Session

Although Session: Skate Sim is a difficult game to get used to, the joy of pulling off tricks far outweighs the frustration. It faithfully recreates skateboarding culture of the 90s, and offers tons of freedom to play however you want.

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"Session: Skate Sim" is a realistic skateboarding game with dual stick controls representing each foot, providing a true-to-life skateboarding experience from the 90s street skating era. The game focuses on physics, smoothness, and immersion, with a challenging learning curve that rewards mastery and creativity. There's no scoring system, just you, your skateboard, and your imagination. Customize your settings and dive into a skateboarding culture simulation.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 9,737 reviews

story93 positive mentions

stability484 negative mentions

The game offers a realistic skateboarding experience with a steep learning curve that becomes rewarding as players master the controls.
The customization options for gameplay mechanics and board settings allow players to tailor their experience to their liking.
The replay editor is robust, enabling players to create and edit their own skate clips, adding to the game's replayability.

The game is plagued with bugs, including trick registration issues and unresponsive controls, which can lead to frustration during gameplay.
Many players feel the game was released in an unfinished state, with core features like grabs and vert skating still missing or in an experimental phase.
The lack of multiplayer options and the focus on paid DLC rather than fixing existing issues has led to disappointment among the community.

story
777 mentions
12 % positive mentions
78 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is widely criticized for being underdeveloped and often frustrating, with many missions feeling like poorly designed tutorials rather than engaging narratives. Players report numerous bugs that prevent mission completion, leading to a lack of satisfaction and progression. While some appreciate the challenges and the potential for a more substantial story, the overall consensus is that the current implementation is lackluster and in need of significant improvement.
- “The story mode was a pleasant surprise I never expected to be added, the board customization (surprisingly varied) and wear & tear is cool, the iconic skate spots and historical achievements are awesome and I love the left foot/right foot twin stick controls along with manual catch.”
- “The missions give a good sense of purpose and provide an ongoing tutorial well past the actual tutorial.”
- “While the story mode's continuity and actual 'story' feels pretty sparse, especially with no voice acting, the challenges themselves are inventive and an actual challenge to complete.”
- “The story mode is frightfully boring, the models are atrocious, and it's filled with bugs.”
- “The story missions are frustratingly broken and seem barely playtested for someone who plays all manual no alignment with medium trucks.”
- “The missions are frustrating and buggy, but the majority of the game (skating) is enjoyable.”
gameplay
777 mentions
26 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this skateboarding game is characterized by a steep learning curve and a focus on realism, with mechanics that can be both rewarding and frustrating. While many players appreciate the depth and customization options available, they also report numerous bugs, unfinished features, and a lack of significant updates from the developers, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite its potential, the game often feels incomplete, with core mechanics needing refinement and polish to enhance the overall experience.
- “The gameplay feels fantastic, with every move and trick making a real impact.”
- “Very fun game, mechanics are great and it feels like the natural progression from Skate 3's control scheme to something slightly more challenging.”
- “The gameplay customization is very dynamic and provides lots of freedom when it comes to how the player wants to play the game, and that is a very good thing, although a little jarring to figure out at first.”
- “But, my god, they hardly ever update this game with gameplay enhancements.”
- “The game is so frustrating because of the sheer amount of bugs that harsh gameplay.”
- “The mechanics are so non-intuitive and frustrating.”
stability
490 mentions
1 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
99 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with many describing it as "extremely buggy" and "unfinished." Players frequently encounter glitches that disrupt gameplay, such as characters falling unexpectedly, tricks not registering, and various physics issues. While some appreciate the game's potential and find it enjoyable despite the bugs, the overall consensus is that it requires substantial polish and fixes before it can be considered a fully realized product.
- “I put about 60 hours casually enjoying the vanilla game before easily modding it, and with mods, it's nearly perfect and runs great on the Steam Deck.”
- “Update: for those with a Steam Deck, this runs great at 30fps locked with high graphics settings.”
- “Still rough around the edges but extremely enjoyable and runs great.”
- “The troubling part for this game for me is the inconsistency and buggy mess it is.”
- “It's just too buggy in its current form to be worth the price.”
- “The game is still a buggy mess with collision issues, framerate problems, a broken and frustrating tutorial that appears to softlock frequently, and a general lack of structure or activity.”
graphics
