| Skate Story | |
| Developer: | Sam Eng |
| Publisher: | Devolver Digital |
| Platforms: | Windows |
| Genre: | Sports |
| Modes: | Single-player |
| Released: | 2024 |
Skate Story is an upcoming sports skateboarding video game developed by independent indie game developer Sam Eng and published by Devolver Digital. The game is scheduled to release in 2024 for Microsoft Windows. The game follows a demon in the Underworld who has made a deal with the Devil who has to skate to the moon and swallow it to be freed.[1]
Skate Story focuses on the core mechanics of skateboarding and emphasizes fluid movement, exploration, and trick execution. Players take on the role of a skateboarding demon made out of glass and pain, who must ollie, kickflip and grind their way through 'The Emptylands' as they take on their seemingly impossible quest.[2] The control scheme of the game is designed to provide a realistic and intuitive skateboarding experience, with players able to perform a wide range of tricks and maneuvers.[3] The game rewards players for creativity and skill, encouraging them to experiment with different combinations of tricks and routes through The Emptylands. Players will need to complete skate trials in order to level up, learn new tricks, and obtain new gear. They can sell their soul for new decks, wheels, and trucks to customize their skateboard. Skate Story features puzzle-solving elements with its primary focus on exploration and discovery, encouraging players to piece the story together by progressing through the different levels and environments.
Skate Story is centered around a crystalline demon who was given a skateboard by the Devil alongside the terms of a simple deal, if the demon skates to the moon and swallows it, the Devil will free them. The game has a unique take on the skateboarding genre as it is set in the Underworld where the demon will need to skate and grind their way through the ash and smoke of The Emptylands in order to consume the moon.[4] The protagonist encounters various tortured souls that need saving on their journey such as a forgetful frog, and will need to skate fast in order to destroy the vicious demons on their path. While skating through the nine layers of hell the demon is accompanied by an atmospheric soundtrack by Blood Cultures and John Fio, creating an immersive environment.
Skate Story is developed by Sam Eng, an indie video game developer based in New York. Eng has also created the title Zarvot, a game about cubes which was released in 2018 for Steam and Nintendo Switch. Skate Story was announced during Devolver Digital's Public Access Holiday Special in December 2022 and with a planned release in 2023,[5] but in August 2023 Devolver Digital announced that the game had been delayed to 2024.[6]