You are a demon made of glass and pain. And yet, you must skate.

Skate Story website

I stay fairly up to date with games that are coming out, though it’s pretty rarely that I actually play them brand new. So when I say I bought Skate Story on day one after playing the demo, that’s high praise because that never happens. And I’m glad I did since it turned into my favorite game of 2025.

Shortly put, Skate Story is one of the most stylish games I’ve played in a while. In every aspect. Visuals, music, gameplay. It nails everything while also managing to be really unique.

The skateboarding mechanics feel a bit reminiscent of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, though more grounded and with some extra elements like bonuses for well-timed tricks. It’s approachable and forgiving, but also tricky enough that it’s really rewarding when you get it just right.

Add the slick visuals and banger soundtrack into the mix and Skate Story is just one of the coolest feeling games I’ve ever played.

Speaking of the soundtrack, I’ve been listening to it all the time ever since I started the game. It’s a vibe, and a super memorable one.

There’s a few more 2025 releases I plan on getting to eventually (like Dispatch), but Skate Story has so much of what I love in a game that it has to be my game of the year.

By the way, if you’ve played Skate Story and are looking for something similar then you might want to take a look at Kitten Burst. I wrote about it in 2024 and certain things about Skate Story reminded me of it which doesn’t often happen. They’re pretty different games, but they’re both movement focused and have similar feels. I have a hunch that someone who enjoys one will enjoy the other.

— JP