | Tony Hawks Pro Skater is no more!

Developers Neversoft managed to make each successive Pro Skater title a significant leap forward from its predecessor but, having taken that series as far as they can, they are now developing a grittier, more story-driven skating title.

Underground sees you having to work your way up the ranks from novice to pro with the ongoing narrative being pieced together via cut-scenes. Crucially though, you'll actually be able to step off your skateboard, which will add an almost action-adventure element to proceedings. In the trailer of the game we saw at E3, skaters were not only able to run around areas that they wouldn't be able to skate on, but they could even clamber up drainpipes, along ledges and across roofs in order to reach otherwise inaccessible areas too. At one point, you even steal and drive a car, so clearly the whole game world is significantly more interactive than that of the Pro Skater series.

There's also a whole new level of flexibility on the creative side of things. A sophisticated create-a-character tool will enable you to download your own face texture and play as yourself. You then get to choose a genuine skateboarder to skate with (expect many of the usual Pro Skater suspects to make an appearance).

You will also be able to create your own skate-parks (expect a much wider array of environments than in the Pro Skater create modes), tricks and goals (for instance, where icons that you need to collect are placed). It's even possible to adjust the time of day you skate at, which obviously has a dramatic impact on the lighting. You'll also have a much wider range of areas to 'board your way through, including the inside of buildings (we saw one character skating through a strip club - nice).

Tony Hawk's Underground is released for PS2, Xbox and Gamecube in the autumn and, if it lives up to its early promise, this one will be a scorcher.