Interesting Indies - Skate Story




    “I AM NOT OK I AM A BROKEN PILE OF GLASS SHARDS AND ITS MY OWN DAMN FAULT”

    This is the text I read, with a video of a glass figure skateboarding before shattering against a tipped-over pillar after jumping on a ramp with a very psychedelic but smooth soundtrack playing over it on Twitter. This was how I was introduced to the game and concept of Skate Story, created by Sam Eng, back in 2022. I finished this game when it came out around the start of December, and the game's artstyle and its soundtrack have held a near-constant place in my mind since then, so I wanted to write about it and share the love I have for this beautiful game because I think it’s gone underappreciated.

    Skate Story is a skateboarding game that I’ve been waiting a while for, summarized and described on its store page as: “You are a demon in the Underworld, made out of glass and pain. The Devil has given you a skateboard with a simple deal: Skate to the Moon and swallow it — and you shall be freed.” The goal of the game is to swallow the moon in each layer of the underworld, progressing deeper and deeper after each moon, and using your skateboard to traverse and perform tricks to overcome the layers and bring the moons down to your grasp.


    Skate Story is beautiful, from how the experimental soundtrack (by band Blood Cultures [Vol 1] and John Fio [Vol 2]) is composed to complement the surrounding city environment and other strange oddities, to how your glass skater glistens and reflects the world around them. It’s strange, dreamy, abstract, and keeps you wondering what comes next.

    The skating feels amazing, you feel weighted just right, the controls and tricks are easy to learn, but leave a gap for people who want to time things perfectly and master the mechanics, while introducing more mechanics and tricks to the player in a way that lets them get a handle on it before sending them off with them to get better. I didn’t feel like I was being babied with it, but I also didn’t feel like my hand was being held too much, giving me the room to mess up, shatter, and get back on my skateboard (which you can customize from a new deck, to wheels and hammers, or put stickers you find or buy on it).

    The levels and challenges the game has are masterfully crafted, whether it's racing through portals to a goal, to exploring a new part of the city and seeing the sights, it’s a fulfilling game that made me feel immersed in my role of the glass skater. The story the game has is well written too, and has interesting characters and creatures to meet in and around the city.


    The game is proudly from New York, with the soundtrack using samples from out in the world in the city, being supported by the NYC Mayor's Office of Media & Entertainment, and providing an unmatched energy for the game to capture and gather influence from, describing in an interview with Logitech, Sam wanted to take something mundane and everyday like the skateboard and show how beautiful it was.

    Skate Story is a game about trying, failing, picking up your shattered pieces, and trying again. You’re placed in an uphill rebellious battle against the devil, with nothing more than your skateboard, and will and goals to push yourself forward to swallow the moon. There is no review that can give the game justice compared to playing it yourself and experiencing the journey.


    Skate Story is available on Steam, PS5, and Nintendo Switch 2, priced at $19.99.



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