It’s apparent from the very beginning of Skate that the game is not just trying to mimic the Tony Hawk franchise, but rather capture the true feeling of skating. The game starts with a tutorial, which takes you through some of the basic moves. People making the transition from the Tony Hawk series will still find themselves pressing Y to grind the rails, but the control system in Skate is completely different; your moves are mapped to the analogue sticks. EA is calling the control system Flickit, we’re calling it a revolution for the genre. Movement with your skater is done with the left analogue stick, the right analogue stick controls how you move and flip your board. In Skate you’ll very rarely have to touch the face buttons, except for A which is used to push. EA has a habit of mapping controls to the analogue sticks, but with Skate it ends up feeling like something that should have been done a long time ago. Just as an example of how the game controls, to pull off one of the simplest tricks in the game the Ollie you’ll need to push forward with A, then push the analogue stick down and then up to jump. To pull off more detailed moves you’ll need to use the right analogue stick and move it in a different way. The control system just works almost flawlessly. Admittedly it is sometimes a little difficult to pull off the move you’re after perfectly, but for a first attempt the control system in Skate is pretty consistent.
Should I skate or jump?
The career mode opens with full video of you getting hit by a bus and requiring surgery, from this you can reconstruct your face (aka create a skater) and then you’re on your way trying to get noticed in the fictional city of San Vanelona. The concept for the career mode in Skate is simple, you’re trying to earn spots on two magazines; Thrasher and Skateboard Mag. You can progress through the career mode at your own pace, completing challenges, such as photo challenges (which require you to perform specific tasks on specific objects), and free form footage goals where you have to complete a set of tasks within 30 seconds. The career mode is pretty straightforward, as you progress you will unlock the X Games but it would be quite easy to spend hours in San Vanelona simply skating around and finding secret areas. So even though the career mode is ultimately rather basic you will still have plenty of time playing through the game.
As well as the career mode there are several other options for those who just want to skate around. There is a freeskate option, which as the name suggests let you choose a character and an unlocked location and skate around for practice. There is also a party play mode which allows you to play with up to four players in a local battle, trying to perform the highest scoring trick or avoid earning the letters S.K.A.T.E by copying tricks successfully. There is also an online mode in where up to six players can play in several different modes. We had a little bit of difficulty online with lag, which is a little disappointing.
I should have skated.
Rather than have the camera directly behind your skater, in Skate you are being followed by a cameraman, which has advantages and disadvantages. Occasionally your skater can get in the way of your view, which can be a little frustrating, and the camera angle (which is off to the side) can make it a little difficult to judge grinding. Skate incorporates a detailed replay system, so you can edit your clips and post them online, which becomes very appealing once you start pulling off tricks you will want to show off.
Skate's visuals could be best described as gritty, but in a good way. San Vanelona is huge and there's plenty of detail in the environments. The skaters all look great and the frame rate stays solid. The voice work in the game is pretty solid as well, but the soundtrack isn’t all that appealing.
Grinding is easy, once you're on the rail.
The career mode isn't exactly comprehensive so it won't take long to complete, but as the game is so enjoyable to play a lot of fun can be had just skating around San Vanelona. Achievement junkies will need to explore every facet of the game to get the full 1000 points. Online multiplayer is a little problematic, so it’s best to stick to your friends list for online skate battles.
For a first title Skate is remarkably polished. Sure, the career mode is a little basic and sometimes pulling off the correct trick can be a bit of a problem but overall it's a respectable début for what looks like the beginning of a big franchise for EA. Those who have been turned off skateboarding games because of Tony Hawk’s yearly updates have a very good reason to return. Skate is a brilliant game and highly recommended to those who prefer the idea of pulling off kickflips realistically, rather than doing a 1080 spin in the air off the top of a high building.
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