No one knew how big a phenomenon the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater franchise would be- not even Activision or its developer, Neversoft. But its arrival on the Sony PlayStation years ago ushered in a heaping new era of extreme sports goodness, and no company has even come close to replicating the pure joy of a Pro Skater game. However, the series has admittedly begun to grow slightly stale over the years, with the last entry, 2004's Tony Hawk's Underground 2, coming across as less impressive than previous chapters in the series. It just seemed to be a smorgasbord of ideas meshed together around an existing engine, and, while it had its moments, it was in desperate need of a reinvention of itself.

Welcome to Tony Hawk's American Wasteland, the seventh game in the ongoing series and one that looks to cover the most ground yet. We had a chance to take a look at an unfinished version of the game during the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, and, although there are still a few things that need to be worked out, the ideas being presented here could very well bring the series back to its glory.

The entire game takes place in one location, "beautiful" Los Angeles and all its surrounding territories. Whether you're roaming around Eastern L.A. or Hollywood, it's all here, and can be traveled across through different tunnels underneath the city. The interesting aspect is how big the level really is, and all the things you can do throughout with the goals and challenges presented to you. Furthermore, there's not an ounce of loading time in the game, aside from some stuff at the beginning to prep you for your journey. This will no doubt be a thankful element for those who simply want to skateboard and shred everything possible.

If skateboarding isn't your thing, American Wasteland goes one better. For the first time in the Pro Skater series, your selected rider can either choose from a classic board or take it away on a BMX bike, for which there are specific goals and tasks set aside. There's also a separate trick system set aside for each, with the physics balanced out just right. For instance, you can do some nasty spins and hops on the bike, or use your skateboard and try out new maneuvers such as the Natas spin handstands, some one-footed grinds, or the Bert slides, a nifty move that will help build up your combo status.

The engine looks impressive thus far, and American Wasteland will also provide deeper customization than the series has ever seen. You'll be able to walk into tattoo parlors, barbershops, and skate shops and give yourself a look you'll be proud to sport as you work your way through good ol' LA. Care to give yourself a purple mohawk, a leather jacket, and some parachute pants? Hey, go and have fun. You'll be moving too fast to have others laugh at you or tell you that the MC Hammer look is out. They can't touch this.

American Wasteland also has two new significant things going for it that are brand new to the Pro Skater franchise. First, it'll be launching on the Xbox 360 later this year, marking the next-gen debut of the series and no doubt bringing with it some stellar looks and even more impressive details. And if you're just stuck with one of the current consoles, don't fret. Along with the PS2 version packing full online support, the game will use Xbox Live for the first time, allowing Xbox users to huddle in the lobby and get together for a number of mulitplayer games, including the Score Challenge and the always-entertaining Combo Mambo.

The game still isn't finished yet, but what we've seen so far looks to be right where the series needs to be heading back to, and not some silly sidestep freakshow that's a quickie sequel. Tony Hawk's American Wastleland could very well be the most fun Pro Skater game since the original, with its numerous features and its technical leaps and bounds. Look for the game to arrive later this year, just in time for you to do oodles of ollies.