412 mentions
52 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the overall visual quality and realism, particularly in environments and character animations. However, some users report issues with performance, graphical glitches, and inconsistent lighting, which detracts from the experience. While the game showcases impressive graphics, particularly for a skateboarding simulator, there are calls for further optimization and improvements in character models and animations.
- “The graphics are amazing, there's challenges and missions to do, shops with merch from real brands, there's plenty of content to keep you busy.”
- “The graphics are excellent and the physics are some of the most impressive I've seen in any game.”
- “The graphics look amazing except for the character; some work could (and most likely will) be done there.”
- “The graphics randomly get really dark often when rotating the camera.”
- “Graphics could be better considering Skate 3 looks like it came out more recently than this game.”
- “The game is plagued with bugs, the graphics aren't the best and the controls are hard.”
music
391 mentions
32 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its chill vibe and suitability for skating, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking variety. A significant number of users express disappointment over the limited selection, primarily consisting of reggae and lo-fi tracks, and suggest the addition of more diverse genres or the ability to customize playlists. Overall, while the soundtrack can enhance the relaxing experience of skating, many players prefer to mute it and listen to their own music instead.
- “Very good game, if you like listening to music and playing a chill game, this is it for you.”
- “Overall it's fun, I like to hop on and mess around while listening to music.”
- “The music is great, the challenge is there.”
- “The soundtrack is by far my least favorite soundtrack in history.”
- “The only real complaint I have is the music, but that is personal preference and I just mute it and play my own.”
- “The music is okay, but the variety is limited and it gets old really fast.”
grinding
172 mentions
2 % positive mentions
3 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The grinding mechanics in the game are widely criticized for being tedious, glitchy, and overly precise, often leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. Many players find the controls unintuitive, making it difficult to successfully execute grinds, which can result in frequent bails and a lack of satisfaction. While some appreciate the realistic approach to skating, the overall consensus is that grinding needs significant improvement to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “One long, tedious grind.”
- “Grinding is an absolute chore...and it is way too easy to bail.”
- “Grinding is incredibly scuffed and barely works; half of the things in this game barely work.”
- “The grinding in this game feels off, clunky, and too precise for what the controls allow at this time.”
optimization
106 mentions
21 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, bugs, and inconsistent frame rates, even on high-end hardware. While some users have noted improvements and decent performance on lower settings, others express frustration over ongoing glitches and the need for further optimization. Overall, the game is seen as unfinished, with many recommending waiting for future updates before fully engaging with it.
- “The game is well optimized and the physics are really good.”
- “Devs listened and optimized the game thoroughly since the v1.0 launch.”
- “The graphics are great for what it is and the game is amazingly optimized; I was able to run it smoothly on my own PC, which is pretty underpowered for gaming, just by tweaking the video settings.”
- “Bugs from alpha still present, goofy animations still goofy, performance issues (even on a 3090ti) & I could go on but the point is this game is far from finished despite the fact they call it 'full release'.”
- “Love the game, it's a really good game, it's a shame that I have to give a negative review but it is not optimized for PC at all. First off, Steam completely screws the controls because if you customize it to your standards or how you want to play, for example, I play with the Nintendo Switch layout because I've been playing on Switch for a few years, so I'm more comfortable with the Switch layout. But setting it that way in-game just completely breaks the game, like the controls switch back and forth to the Xbox layout then the Nintendo Switch layout and it just gets really annoying. I would recommend playing on a console as opposed to a PC. I've tried this on other gaming PCs that I own and it just isn't optimized for PC.”
- “Basically broken, constant stuttering and freezing, terrible frame rate, often takes over a minute to launch the game and change map, and all of this is on a machine that can run most AAA games on max settings at 60+.”
humor
83 mentions
99 % positive mentions
-2 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding the physics glitches and ragdoll effects amusing at first, but often becoming tedious over time due to their frequency. While some enjoy the comedic moments that arise from unexpected falls and bugs, others feel that these elements detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration rather than laughter. Overall, the game's humor is appreciated by those who embrace its quirky nature, but it may not appeal to everyone, especially if they seek a more polished gameplay experience.
