Much like nailing a trick on an actual skateboard, there’s plenty of cool and unique ways to approach the skateboarding genre in gaming. While there are already a few successful titles based on sidewalk surfing — from the Tony Hawk’s, Skate, and OlliOlli series — it’s safe to say that there’s still plenty of room to eke out a fresh take on the gnarly street sport. Enter developer Sam Eng and publisher Devolver Digital who have delivered something truly special with Skate Story, a surreal and artsy interpretation of skateboarding that always puts fun at the forefront, while beaming the moment-to-moment experience through the prism of psychedelic escapism. In short, it’s a phenomenal experience, and I highly recommend it to those wanting to ollie off the beaten track.
You assume the role of a crystalline demon who’s become trapped in the bowels of the Underworld. In order to break free from your hellish shackles, the Devil has given you an offer that’s hard to refuse: skate your way through the eight rings of the Underworld, consume the moons lurking at the end of each zone, and you’ll earn your freedom. Not a bad deal, eh?
If I was to boil down the narrative of Skate Story into its most basic components, I’d describe it as Dante’s Inferno, but with way more kick flips, pop shuvits, and fakie ollies. Along your epic journey, you’ll meet a smorgasbord of strange critters. From a Pigeon who has writers’ block to a Frog who sells bagels to a Rabbit with a penchant for rebellion, there’s a litany of bizarre characters to meet that will likely put a smile on your mug. If that sounds like a wild ride that piques your interest, I’m sure you’ll have a blast with this surreal skateboarding adventure.
But what do you actually do on your six-to-eight hour journey through the Underworld? Well, from a gameplay perspective, there’s surprisingly quite a bit of variety going on in Skate Story. While the game delivers a charming narrative centered around escaping the Underworld, the heart of the gameplay revolves around getting from A to B on your trusty skateboard, while looking super duper cool while doing so. There are eight chapters in total, and each represent a different colored Moon that must be devoured to set yourself free.
Each chapter drip feeds new tricks that you can execute on the fly. Initially, the game focuses on more basic manoeuvers like powerslides, ollies, manuals, and pop shuvits. But you’ll soon be introduced to more complex tricks like big spins, 360 flip tricks, grinds, and even combos. While some areas require you to simply make it to the next portal, other more challenging areas task you with acquiring items, defeating bosses with specific strings of tricks, or defeating enemies by pulling off tricks in set zones while you’re up against a timer. Thankfully, Skate Story signposts these challenges well, and it’s one of those games that’s easy to pick up and play straightaway, which I appreciate greatly.
Speaking of things I appreciate greatly, what I do want to emphasise is how authentic and fluid the skateboarding gameplay is. Coming from an avid skateboarder IRL, Skate Story perfectly captures the feeling of nailing a trick. From naturally lining up a grind to its emphasis on more manageable tricks like powerslides and fakie shuvits, it’s clear that the developer understands the sport incredibly well, and knows how to create that gratifying sensation of landing a trick. It’s a small thing, but the creaking audio of the skateboard trucks as you lean from left to right, to the incredible scratchy auditory feedback of powersliding to and fro, to the sheer fluidity of the movement, Skate Story is possibly one of the most tactile and gratifying skateboarding games out there. No small feat, indeed.
Helping to elevate its excellent gameplay is a visually rich world that is both incredibly high concept and deliriously psychedelic. The Underworld is filled to the brim with eye-poppingly vivid color, and is punctuated with plenty of environmental touches that are perfect for our demonic skateboarder. Ramps, ledges, stairs, and long stretches of various obstacles help give you plenty of opportunities to show off your skateboarding skills with style. In short, it’s a joy just moving around in this dreamlike world.
Rounding out the experience is buttery smooth performance — I played the bulk of my review on an OG Steam Deck — and I never encountered any major bugs, crashes, or framerate drops. In addition, I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shoutout to its great soundtrack as well. Skate Story boasts plenty of bangers that range from chill synth-wave to relaxing jazz to more high-octane dance-pop. Indeed, not only is it a looker, thanks to its wonderfully unique art-style, but it also sounds uber cool to boot. Gnarly!
Even though Skate Story may look like a game from another world entirely, its surprisingly fluid skateboarding gameplay is very much rooted in the real world sport it tries so ardently to emulate. It’s a wonderful experience bursting with color, flavor, and character, and is arguably one of the most authentic-feeling skateboarding games yet. While the game’s story may get a little bit wild at times, there’s no denying it: you won’t forget Sam Eng’s latest project any time soon.
Review copy provided by the publisher.
Skate Story (Reviewed on PC/ Steam Deck)
Even though Skate Story may look like a game from another world entirely, its surprisingly fluid skateboarding gameplay is very much rooted in the real world sport it tries so ardently to emulate. It's a wonderful experience bursting with color, flavor, and character, and is arguably one of the most authentic-feeling skateboarding games yet.
The Good
- Mesmerizing, surreal visuals
- Fluid and authentic skateboarding gameplay
- Great soundtrack
- Endearing writing
- Smooth performance
The Bad
- At times, the narrative can get a little bit bonkers
