Skate Story

About

Skate Story is a single player arcade role playing game with fantasy and mystery themes. It was developed by by Sam Eng and was released on December 8, 2025. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Ollie, kickflip, and grind your way through the ash and smoke of the Underworld as you take on a seemingly impossible quest. Skate fast to destroy demons and save other tortured souls on your journey from a fragile beginner to a hardened skater.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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97%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,562 reviews

music377 positive mentions

grinding31 negative mentions

Stunning visuals and unique art style that create a mesmerizing atmosphere.
Incredible soundtrack featuring Blood Cultures that enhances the overall experience.
Fun and engaging gameplay mechanics that allow for creative expression while skating.

Some players experienced bugs and soft locks that hindered progress.
Lack of a chapter select or free skate mode after completing the game.
The story can feel disjointed and confusing at times, which may detract from the overall experience.

music
724 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
47%
1%
The music in "Skate Story" has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising the exceptional soundtrack primarily composed by Blood Cultures. Reviewers highlight how the music perfectly complements the game's surreal visuals and gameplay, creating an immersive experience that enhances the overall atmosphere. While some noted minor issues with volume inconsistencies, the overwhelming consensus is that the soundtrack is a standout feature, elevating the game to a unique artistic level.
- “The soundtrack is phenomenal and ties the game together perfectly.”
- “The music fits so incredibly well with the aesthetics of the game that it's genuinely upsetting how much better it is at it than almost every other game.”
- “The music, the art, the gameplay, it's just perfect.”
- “The music carries this game but you only hear it 15% of the time because the actual hub worlds are just various empty background noises.”
- “The soundtrack is... it's there... look, it feels less like 'a soundtrack made by blood cultures' and more like 'the glass skater has an mp3 player on shuffle with only songs made by blood cultures', it doesn't feel coherent to what you're doing in game at that moment and it's too awkward.”
- “Sometimes the music also turns into very, very loud, grating electronic music out of nowhere, which doesn't really make sense when you're not being attacked or anything.”
story
681 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
68%
2%
The story of "Skate Story" is a surreal and abstract narrative that follows a glass demon on a quest to eat moons in the underworld, blending themes of rebellion, personal growth, and the essence of skateboarding. While some players find the storytelling to be cryptic and occasionally disjointed, many appreciate its emotional depth and the way it intertwines with the game's stunning visuals and exceptional soundtrack. Overall, the narrative is seen as a unique artistic expression that resonates with players, even if its abstract nature may not appeal to everyone.
- “The story and philosophy are fantastically written and quite interesting, but the skating gameplay loop is so bad.”
- “The game is beautiful, great art style, music is incredible, the story is very relatable even to the point sometimes I would read something and just needed to stop and be still in thought how that phrase hits deep in my soul.”
- “Though a story of a demon skating to eat the moons may not seem so relatable or personal at first, yet I came to find an emotional connection with the story from its ambiguous nature that leaves many parts up to personal interpretation, and most importantly, the beautiful act of rebellion through skating.”
- “The control scheme is so far removed from what I'd consider fun or interesting that I just can't justify spending time on this even if I would love to see more of what the story has to offer, and I think that's just too fundamental of a flaw in the game to continue.”
- “I also think the story is kind of all over the place.”
- “The story itself tries to be even crazier, but it got to the point where it completely lost me.”
gameplay
329 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
51%
4%
The gameplay of "Skate Story" is widely praised for its fun and engaging mechanics, which blend accessibility with depth, allowing players to master a variety of tricks. While the controls may take some time to get used to, the overall experience is enhanced by stunning visuals and an exceptional soundtrack that complements the skating mechanics. However, some players noted that the gameplay can feel repetitive or simplistic at times, and there are occasional clunky moments that detract from the fluidity of the experience.
- “The gameplay is very fun, and you can tell that the people who made the game loved skateboarding a lot.”
- “The gameplay is the perfect balance of difficulty and ability to hit crazy tricks, making every mistake feel like your own.”
- “The gameplay feels tight, responsive, and flowing.”
- “The last three chapters are so weirdly short but also too long; they are all over the place gameplay-wise, and even the soundscape switches between way too obnoxiously loud and manageable.”
- “The gameplay is a little boring and the actual story is a bit weird, but overall a great game.”
- “Underneath the graphics and music is a thoroughly mediocre game with repetitive gameplay mechanics we've seen countless times before.”
