Skate Story, the psychedelic skateboarding game where you play as a glass demon trying to skate to the moon, released on December 8, 2025, and critics are largely impressed. Developed entirely by solo creator Sam Eng and published by Devolver Digital, the game currently holds an 86 on Metacritic based on reviews from over 30 outlets. The unique art style, satisfying trick system, and surreal narrative have earned praise despite some concerns about pacing and control complexity.
The game launched on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5 as a day-one PS Plus title, and Nintendo Switch. Players take control of a demon made of glass and pain who strikes a deal with the Devil himself: skate through the underworld to the moon, swallow it, and earn your freedom. What follows is a journey through The Emptylands filled with ash, smoke, vicious demons, and existential skateboarding philosophy.
What Critics Are Saying
PC Gamer awarded Skate Story a 90 out of 100, calling it one of the best-sounding and most stylish games they’ve played in recent memory. The review described it as an esoteric art installation and interactive album that happens to also be a stylish lunicidal skater with peerless vibes and devilishly sleek flip tricks. The publication praised how the skating mechanics feel grounded and satisfying despite the abstract, bizarre world surrounding them.
Metro GameCentral also gave it a 90, describing Skate Story as a skateboarding sim which transcends the genre through its dazzling psychedelic presentation, smart design, and comedic lightness of touch. The review emphasized how the game wears its love for skateboarding on its sleeve while pushing boundaries of what the genre can be when combined with artistic ambition and narrative experimentation.
IGN’s More Measured Take
IGN provided a 7 out of 10 review, noting that while Skate Story fuses a solid foundation of satisfyingly grounded skate tricks with a bizarre abstract world, it wobbles a little under its weirdness. The review suggested that the game’s surreal presentation and obscure storytelling might not click with everyone, though those who connect with its wavelength will find something special.
TheGamer gave it a 3.5 out of 5, acknowledging the skating aspect is enjoyable with variety, pace, and unique boss battles. However, the review noted the mechanics are intentionally less intricate than dedicated skating sims to accommodate the story elements. The publication suggested your mileage may vary on whether the artistic ambition enhances or distracts from the core skateboarding experience.
The Solo Developer Behind the Game
Sam Eng created Skate Story entirely by himself over several years of development, a remarkable feat given the game’s polished presentation and depth. In an interview with The New York Times, Eng revealed that his pitch to publishers was describing Skate Story as Tony Hawk’s Journey meets Dark Souls, a combination that sounds absurd but accurately captures the game’s unique blend of meditative exploration and challenging skateboarding in a hostile environment.
Eng’s personal skateboarding experience directly influenced the game’s design philosophy. He recounted suffering a double fracture in his forearm in 2023 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music plaza while attempting a basic ollie down stairs he had successfully navigated many times before. This time he landed slightly off-balance, the board slipped, and he sustained what he described as a clean but gnarly break. That sense of fragility, where one small mistake can have devastating consequences, became central to Skate Story’s mechanics and theme.
The Glass Demon as Metaphor
The protagonist being made of glass isn’t just aesthetic choice but mechanical and thematic expression of skateboarding’s inherent fragility. Every trick carries risk. One wrong landing can shatter everything. This resonates with real skateboarders who understand that confidence and skill don’t eliminate danger, they just give you tools to navigate it. Eng’s personal injury while executing a trick he’d done hundreds of times perfectly captures this reality.
Reviews consistently praise how this fragility translates into gameplay. You must master your weight and motion, learning the ritualistic beauty of popping a perfect kickflip. The game rewards precision and punishes carelessness, creating tension that makes successful trick chains feel genuinely earned rather than simply executed.
The Combo and Combat System
Skate Story’s most innovative mechanic is how it merges traditional skateboarding combos with demon-slaying combat. Players maintain their line by switching up tricks and chaining them together at a stylish pace. In moonlight, you can STOMP your combo to end it explosively. Every trick performed in that line gets expelled as damage around you, allowing you to take down vicious demons and celestial beasts populating the underworld.
After stomping, all tricks and combo count reset, letting you start fresh and continue your assault. This creates a rhythm where skating isn’t just about score or style but becomes your weapon against hostile forces. The better you skate, the more powerful your attacks become. It’s a clever fusion that gives combat depth without abandoning the core skateboarding mechanics that define the experience.
Console Creatures noted in their review that skateboarding is tight and accessible while also pushing players to learn the tricks The Skater can pull off. The game offers over 70 different tricks to progress through and improve. Complete skate trials to level up, learn new moves, and acquire gear. The progression system ensures constant growth while respecting the learning curve inherent to skateboarding games.
The Surreal Underworld Setting
Skate Story takes place across nine layers of The Underworld, each with distinct visual identity and skateable architecture. Players cruise through streets and surreal landscapes full of waxed ledges, unholy gaps, and tortured demons. The game encourages exploration and experimentation, discovering your own challenges as you navigate the world and master your board.
