Session: Skate Sim
- September 17, 2019
- Crea-ture Studios
Despite the 1.0 release, Session: Skate Sim still has a few issues. However, this shouldn’t keep any skating fan away from this deeply rewarding simulator that can, at times, feel just as rewarding as the real sport.
Inspired by the golden era of skateboarding, the early 90s and early 2000, Session's primary goal is to make you experience what skateboarding really is; an incredible sport where there are no other goals other than expressing your creativity and achieving success through hard work, perseverance and bits of madness for no one else other than yourself.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Session: Skate Sim offers a deeply rewarding and authentic skateboarding experience that captures the culture of the sport.
- The game features solid skateboarding physics, a large explorable world, and a unique skill-based progression system.
- Mastering the controls and pulling off tricks can be highly satisfying, providing a sense of achievement for dedicated players.
- The game has a steep learning curve, with awkward controls that can be difficult to master and lack remapping options.
- Many players find the world to be empty and lifeless, with a bland visual presentation and subpar mission design.
- Session: Skate Sim feels unfinished and buggy, requiring patches and updates to improve overall performance and accessibility.
- story7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its interesting narrative and challenges, while others criticize the barebones story mode and lackluster presentation. The steep learning curve and various technical issues, such as blurry visuals and control problems, detract from the overall experience, making it difficult for players to fully engage with the story. Despite its potential appeal to skate fans, the execution leaves much to be desired.
“It's a shame about the quest system, its overall presentation, and some of the rough edges, but I feel the session is a few patches away from greatness.”
“Interesting story and challenges, real skate physics with tons of customization.”
“Lackluster story mode; bland visual presentation; steep learning curve.”
“An unapologetically tricky ode to street skating, Session is packed with a palpable love for the sport, but bugs and unsympathetic tutorial and mission design decisions undermine its approachability.”
“It's a shame about the quest system, its overall presentation and some of the rough edges, but I do feel Session is a few patches away from greatness.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is highly praised for its depth and appreciation of skateboarding culture, featuring satisfying mechanics, a chill soundtrack, and a unique skill-based progression system. Players enjoy the physics-driven systems that allow for a wide variety of moves and tricks, along with extensive customization options. The game rewards patience and persistence, offering three expansive cities to explore and a rewarding sense of mastery when executing tricks.
“Satisfying gameplay, chill soundtrack, unique skill-based progression.”
“Great physics-driven systems; plenty of moves and tricks to master; great gameplay customization.”
“Sim mechanics reward patience and persistence; three cities to explore with plenty of spots to pull off tricks; finally mastering a move feels great.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have been criticized for being blurry and poor, particularly on the Switch, which hampers the ability to read environments and contributes to control issues. While the urban settings aim for realism, they often come off as bland and repetitive, and frame rate problems further detract from the overall experience.
“There's a deep and involving game here for skate fans who want something to really sink their teeth into, or at least there would be if it wasn't for blurry visuals, control issues, poor mission design, and frame rate issues that make for an uphill struggle that just doesn't feel worth the pain in the end.”
“Visuals are poor on Switch and make reading environments tricky, control issues with random stops, falls, and niggly traversal problems. Urban environments feel realistic but are also way too bland and samey. Frame rate issues crop up when testing experimental features.”
“Session: skate sim on Switch feels better when controlling the board, but the visuals certainly suffer in both handheld and docked.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its great performance on PS5, showcasing effective optimization that enhances the overall experience. Additionally, it offers significant gameplay depth, which complements the appreciation of skateboarding culture.
“The optimization in this game is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay and quick load times on the PS5.”
“I appreciate how well the game runs; the performance is top-notch and enhances the overall experience.”
“The significant gameplay depth combined with excellent optimization makes for a truly engaging experience.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game features a chill soundtrack that complements the satisfying gameplay, enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate how the unique skill-based progression is supported by the engaging audio, creating an immersive atmosphere.
“The chill soundtrack perfectly complements the satisfying gameplay, creating an immersive experience.”
“I love the unique skill-based progression that is enhanced by the engaging music.”
“The music in this game is not just a background element; it elevates the entire atmosphere and keeps me hooked.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marred by awkward controls and persistent bugs, which contribute to a punishing difficulty that can frustrate players.
“The controls feel awkward, and the game is still a bit buggy.”
“The punishing difficulty is compounded by frequent stability issues.”
“I encountered several bugs that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
Critic Reviews
Session: Skate Sim Review
Despite the 1.0 release, Session: Skate Sim still has a few issues. However, this shouldn’t keep any skating fan away from this deeply rewarding simulator that can, at times, feel just as rewarding as the real sport.
75%Boneless and raw
While Session: Skate Sim is ambitious in its attempt to provide a more realistic skateboarding experience, the game as a whole often ends up feeling overly complicated and under-baked.
60%Session: Skate Sim review -- The most refined skateboarding sim on the market
Session: Skate Sim is the most authentic skateboarding experience you can get from a video game. Though you will fall down (a lot) and may get frustrated, you will undoubtedly leave this experience with a greater appreciation for skating and the culture that surrounds it.
70%