graphics
318 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
47%
1%
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their stunning and unique art style, often described as surreal, psychedelic, and evocative. Players appreciate the seamless integration of visuals with the soundtrack, creating an immersive experience that enhances the gameplay. While some find the visuals overwhelming or disorienting, the overall consensus is that they contribute significantly to the game's artistic and emotional impact, making it a standout title in terms of aesthetic presentation.
- “The visuals are a feast for the eyes, but they don't last long enough to really let the sensory overload sink in.”
- “The graphics are absolutely beautiful and it even runs well on my over 10 years old GTX 970 SLI machine.”
- “The visuals, the typography, and the bleeding colors, refraction, pixelation—everything just screams that this game is a must-buy.”
- “The game starts out a hot mess of ideas and aesthetics that struggle to stick before it synergizes into something rather enjoyable with a sneakily good narrative after a few hours.”
- “I must say though, as one of the three Mac users that played this game, it could be better optimized; even on low graphics, I'm getting 25-40 fps and some people say the same with even the M4 chip.”
- “The visuals can be revolting to some as there are large amounts of flashing lights and strong colors, but not enough for me to consider this a downside for the game.”
atmosphere
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
50%
6%
The atmosphere of the game is universally praised for its immersive and dreamlike quality, enhanced by a stunning soundtrack that perfectly complements the gameplay. Reviewers highlight the unique blend of visuals, sound design, and storytelling, creating a surreal experience that captivates players and evokes strong emotions. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as enchanting, quirky, and deeply engaging, making it a standout feature that elevates the entire experience.
- “The atmosphere is intensely immersive, yet every time I skate, it feels like I'm floating in a dream, almost as if I'm skating through another world.”
- “The slow, atmospheric drip-feed of your objectives—skate to the moons, eat the moons, embrace the pain—creates a surreal, immersive journey.”
- “The soundtrack is trance-like and heavy hitting, tying the gorgeous and otherworldly atmosphere perfectly with the uniquely masterful skating mechanics.”
- “The atmosphere was enchanting and the skating has this masterfully executed sense of weight to it.”
- “It left me with a lot of feelings, mostly nostalgia; the New York bathed in atmosphere feels familiar and empty, and as a local, I enjoyed finding places I recognized morphed into something much sadder.”
- “While the gameplay is simple and doesn't get expanded on much throughout, where this game shines is its atmosphere.”
humor
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
7%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and charm, blending absurdity with emotional depth. Players appreciate the witty dialogue, engaging characters, and the ability of the writing to evoke laughter while also delivering poignant moments. Overall, the humor enhances the game's unique atmosphere, making it a standout experience in the skateboarding genre.
- “The story is pretty abstract and strange - but funny, engaging, and motivational.”
- “Wrapped in a story that feels deeply personal, funny, and poetic, it's a beautiful example of games as real art.”
- “The writing is witty, insightful, and occasionally funny, just oozing personality and charm.”
- “I often found myself laughing at things that were meant to be funny, but it felt forced and didn't resonate with me.”
- “The humor in the game fell flat, relying on clichés and predictable jokes that failed to make me laugh.”
- “While there were moments that tried to be humorous, they often missed the mark and felt more awkward than entertaining.”
emotional
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Skate Story" resonates deeply with players, who report experiencing a wide range of feelings, from laughter to tears, throughout their gameplay. The game's unique blend of stunning visuals, an evocative soundtrack, and a poignant narrative allows for personal interpretation and connection, making it a standout example of video games as an art form. Many players express surprise at the emotional depth found in a skating game, highlighting its ability to evoke profound feelings and create lasting memories.
- “Though a story of a demon skating to eat the moons may not seem so relatable or personal at first, I came to find an emotional connection with the story from its ambiguous nature that leaves many parts up to personal interpretation, and most importantly, the beautiful act of rebellion through skating.”
- “Incredibly unique, stylish, and fun game with moments where the music, gameplay, and visuals come together so brilliantly that it's genuinely emotionally overwhelming.”
- “Skate story is a short, sweet, emotional piece that very purposely contrasts its tone and visual style with its gameplay.”
grinding
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
3%
94%
The grinding mechanics in the game evoke mixed feelings among players; while some find it satisfying and integral to the gameplay, others criticize it for being unresponsive and awkward. Many appreciate the immersive sound design that enhances the grinding experience, but repetitive fetch quests and certain achievements are seen as tedious. Overall, grinding can be challenging yet rewarding, contributing to a unique skateboarding experience that blends exploration with trick execution.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I only did it for the achievement, and speaking of achievements, there are a couple that are incredibly grindy and repetitive.”
