As I overview my video footage of this recreation, I, briefly and solely partially, empathize with certainly one of its denizens. I sit at my pc, looking at my display, and attempt to put phrases onto it to correctly describe learn how to describe it. Thoughts you, I’m presumably not within the Fourth Circle of the Underworld, and I’m pretty sure I’m not an precise pigeon, whilst I work at this keyboard with half of its letters clean from overuse. I might be flawed on the underworld factor, thoughts. I don’t have anybody as prepared to help with getting phrases onto the display because the referenced pigeon, nevertheless, so I’m alone there.
This overview covers a reasonably quick recreation, if it actually catches your fancy, you’ll be able to end it in a single day, so I’ll attempt to hold this pretty quick and hopefully as candy as the sport in query. Any screenshots right here might be from the primary few chapters of the sport to stop spoilers when potential. That is Skate Story, printed by Devolver Digital and developed by self-taught recreation developer, Sam Eng. You’re- you’re in for a trip.
Can not Sleep…
Skate Story begins on a, what ought to in all probability be barely worryingly, in fast retrospect, relatable be aware. You begin drained and hungry, and wholly unable to sleep to repair the matter. In a — hopefully, no less than — barely much less relatable method, nevertheless, that is instantly due to the moon, itself, as its moonlight makes these below its area, demons, on this case, unable to. It then cuts to our participant character, looking at stated moon, earlier than making a choice. and seeking to get tools in an effort to make that call possible. The Skater, because the PC will quickly be dubbed, goes to eat the moon, and, as such, they are going to require transportation. Due to this fact, skateboard… after a small matter of a 4 web page contract and a few issues as a part of stated contract.
This launches into the opening tutorial, and the Skater getting a flippin’ cool as hell glass scarf… together with the remainder of their physique. Skate Story retains it pretty easy because the Rabbit — your important companion for the sport — leads you in direction of your first goal, and also you get your first have a look at how completely beautiful this recreation can and can get.
… Will Not Sleep…
Because the Skater follows the Rabbit, you get a really feel for the way the sport controls, and… how do I put this. It controls the way in which the sport seems to be, and I can’t actually put it into a way that… is smart to me? It handles and feels in a approach that makes complete sense for the setting and idea, and it does so extremely effectively. It introduces ideas and the way they work all through the sport in a way that builds solidly, and doesn’t get overwhelming to anybody unfamiliar, corresponding to in the event you had been, say, a demon that’s made from glass now and never wholly assured of their skateboarding talents simply but. The music, supplied by the experimental indie pop music collective referred to as Blood Cultures and Bronx based mostly composer John Fio, is genuinely phenomenal, and matches the — I hate to make use of this time period on account of what looks like overuse — vibe of the sport, in just about each type of scenario and placement you end up in.
It additionally has cheap penalties for screwing up, contemplating the Skater’s circumstances and the place they’re, and it’s as punishing as you’ll count on. You additionally, typically, I’m unsure all as a result of I’ve but to fail any of the extra limiting moments of the sport, get as cheap quantity of forgiveness as you’ll be able to count on, as a result of the developer understands the difficulties of transferring at excessive speeds on a skateboard when one is made from an simply breakable materials, and the satisfaction of doing effectively with the instruments you study and are given all through such a scenario. Or any of the conditions that the Skater finds themselves beginning with, however completely not ending with, the primary skating boss battle towards a moon. Sure, the primary boss battle towards a moon.
…Not Secure To Sleep…
Therein lies the rub with Skate Story. I need to go into additional element, however it is a similar-but-somewhat-opposite scenario as with my overview of 1000xRESIST. If I do, nevertheless, issues will get tough to clarify with out spoiling among the extra fascinating issues that occur. It is a drawback I share with Sorry, We’re Closed a recreation by à la mode video games that’s prone to make an seem on my High 10 Video games of 2025. That scenario resolved itself once I ended up having to choose it up months after its launch date and as thus too late to fairly overview, nevertheless.
This was launched final week, and I can’t not overview it whereas it’s nonetheless comparatively recent, so, I’ll try and hold this easy. It’s a narrative-based recreation, sure. It’s a skating recreation, sure. It neatly and successfully combines each of those whereas increase the story via the contract that the Skater and the Rabbit deal with and the assorted circumstances with a shocking quantity of humor, though it doesn’t… all the time land, admittedly… and intrigue. Consider it as within the mildew of a extra experimental and in another way motion targeted Suda 51 title, albeit not fairly in that ballpark but. And, as soon as once more, with skating, of all issues.
… However Have To Sleep.
So, we, as soon as once more, discover ourselves at my dilemma from the beginning of this overview. How do I clarify this recreation, however with the extra operate with a skosh extra egocentric need added to it. I need to, and can advocate this recreation, however discover it tough to place into written phrase. It is a distinctive expertise from an extremely proficient developer and a writer that will get a variety of credit score for the way they’ve affected impartial publishing, however nonetheless not as a lot as they’ve earned via their work all through the years.
The can be a reasonably tough, however not unfair, recreation with an especially area of interest enchantment. If the idea of “demon that’s skateboarding via the underworlds to eat the moons” didn’t make that abundantly apparent from the get-go. This isn’t the type of factor that may appeal to everybody, particularly with how glass-shatteringly good this yr has been for video video games as an entire. That, very similar to the ethereal however mildly worrying world that this recreation inhabits, makes this a professional sure, albeit not for the explanations of among the greater titles this yr. Significantly in the event you get movement illness, I think about? The sport begins with a warning about potential points you may need, look into that earlier than going any additional to your personal security.
When you see the trailer above, and if this overview piques your curiosity even barely, look into it additional. It’s $20 on PSN, and in addition on Ps Plus in the event you occur to have that service. I can promise you, in the event you’re the sort of person who sees that trailer, has an curiosity in skating video games, or the indie scene usually ? When you’ve bought a curious thoughts and an curiosity in additional underground research? When you don’t take your self too severely and have- some measure of endurance? Very similar to the Skater themselves, let me be clear: that is 100% advice, Skate Story is genuinely tremendous cool and a creative marvel, albeit not in the way in which a Clair Obscur is. Distinctive, fascinating, a tad realistically irritating at occasions, regardless of the otherworldliness of the world, and a reasonably cool time, all issues thought-about.
