As I evaluation my video footage of this recreation, I, briefly and solely partly, empathize with one in all its denizens. I sit at my pc, gazing my display screen, and attempt to put phrases onto it to correctly describe methods 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 could possibly be flawed on the underworld factor, thoughts. I don’t have anybody as keen to help with getting phrases onto the display screen because the referenced pigeon, nonetheless, so I’m alone there.
This evaluation covers a reasonably brief recreation, if it actually catches your fancy, you’ll be able to end it in a single day, so I’ll attempt to maintain this pretty brief and hopefully as candy as the sport in query. Any screenshots right here will likely be from the primary few chapters of the sport to stop spoilers when doable. That is Skate Story, printed by Devolver Digital and developed by self-taught recreation developer, Sam Eng. You’re- you’re in for a experience.
Can’t Sleep…
Skate Story begins on a, what ought to in all probability be barely worryingly, in instant retrospect, relatable word. 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, nonetheless, that is immediately due to the moon, itself, as its moonlight makes these underneath its area, demons, on this case, unable to. It then cuts to our participant character, gazing mentioned moon, earlier than making a choice. and seeking to get tools with the intention to make that call possible. The Skater, because the PC will quickly be dubbed, goes to eat the moon, and, as such, they may require transportation. Subsequently, skateboard… after a small matter of a 4 web page contract and a few problems as a part of mentioned 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 most important companion for the sport — leads you in the direction of your first goal, and also you get your first take 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 best way the sport seems, and I can’t actually put it into a way that… is sensible to me? It handles and feels in a manner that makes whole sense for the setting and idea, and it does so extremely nicely. 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, resembling in case you have been, say, a demon that’s fabricated from glass now and never wholly assured of their skateboarding skills simply but. The music, offered by the experimental indie pop music collective often called Blood Cultures and Bronx based mostly composer John Fio, is genuinely phenomenal, and suits the — I hate to make use of this time period resulting from what looks like overuse — vibe of the sport, in just about each form 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 shifting at excessive speeds on a skateboard when one is fabricated from an simply breakable materials, and the satisfaction of doing nicely with the instruments you be taught 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 in opposition to a moon. Sure, the primary boss battle in opposition to 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 evaluation of 1000xRESIST. If I do, nonetheless, issues will get troublesome to clarify with out spoiling a few of the extra fascinating issues that occur. This can be 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 Prime 10 Video games of 2025. That scenario resolved itself after I ended up having to select it up months after its launch date and as thus too late to moderately evaluation, nonetheless.
This was launched final week, and I can’t not evaluation it whereas it’s nonetheless comparatively contemporary, so, I’ll try and maintain this straightforward. It’s a narrative-based recreation, sure. It’s a skating recreation, sure. It neatly and successfully combines each of those whereas build up the story by means of the contract that the Skater and the Rabbit deal with and the varied circumstances with a stunning quantity of humor, though it doesn’t… at all times 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 evaluation. How do I clarify this recreation, however with the extra perform with a skosh extra egocentric need added to it. I need to, and can suggest this recreation, however discover it troublesome to place into written phrase. This can be a distinctive expertise from an extremely gifted developer and a writer that will get loads of credit score for the way they’ve affected unbiased publishing, however nonetheless not as a lot as they’ve earned by means of their work all through the years.
The can also be a reasonably troublesome, however not unfair, recreation with an especially area of interest attraction. If the idea of “demon that’s skateboarding by means of the underworlds to eat the moons” didn’t make that abundantly apparent from the get-go. This isn’t the form of factor that can appeal to everybody, particularly with how glass-shatteringly good this 12 months has been for video video games as an entire. That, very like the ethereal however mildly worrying world that this recreation inhabits, makes this a certified sure, albeit not for the explanations of a few of the larger titles this 12 months. Significantly in case you get movement illness, I think about? The sport begins with a warning about potential points you might need, look into that earlier than going any additional to your personal security.
In case you see the trailer above, and if this evaluation piques your curiosity even barely, look into it additional. It’s $20 on PSN, and likewise on Ps Plus in case you occur to have that service. I can promise you, in case you’re the sort of person who sees that trailer, has an curiosity in skating video games, or the indie scene on the whole ? In case you’ve acquired a curious thoughts and an curiosity in additional underground research? In case you don’t take your self too critically and have- some measure of persistence? Very like the Skater themselves, let me be clear: that is 100% suggestion, Skate Story is genuinely tremendous cool and an inventive marvel, albeit not in the best way a Clair Obscur is. Distinctive, fascinating, a tad realistically irritating at occasions, regardless of the otherworldliness of the world, and a fairly cool time, all issues thought-about.
Writer:
Devolver Digital
Launch Date:
December 8, 2025
Evaluate Copy From Dev/Pub/PR:
Sure
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