REVIEW: ‘Skate Story’ Is A Strange But Appealing Skating Game

Skate Story is a new and incredibly unconventional skateboarding game from Sam Eng and Devolver Digital. Despite its strange narrative, weird visual elements, and confusing concept, it is deeply memorable.

Skate Story takes place in the underworld, where demons don’t sleep as the harsh moonlight keeps them up. The story follows a sole demon who, one day, looks upon the moon in contempt and decides they want to eat it. They then sign a contract with the devil, who gives them a skateboard to reach the moon, but on the condition that they must skate to the seven moons of the underworld and swallow them whole.

Doing this will not only let them accomplish their goal of reaching the moon but will also set their souls free from the devil. Upon accepting the terms, the demon is transformed into a demon made of glass and pain known as The Skater and begins their journey.

Skate Story drops the player into a bizarre and engaging world. 

The Skater skates across the underworld, executing sick tricks that impress several demons and fighting against authority figures of hell and all the different colored moons they must consume. In each chapter, The Skater and the player will encounter various challenges, from learning and executing new skills to completing several wacky tasks and overcoming strange obstacles. These include doing the devil’s laundry, getting permission to sleep in the underworld, and acquiring a pardon for illegally sleeping by fighting one of the underworld’s head demons.

Skate Story sports an exciting concept, and while the narrative isn’t wholly innovative, it’s engaging. However, it’s important to note how bizarre several of its elements are and how much attention you need to pay to understand it all. The game prompts many questions, like why there are moons in the underworld and why skateboarding is banned. These questions make the game harder to follow at first, but they are part of what makes it unique and interesting. The narrative is also enhanced by the game’s several zany and funny characters.

Additionally, right from the start, it’s clear the narrative is trying to convey several messages to players. The Skater and their mission seem to be an allegory for rebelling against authority, since their goal of eating all the moons and skateboarding in of itself is highly illegal in the underworld. This is clearly and effectively conveyed, especially in chapters that showcase the malicious and rigid nature of the underworld’s upper hierarchy.

The skating experience remains refreshing throughout.

The gameplay in Skate Story is enjoyable and fluid. Skating feels good and intricate enough to be satisfying to execute tricky lines and combos, but not so frustratingly intricate that it’s on the level of a full-blown simulation game.

Each chapter introduces and unlocks new skills and tricks, including Ollies, Nollies, Kick Flips, 360s, Manuals, Grinding, and much more. Each stage and each challenge are incredibly fun to play through in different ways, and keep the overall skating experience refreshing.

The challenge in Skate Story doesn’t come from skating or performing tricks, but from trying not to wipe out constantly. Every little bump is a setback because The Skater is made of literal glass. The boss fights, all of which are timed, also offer a bit of challenge. They’re intense and will have you perform several tricks in quick succession, like building up combos and then finishing them up with a massive stomp on the boss’s shadow, which more often than not is a moon you’re trying to consume.

A psychedelic world gives way to superb art direction. 

By completing missions and performing sick tricks and combos, players earn a currency called Soul, which they can use to buy various consumable items, including items for their skateboards. This includes new designs, wheels, stickers, and more. And while you most likely will have to grind for these items and gear, as they aren’t cheap, the game can be completed quite easily without changing your gear even once.

Skate Story‘s gameplay is elevated by its impeccable soundtrack. Whether you’re skating casually or frantically towards or away from an enemy, each track matches the energy on screen incredibly well and is all memorable, melodic, and just fun to listen to. It also helps that the soundtrack consists of a variety of songs, from synth tracks to jazzy beats.

Visually, Skate Story has a psychedelic and unique aesthetic. No two types of demon look alike, and each stage seems strange yet atmospheric. The art direction features a unique blend of vibrant and dimly lit areas, bizarrely shaped objects, statues, and NPCs, all of which are hard to describe visually. While the visuals aren’t always pretty, they’re intriguing.

Skate Story is a memorable, fun, and engaging game that, even with its odd details, offers an incredibly refreshing experience not seen in the genre.