Skateboarding Sim Dips Below $10 on Steam, Demanding Quick Reflexes

In Session: Skate Sim, players hit the streets of New York, San Francisco and Philadelphia on their skateboards. And they’ll need some seriously nimble fingers to pull off their tricks. Unlike traditional skateboarding games, each analog stick controls one foot. To successfully land an ollie, kickflip or grind, players have to coordinate their movements with precision. This takes quite a bit of practice, but makes successfully executed tricks all the more satisfying. A controller is mandatory, by the way, as mouse and keyboard controls are not supported.

Those looking for a bit more structure can take on missions, some of which are set by real professional skateboarders. Otherwise, players are free to explore the game world at their own pace. There are plenty of famous skate spots to discover, including the Brooklyn Banks in New York. However, skating is strictly a solo activity, as the game doesn’t feature a flerspiller mode. Players can also customize their skateboards by swapping out decks, wheels and trucks, changing not only their appearance but, in some cases, their handling characteristics as well.

The replay editor is particularly interesting for creative skaters. It allows players to record successful tricks from different camera angles and turn them into their own skateboarding clips, complete with classic fisheye effects. Those struggling with the demanding controls can make things a little easier through numerous customization options, including assists that help with landing tricks.

Skating is even more fun with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

Every trick in Session: Skate Sim requires precise timing and plenty of practice.

Gaming magazine Finger Guns awarded Session: Skate Sim an impressive 9 out of 10, particularly praising its realistic skating experience, precise controls and extensive freedom. However, the story failed to impress the reviewers, while the mission system was sometimes considered unnecessarily cumbersome. The steep learning curve is also likely to test the patience of newcomers.

Anmeldelser on Metacritic are considerably more mixed. The PC version has a Metascore of 73 and a user score of 6.1. Alongside the demanding controls, technical shortcomings and the underwhelming career system are among the main points of criticism. When it comes to the actual skateboarding, however, Session: Skate Sim seems to get a lot right. This is also reflected in its Steam reviews, where 83% of more than 15,900 user ratings are positive.

Anyone curious about just how challenging the tricks can be will get a good impression from the gameplay trailer below:

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