Polygon’s review emphasized that Skate Story understands skateboarding is art, not just sport. The game presents skating as creative expression and meditative practice, themes rarely explored in mainstream skateboarding games focused on tricks, combos, and competitions. Your journey helps a forgetful frog, saves other tortured souls, and pushes through hell itself, discovering that The Devil’s greatest weaknesses are humility, perseverance, and a disgustingly sweet backside tailslide.
Visual and Audio Design
Nearly every review highlights Skate Story’s striking visual presentation. The chromatic aberration against the glow of the crystalline skater set against forbidding hellscape skate parks creates a feast for the eyes. CGMagazine described it as a must-play for skateboarding fans looking for a short but unforgettable indie hit, specifically calling out the visual design as exceptional.
The soundtrack receives similar praise. PC Gamer noted it’s one of the best-sounding games in recent memory, functioning as an interactive album where music and gameplay intertwine. Noisy Pixel mentioned walking away feeling like Skate Story is one of those games that sticks with you for reasons you don’t fully understand until credits roll, with the audio design being a significant factor in that lasting impression.
Performance and Technical Issues
Not all aspects of Skate Story earned universal praise. Push Square’s mini review noted that controls can be quite fiddly, and the ending drags a bit despite the game being a unique and stylish skateboarding experience overall. Console Creatures mentioned frame rate can be uneven, though they considered it just one minor flaw in an otherwise incredible experience.
MKAU Gaming gave it a 7.5 out of 10, stating the wild ride through The Emptylands can get a bit too strange for its own good. The review suggested that while there’s a solid story worth experiencing, the surrealism occasionally overwhelms the core gameplay to the point where some players might bounce off the experience entirely.
Day One PS Plus Availability
One factor that might significantly boost Skate Story’s reach is its availability as a day-one title for PlayStation Plus subscribers. This means millions of PS Plus members can try the game at no additional cost beyond their existing subscription. For experimental indie games like Skate Story that might struggle to convince players to take a chance at full price, PS Plus exposure can make the difference between cult classic and commercial success.
The Reddit review thread discussion focused primarily on compiled scores rather than detailed community reactions, suggesting the game is still fresh enough that player consensus hasn’t solidified. The initial critical reception being overwhelmingly positive with an 86 Metacritic average bodes well for word-of-mouth as more players experience the game through PS Plus and Steam.
FAQs
What is Skate Story’s Metacritic score?
Skate Story currently holds an 86 on Metacritic for PC based on over 30 critic reviews. OpenCritic rates it as Mighty with an 85 average, ranking it in the top 7 percent of games reviewed on the platform.
When did Skate Story release?
Skate Story launched on December 8, 2025, for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. The game is available as a day-one title for PlayStation Plus subscribers at no additional charge beyond the subscription.
Who developed Skate Story?
Sam Eng created Skate Story as a solo developer over several years. The game is published by Devolver Digital, known for supporting experimental indie titles with unique artistic visions.
What is Skate Story about?
You play as a demon made of glass who makes a deal with the Devil: skate through the underworld to the moon and swallow it to earn your freedom. The game combines traditional skateboarding mechanics with combat where trick combos become weapons against demons.
How long is Skate Story?
Reviews describe it as a short experience, though exact completion times vary. The game is designed for multiple playthroughs to master tricks, explore thoroughly, and experience the full narrative rather than being a lengthy single playthrough.
Does Skate Story have realistic skating controls?
Reviews indicate the skating mechanics are grounded and satisfying but simplified compared to hardcore skating sims to accommodate the story and combat elements. Over 70 tricks are available to learn and master throughout progression.
Is Skate Story on Game Pass?
No, Skate Story is not on Xbox Game Pass. However, it is available as a day-one title for PlayStation Plus subscribers on PS5. PC players can purchase it on Steam.
What makes Skate Story different from other skateboarding games?
The surreal underworld setting, psychedelic visual style, narrative focus, and combo-based combat system distinguish it from traditional skating games. It emphasizes skateboarding as art and philosophical expression rather than just competitive sport.
Conclusion
Skate Story represents a bold artistic vision from a solo developer willing to take risks and push skateboarding games in unexpected directions. The 86 Metacritic score validates Sam Eng’s years of work creating something genuinely unique in a genre often dominated by either realistic simulations or arcade-style action. While the surrealism and complexity won’t resonate with everyone, those who connect with its wavelength will find a memorable experience that treats skateboarding as creative expression, meditation, and survival tool in equal measure. The PS Plus day-one availability ensures the game reaches audiences who might never have taken a chance otherwise, potentially cementing Skate Story’s place as a cult classic that introduced skateboarding games to players who thought the genre wasn’t for them. Whether you’re a hardcore skater or someone who appreciates experimental indie games with striking presentation, Skate Story offers something rare: a game confident enough to be exactly what it wants to be without compromise.