Gaming

Have you ever looked at the map in a video game and thought: wow, I wish this was just the entire game? Or maybe you’ve found yourself playing a board game and thought: there’s not enough pixels in this? You’re in luck.

In the late 1980s, advancements in procedural generation tech gave rise to the booming “simulation” genre, which is characterized by games that model complex, real-world situations and environments. Players are often tasked with both responding to changes the sim throws their way while simultaneously trying to shape the sim to achieve their own specific goals: whether economic, civic, interpersonal, or in the art of war.

Although this subgenre of strategy games had been established prior to the modern moniker, the “4X” name (short for eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate) is believed to have originated from the 1993 release of sci-fi sim Master of Orion, wherein the four “Xes” were used to describe its gameplay mechanics. This snappy little device also perfectly described the typical gameplay verbs within other games in the subgenre… and it stuck. And if seeing a giant billboard for Sid Meier’s Civilization VII while driving on the 405 S the other day isn’t proof enough: this style of game has clearly stood the test of time. Yet for all the popularity of the modern Civ games, it’s one forgotten title from 1999 that would most accurately depict the arc of human civilization throughout the 21st century.

[...] Civilization: Call to Power (1999) was undeniably a Civ game based on its gameplay and its isometric, cobbled aesthetics, but when it isn’t forgotten by Civ players entirely, it’s best remembered for its many unique eccentricities. Despite being developed by an entirely different team with no involvement from Sid Meier or greater MicroProse whatsoever, the core elements of the 4X style remain firmly intact: players would begin on a small part of the map and must explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate, all complete with its now legendary “Wonder” videos which played upon each unlock. A few standout features include the spy/stealth units in warfare, the slavery system (and subsequent “abolition” development), a rather pointed distaste for lawyers (hmm), and the very cool potential of building underwater or space-based cities in the later stages.

However, it’s this progression of the game’s timeline that makes some real deviations from the Civ formula. “You soon get the feeling that the game is rushing you through the early eras of the world – the ancient, classical and medieval – so that it can show you the crazy shit it has in store later on. ‘Who cares about bloody horses and spearmen and rickety chariots clip-clopping along dirt roads and uncharted lands?’ it seems to say. ‘You’ve seen all that crap before, haven’t you?’” writes Robert Zak at Rock Paper Shotgun.

Most Civilization games mark the completion of a campaign when the player reaches somewhere in the early 21st Century. This would be the “near future” for games released in the late 1990s, but Call to Power made the unique choice of making the end date the year 3000 instead. And the far future? It kinda sucks.

The server I mentioned in an earlier post seemed to be functioning well, so I added the info needed to show it in the games server list. This is the current description of the server:

An unofficial Mineclonia server for the Beehaw Community, set up as an experiment by a passionate user. This is not in any way sanctioned by or associated with the Beehaw site or administration, just a fun side project of a Beehaw contributor! The seed of the world is "beehaw". Enjoy and b(e)e nice!

To play, download the Luanti client for your desktop or mobile platform. The server should be visible in the server list under the name "Beehive". Just pick a name and password and start building fun stuff!

I’ve recently moved my whole game library over to Linux and stopped dual booting. Everything runs great on Linux, I just run it through Steam’s Proton layer.

Therein lies the problem. Even my non-Steam games I run through Steam since it’s so convenient with Proton. My experience with using straight up wine, winetricks, Lutris etc. had been much more clunky in comparison and less reliable for getting things running.

While it’s working fine for now, what do I do if I’m offline and Steam decides this is one of those days offline mode doesn’t work? What if I get banned from Steam?

Has anyone had any luck replicating their Proton setup outside of Steam? Or simply just running a Proton game outside of Steam after getting it set up using Steam?

Game Information

Game Title: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4

Platforms:

• PlayStation 5 (Jul 11, 2025)
• PlayStation 4 (Jul 11, 2025)
• Xbox Series X/S (Jul 11, 2025)
• Xbox One (Jul 11, 2025)
• Nintendo Switch (Jul 11, 2025)
• PC (Jul 11, 2025)

Trailer:

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 85 average - 100% recommended - 18 reviews

Critic Reviews

But Why Tho? - Kyle Foley - 9 / 10

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4 is another example of how to breathe new life into a classic without losing touch with what makes the originals great.

COGconnected - Stephan Adamus - 85 / 100

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is an excellent sequel. It has the smooth skateboard gameplay we all know and love, with tons of features and modes.

ComingSoon.net - Tyler Treese - 9 / 10

Iron Galaxy has done a great job of recreating some classic stages, creating their own, and really nailing the spirit of these games. Tony Hawk has never looked or played better, and I can't wait to see where the franchise goes from here.

Everyeye.it - Italian - 8.3 / 10

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is a must-see for those who grew up on skateboarding (whether enjoyed or played first-hand).

GAMES.CH - Olaf Bleich - German - 87%

"Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4" certainly impressed in our review and recreates the feel of the game "back in the day." At the same time, it offers more substance, especially in the long run. In addition to a whole host of unlockables, there are many advanced features, including multiplayer and pro options, online leaderboards, and the park editor. These should keep experts entertained for a long time to come.