- “My hour with the game was spent learning the controls, being so confused why I would sometimes randomly fly off my board in the middle of basic grind tricks, and laughing at the unintentionally hilarious instant ragdolls upon failing literally any trick.”
- “In skate, if you bump into a pedestrian, they usually get sent flying and it's hilarious.”
- “The ragdolling after you inevitably stack is also hilarious and is a throwback to skate 3.”
- “But it's not funny.”
- “The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
- “I expected more laughs, but the humor just didn't land.”
monetization
34 mentions
6 % positive mentions
6 % neutral mentions
88 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many reviewers expressing disappointment over the prioritization of microtransactions and paid DLC over completing the core game. Players feel that the game was released prematurely, lacking essential features and polish, while aggressive advertising and monetization efforts detract from the overall experience. Overall, the sentiment is that the developers have shifted focus from delivering a quality product to maximizing profits, leaving fans frustrated.
- “It just kills me seeing indie devs doing the gross stuff that the AAA devs have been doing and just not finishing their games, but at least there's no microtransactions.”
- “New monetization efforts though, because of course.”
- “Most of these are very simple fixes, yet the devs would rather spend their time pushing out microtransactions.”
- “This game has turned into a cash grab bonanza.”
- “The game is very promising but it isn't ready; the 1.0 release is a cash grab.”
atmosphere
26 mentions
50 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its rich sound design, realistic environments, and immersive day-night cycle that enhance the overall experience. However, others criticize the barren feel due to a lack of NPCs and multiplayer options, which detracts from the vibrancy of the world. Overall, while the game captures the essence of skate culture and offers a chill vibe, many feel it needs more content and interaction to fully realize its atmospheric potential.
- “Satisfying sound design and details like wear and tear on your board make the game very atmospheric.”
- “The game features a full day-and-night cycle, with streetlights turning on at night, making for an amazing atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere feels rich in objects to interact with; although some gamers will not like how 'empty' the map will feel due to the lack of NPCs.”
- “The controls are unresponsive, the physics are wonky, the atmosphere is barren, the game is clearly unfinished and the devs are ignorant of that fact.”
- “It's quite barren; there is no atmosphere, very few places where you can get an actual good jump. I also like to point out that I enjoyed the game for a few hours, but it just lacks content. It needs a map browser where humans can upload their maps, sort of similar to Descenders. I haven't seen much of a roadmap for this title either; it needs a lot of updating for this even to remotely be a good game.”
- “You can turn on 'experimental' pedestrians, but there are no other skaters around, traffic doesn't move, etc. The lack of other skaters (and no multiplayer) really hurts the atmosphere more than the lack of moving cars and such, in my opinion.”
replayability
23 mentions
30 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers significant replayability due to its diverse tricks, community-made maps, and engaging gameplay mechanics, with many players noting the fun and challenge of missions and achievement hunting. While some criticize the lack of extensive content and variety in story mode, the inclusion of features like a film editor and mod support enhances the game's longevity. Despite some bugs and early access issues, many users find the core gameplay enjoyable and endlessly replayable, making it a worthwhile experience.
- “A diverse range of tricks, flips, and grinds adds depth and replay value to the gameplay.”
- “Lots of replayability, missions are fun and challenging, skating feels super fun and satisfying, and I think it's definitely worth it if it's on sale.”
- “Best game I've purchased in ages, endless replay value.”
- “Session's map doesn't feel boring, but also boasting a $12.99 single DLC map is a sick joke. Playing Skater XL makes you realize how important community-made maps are to replayability and freshness of the game.”
- “Then you have a story mode that has no variety, replayability, and half the time doesn't even work.”
- “While fun, the over-the-top arcade style doesn't have as much replayability for me.”
emotional
22 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a mix of emotions regarding the game's mechanics and environment. While the challenge of mastering complex controls and landing tricks provides a sense of accomplishment, the frequent frustrations from buggy physics and an empty world contribute to feelings of loneliness and annoyance. Overall, the emotional experience is a blend of satisfaction from skill mastery and disappointment from technical issues and a lack of social interaction.
- “After wasting money and time on a notable alternative, finding this game made me feel redeemed and scratched that itch for a good skating sim in this current generation of gaming.”
- “Landing a trick made me feel accomplished.”
- “If you disable every help, landing a trick gets converted into a huge emotional reward.”
character development
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is minimal, with users noting that the dialogue is bland and unengaging, leading many to skip through text. This lack of depth is expected, as the game focuses more on gameplay mechanics than on narrative or character progression.