- “Grinding itself doesn't feel good at all; half the time it doesn't work quite right. Maybe I'm used to skate's magnetism, but it's just awkward to line it up.”
- “The open world areas and the basic fetch quests and currency grinding activities in them did nothing for me.”
optimization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
50%
29%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on high-end systems and maintains stable performance on platforms like the Steam Deck (with some adjustments), users have reported significant stuttering issues and subpar performance on lower-end hardware, particularly for Mac users. Despite these concerns, many players still find the controls intuitive and the overall experience enjoyable.
- “Besides that (and a small soft lock issue, it'll get patched, relax) phenomenal game, controls make sense and are intuitive, and the music is beyond great. The visuals are fairly intense but still run smoothly even on 8GB of RAM.”
- “However, this game's performance, soundtrack, and mechanics are solid, so I fully recommend this game.”
- “Controls are tight, performance is good and stable, and the game also runs at least 60 fps on a non-OLED Steam Deck.”
- “I must say though, as one of the 3 Mac users that played this game, it could be better optimized. Even on low graphics, I'm getting 25-40 FPS, and some people say the same with even the M4 chip.”
- “Ran great on launch day, but now I get stuttering for some unknown reason :(”
- “I want to get this review in as fast as I can. I played the demo, so I know the game is great, but optimization seems poor with my high-end PC. With low settings, it says I'm pushing 100 FPS, but it's very skippy, so it feels like 10 FPS for split seconds.”
stability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
92%
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting significant bugs, including falling through the ground and clipping issues, particularly in certain chapters. While some users noted that the game runs smoothly without major crashes and praised its overall experience, the prevalence of glitches detracted from the enjoyment for others. Recommendations for improving stability include adjusting settings like fullscreen and v-sync, especially on PC or Steam Deck, as console versions appear to be more problematic.
- “It features no loading screens and is bug-free (I only fell through the ground once).”
- “There were also glitches where models wouldn't move, and I fell through the map a good two dozen times throughout the game.”
- “For starters, the game is very buggy (or at least was on release, if you're reading this in the future); I got stuck in little geometry that I had to jank myself back out of, clipped through the ground, clipped out of bounds once (looking at you, chapter 4 shop), and most egregiously, softlocked myself in chapter 6 by returning to the skater's dream (the overall hub area that lets you revisit previous areas) at the wrong time.”
- “The whole game was an amazing experience but it is heavily let down by the glitches in places.”
replayability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
45%
33%
The game's replayability is generally viewed as limited, with players expressing a desire for additional features like multiplayer lobbies and chapter select options to enhance the experience. While some find value in pursuing 100% achievements and anticipate future updates or DLC to improve replayability, others note that the game focuses more on a personal journey rather than traditional high-score challenges. Overall, while the game offers a charming story and engaging mechanics, its replay value is currently seen as lacking.
- “Super charming story to go along with all the mechanics... I'd love to see multiplayer lobbies or some extras along those lines to improve on replayability, but I haven't even finished the story myself, and totally see myself replaying it down the line, especially if there are updates and DLC.”
- “Still well worth the money, because there is some replayability with 100%ing achievements.”
- “I read reviews before buying and was aware that replay value was very scarce.”
- “There are a couple of bugs that I ran into and a lack of a chapter select makes the replay value a bit less, but other than that I cannot recommend this game enough.”
- “I would love to see an update that makes it easier to reexperience all the levels and collect all of the boards, because I think this game has so much potential for more replay value!”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a monetization model that avoids microtransactions, allowing players to unlock new tricks and customizable skateboard decorations purely through gameplay progression. This approach enhances the overall experience by focusing on skill development and customization without additional costs.
- “As you progress in the game, you learn new tricks and unlock customizable decorations for your skateboard (no microtransactions!). The movement feels smooth and the tricks are simple.”
- “The game offers a fair monetization model that doesn't pressure you into spending money, allowing you to enjoy the full experience without feeling forced to buy extras.”
- “I appreciate that the game provides plenty of free content and rewards for players, making it easy to enjoy without spending a dime.”