Wakeboarding Unleashed Featuring Shaun Murray introduces a catchy new play mechanic that should rope in extreme sports fans but may leave others lost in its wake. The sport of wakeboarding is similar to water skiing, except you’re performing all manner of extreme stunts on a small board. Wakeboarding Unleashed serves up a familiar style of game that veterans of the Tony Hawk series or any of its look-alikes can easily pick up. Maneuvering your wakeboarder is a snap, and being tethered to a boat adds a neat twist to the usual air and surface tricks. Letting go of the rope is the key to finding alternate routes, which involves many hours of trial-and-error exploration. Playing cooperatively with a friend is especially fun and requires plenty of practice to master. Being able to play as the boat driver also mixes up gameplay, but the objectives follow an all-too-familiar routine. An easier difficulty setting would also be welcome for younger players as they are more likely to play the E-rated Wakeboarding than the T-rated Tony Hawk series. Unleashed looks and sounds good on the PlayStation 2 with visually impressive water, smooth character animation, and interesting sound effects. On the other hand, the environments are generic, building details appear muddy when viewed up close, and the soundtrack is hit or miss depending on your tastes. Wakeboarding Unleashed has enough variations to satisfy extreme sports fans, and 11 levels, countless goals, and highly replayable two-player modes are sure to keep you busy for a long time. Still, if you’re a gamer jaded by the genre, the game lacks the level of innovation that would have left a lasting impression.