Game8 - Michael Gerra-Clarin - 80 / 100

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is nostalgic fever dream that is an upgrade in more ways than one, despite it not being completely faithful to the original games.

GameSpot - Mat Paget - 8 / 10

Though it trips up a bit in its Career mode, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 still manages to deliver a marvelous game of skate.

Gameblog - French - 8 / 10

Some remakes simply have the 'money-spinner' label stuck to their foreheads, but Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 exudes passion through every pore. One could argue that it takes too few risks, but that's a small criticism for such a great game. This second update is pure fun. It's pure arcade fun, with an addictive formula, new cards for the first time in 15 successful years, and an abundance of cosmetics to unlock. A must for fans of the franchise.

Gameliner - Rudy Wijnberg - Dutch - 4 / 5

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is a content-rich and finely tuned remake that thrills fans and newcomers alike, though it lacks the impact and innovation of its predecessor.

IGN - Luke Reilly - 8 / 10

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 proves yet again the series’ over-the-top skateboarding formula is totally timeless, even if some of the changes to THPS4 miss the mark and the soundtrack has been fumbled.

IGN Spain - Rafa Del Río - Spanish - 8 / 10

True to its original philosophy, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 returns with a fresh look, featuring numerous changes and improvements that remind us why the series was the king of the genre for years. Beyond its free skating, challenges, combos, moves, and visual enhancements, this comeback is pure, unadulterated love for the world of skateboarding. Iron Galaxy brings back the roguelike format of the first episodes and invites us to crush the stages over and over again to become the best skaters with a range of modes and challenges, competitions, and free skating that is very difficult to resist.

Impulsegamer - Gareth Newnham - 4 / 5

A solid remake that doesn't quite stick the landing thanks to some bewildering soundtrack choices

NintendoWorldReport - Neal Ronaghan - 9 / 10

While the 1+2 remake was excellent, Activision's track record with the series since the mid-2000s has been spotty at best. I'm thrilled that the skateboarding in this game feels just as good as it did 20+ years ago and that this goes beyond just a simple remake, with so many fun and enjoyable post-game challenges that builds off of the foundation. Something is lost in Tony Hawk 4's transition to the 2-minute timer, but I still had a great time saving Painter Neal from the shark in San Francisco. And the quality of the original levels Iron Galaxy made makes me hopeful for the future of the series, whether it leads to a brand new game or an attempt at remaking Tony Hawk's Underground. Regardless of whether or not you bring nostalgic baggage for the format from the fourth game, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is an excellent video game that will keep you kickflipping and reverting to increasingly higher scores for a long time.

Shacknews - Asif Khan - 9 / 10

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is a faithful recreation of two pivotal entries in the franchise’s storied history. While some fans may be waiting for remakes of Tony Hawk’s Underground, I am happy to finally get my hands on a remake of my favorite game in series history.

TechRaptor - Andrew Stretch - 9.5 / 10

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is a faithful recreation of the original with all of the bells and whistles of a modern-day port. Smoother gameplay, new levels, and new goals make this a perfect THPS game for new and old fans alike.

The Games Machine - Gabriele Barducci - Italian - 8.5 / 10

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is a great remake. While it plays on nostalgia, the collection also takes advantage of all the skills you can practice during your gaming sessions. The camera issues still persist.

Worth Playing - Cody Medellin - 8 / 10

Overall, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is an absolutely fun title if your main exposure to the series was Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2. You're essentially getting more of the same, but the formula was already solid enough that getting more of what you know in newer locations is a good thing. The conclusion is more complicated if you were an aficionado of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4. With the types of changes and omissions made, a portion of the game feels more like it was inspired by the fourth mainline entry in the series rather than a remake or remastering effort. Purists will be disappointed by these decisions. If you aren't bothered by the changes, you'll find this to be a very good title overall.

XboxEra - Jesse Norris - 8.8 / 10

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 is a brilliant package only marred by a loss of 4's story mode charm.

I'm sorry but I don't know where else to go. How the f*** do I contact EA Connect support?? Just how?? EA makes it nearly impossible to get in contact with a real human if you are having a problem.

I deleted my Mail account and forgot about EA Connect so Im not able to login and do the 2FA with this email Address. I need to change my email address and recover my Account.

It's only possible to start a live chat if your logged in your account...which is the reason why I want to contact you....

Do you know any possible way how to contact EA about this?

Edit: Fuck EA. Will never buy any Games which are under the hood of EA. If you are spitting on your customers you don't deserve my money. Raise the flag in EA's water dear pirates.

Title is tongue in cheek, of course—they probably are gamers. I get that making a game is complex and full of trade-offs, and you can’t please everyone. Still, there are certain design decisions that just feel like they weren’t made by people who play games regularly.

Hey y'all! Was camping and without service so late thread this week. What have y'all been playing?

I haven't been playing much while I camp and pack but I'm my down time I've been continuing death stranding 2 c:

What data center/server? What is(are) your character name(s)?

I play L'ina Inverse and Mr. Popoto on Crystal/Zalera.