Session: Skate Sim is the latest entry in the skateboard genre and has built up hype with its similarities to the beloved Skate franchise. It aims to provide a better sense of realism in how players interact with the skateboard and to instill a bit of 90s skate culture, primarily the idea of skating for the love of skating. Screen Rant was recently invited to attend the game’s launch event which featured several hours of hands-on experience as well as the opportunity to talk with the developers and some professional skaters featured in the game.
In keeping with the philosophy behind Session: Skate Sim, developer creā-ture Studios held its launch event at Substance Skatepark in Brooklyn, NYC. A large circle of monitors and controllers welcomed those who entered, and the team encouraged people to play as much or as little as they wanted. Additionally, they assisted in getting the attending players accustomed to Session: Skate Sim’s unique controls which, while creative, take a good amount of time getting used to.
In their pursuit to prioritize realism, Session: Skate Sim has players controlling each foot independently via their corresponding joysticks. Movement is delegated to the left and right triggers, which simulate the player shifting their weight to turn the skateboard. The creā-tures team also took time to expand on the game’s mechanics and what’s going on behind the scenes.
Session: Skate Sim started its development journey in 2015 and a lot of that time has been spent refining not just the game’s controls, but the physics system behind it. Sparing the complex technical details, the game has a strong focus on how gravity and weight play into the experience. The weight distribution system and leg control take finger pressure and speed into , allowing players to make major or minor adjustments depending on the force exerted those inputs. After an hour of being guides for the game's control scheme, the team left players to their own devices and shifted focus towards the wider event.
The rest of the event was relaxed, both in atmosphere and attendance. Not only did creā-ture Studios work with Substance Skatepark to accommodate the space needed for the event, but they also agreed to keep half of the skatepark open for locals and professionals alike. Featured professional skaters Samarria Brevard, Manny Santiago, and Dave Burman were present, all of whom excitedly played as their in-game avatars before putting their wheels to the wood and concrete of the skatepark proper. Skating alongside them were young local skaters and of the development team.
It's more accurate to say that this launch event was more for the love of skating, skate culture, and community than it was for the game itself. After playing the game for a couple of hours and getting some behind the scenes information about the game's features from the developers, a lot was revealed about what to expect and just how much focus was put into spreading the joy of this sport. Session: Skate Sim touts itself as a game for skaters, by skaters, and seeing that first-hand made playing the game not only feel more engaging, but more genuine in its mission.
Session: Skate Sim is available now for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Screen Rant was provided with a PlayStation 5 for the purpose of this review.