Skateboarders get labelled all sorts of names by those who don’t appreciate the art: hooligans, criminals, but ‘demons’ is not something I’ve heard used before. In Skate Story, however, you truly are a demon, one made out of glass and pain. You signed a deal with the Devil: skate to the moon and swallow it, and your soul shall be set free. Sounds easy, right? Okay, just about doable then? Ok, ok, nigh on impossible, I know. But through perseverance you’ll go from a beginner to a master in no time, and you’ll find your freedom in the end… won’t you?
The right question to have asked before you set off on your quest might have been: what is freedom, really? It’s a philosophical thought, and one of many that the game will throw at you. That might not be something you’d immediately think of when wanting to try a new skateboarding video game, but it’s what Sam Eng has created, to astonishing effect.
It’s been quite a long wait for the game to actually release. For the past two years, the game was part of the Devolver Delayed awards, seeing its release date get pushed back on multiple occasions. For the longest time, it seemed like the game would be scoring a hat trick, but right at the end of the year, we finally get to explore the incredible Emptylands that the developer has created.
These Emptylands form the nine layers of the Underworld, which look remarkably like a very stylised version of our own world. That style is fantastic, though, with any screenshot of the game worthy of being framed and put on display. The world is dark yet vibrant, with lots of lights creating what will be known as the Vibe of the game. Truly, vibing is what Skate Story is all about, from the world to the slick moves you put on display to the phenomenal soundtrack. The music is nothing like what you’d get from a Tony Hawk game, but it feels just as natural to your skateboarding journey as that legendary series’ soundtracks have in the past.
Of course I had to bring up Tony Hawk, as his games are probably the most well-known in all of skateboarding culture. But Skate Story does not play like any of these titles. There are no over-the-top jumps from slopes or unending combos here. The physics feel quite real, in a way that those of the Olli Olli games do. Nailing one trick is something; getting a combo together is a whole different planet, or in this case, moon. It’s challenging in the way real skateboarding is challenging, and nailing a trick will have you feeling thrilled.
But Skate Story isn’t all about what you do on your skateboard. In a surprising turn of events, you get off your board regularly to talk to the lost souls you meet on your journey and to get certain things done. At one time during the game, the Devil has requested that you clean his clothes, so you go to a laundromat and actually put his clothes in the washer. This might sound absurd, but it makes perfect sense in the world of this game. Especially when you hang out those clothes to dry, and all of them escape. No, really, you’ll get it when you see it.
For those of us who just want to skate around, there’s plenty on offer here too. The worlds you traverse are just begging you to perform tricks on them, with plenty of ledges to grind and slopes to jump off of. You start off as a novice, but tricks are integrated slowly as you progress, and you’ll need to master all of them to defeat the demons that are blocking your way. Because no, not everyone is as appreciative of your quest to eat the bloody moon.
Unfortunately, it’s not a perfect experience. I encountered some bugs that required me to restart levels at times, as they blocked my progress by not allowing me to interact with certain items. These are minor, though, as you don’t need to restart the game or anything, but I felt it was worth mentioning. The difficulty can also prove a bit tedious at times. On a particular level, I actually got stuck for the longest time because I couldn’t deal enough damage to a certain being before the timer ran out. The level design was my biggest enemy during that encounter, as it required me to skate at my fastest while also pulling off tricks, but I found myself constantly crashing into ledges that weren’t all that visible.
But setting that frustration aside, it’s easy to recommend Skate Story. There’s a real feeling of accomplishment that comes when you finally reach a goal by landing the best tricks, and that slow-motion ender at the end of every encounter is just so satisfying. The skating itself just feels so good that I felt like grabbing my own board and taking it for a spin (reader, I did not do this, as I haven’t skated in years, and it would not end well). The absolutely gorgeously psychedelic world you’re cruising through just begs for repeat visits so you can take it all in. The philosophical questions asked are always interesting and take this game to a level I hadn’t expected it to reach.
Like I said, this game is a vibe. I’m getting the soundtrack to accompany me on my travels, and I’m definitely replaying this game when I get some time off (whenever that happens, because, you know, there are so many games). Oh, and it handles perfectly on Steam Deck as well, making it a perfect game to take on the road. It’s neatly divided into chapters that don’t take too long, making it a perfect pick-up-and-play type of game. Even if you’re not interested in skating as a whole, Skate Story is worthy of your time. There’s just nothing like it.
