Skater XL Reviews
Skateboarding in the time of COVID has been easier than ever due to so many public places being devoid of people, but having a digital analog to an artform that is often best experienced with others has made this time all the more easier. Skater XL is one of the rare "find your own fun" games that trusts players to do just that. So, hop on your board and see where the wheels take you.
As a whole, Skater XL does feature good gameplay but it will take you a long time in order to get good at it. If you are a casual gamer, you'll struggle to play the game. The main thing holding the game down is a lack of content available at launch. If you're interested in the game, it's best to wait until it's on sale before you buy it.
Skater XL is definitely going to be a polarising game for some – the intuitive and deep control methods coupled with the expansive open-world environment make for a great time to just chill out and skate around, but some players may miss the ‘action’ of the game or feeling a necessity to reach a goal. While challenges will keep you going to better yourself, some may be turned off by the limited game modes and replayability. All in all, Easy Day Studios have crafted a truly interesting skateboarding experience that gives players the ability to skate without leaving their home.
We may be unsure about what the future holds for skateboarding video games, but I think I can say with the utmost confidence that Skater XL is here to stay.
Skater XL at its core is decent fun, but its lack of worthwhile objectives and lacklustre performance sees it fail to stick the landing
Either way, it's a tough sell, but the reward for effort and perseverance is a good one, the bigger question: how committed are you?.
In its current state, Skater XL is nothing more than an elaborate tech demo to show its gameplay potential. What's actually missing is the game itself.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It's more of a dream machine for those kids in empty parking lots, but it's not really a video game. Would I recommend Skater XL to most folks? Probably not, just like I wouldn't recommend my own mother to step on a skateboard. As a sandbox for skaters to hone their skills, however, it's second to none, with some Switch concessions, of course.
In sum, Skater XL tries to fill a void in the world of skateboarding video games by offering a valiant blend of the familiar and innovative. The music and aesthetic are warm and welcoming to build a carefree experience for the player. The settings are bright, crisp, and appealing, but the controls and game layout that Easy Day Studios decided to embrace seems misguided. The freedom to explore and create your own lines may be liberating for some, but the lack of direction can leave players cold. Most sandbox games offer something tangible to work toward, to build, to interact with, etc. This same sort of goal isn't in Skater XL, which makes the experience feel blasé. While the game's website touts that there are no specific inputs for tricks as a selling point, this sort of freedom is a nasty combination of overwhelming and undefined. Games generally work when the player is either presented with goals to reach or a world to explore, but Skater XL doesn't provide enough of either to be a fulfilling experience.
Skater XL is doing a great job trying to simulate real skateboarding as close as possible, but lack of content, modes and overall polish makes this game hard to stick to.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Skater XL feels incomplete. There's not a lot of content, and the game is lacking a personality, a vibe to engage the player. In a year that has Skate coming to mobile, the Pro Skater games being re-released (again), and Session also working its way through Early Access, you should hold off on Skater XL.
Skater XL is undoubtedly a very robust experience in terms of gameplay and probably the most sophisticated of its kind. However, it suffers from the lack of content, objectives and certain elements, in addition to having serious level design problems in the few available scenarios, still having a very raw collision system and a below average audiovisual construction, even for an independent production.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Despite its shortcomings, SkaterXL is rewarding in a way that no other skating game has been yet and I’m looking forward to playing more.
There's a lot going right with Skater XL, and some more work on it could have led to a much more impressive game.
Despite a legitimately innovative and satisfying control and trick system, Skater XL just feels incomplete.
Overall, for my Skater XL review I’d say the game absolutely delivers in reviving the genre and simultaneously being something new all on its own and it even includes a killer soundtrack to really get you into the groove. A small studio putting in the amount of work necessary to not only make this game beyond fun and true to the cores of skateboarding is nothing short of incredible. At times, the movement does feel a little fixed but only to the extent of doing exactly what it takes to fulfill a challenge, I’ve noticed, but other than that and one or two smaller details I believe the game is quite smooth.
Skater XL is a game full of good intentions, but not only is it completely devoid of content, but it’s also devoid of a community that was supposed to come up with new levels and assets for other players to enjoy. Sadly, I see no reason for people to give this game a shot nowadays.
This game becomes needlessly complex, it is hard to recommend even to fans of skate, overall the Californian locations are forgetable at best. It makes me wonder if it should be released as early Access, as it lacks content specially for a game subbed “XL”
Review in Spanish | Read full review
There is a ton of potential in it's current state, but needs some additional content to really flush out the game. The core gameplay is incredible, but is it enough to keep players coming back? I would love to see a future roadmap for additional content. If players know that more content is coming, then I truly believe Skater XL will live up to the potential and be a standout skating simulator for years to come.
Skater XL introduces an innovative and very satisfying control system, but that's all: it feels more like an early access game, still lacking any meaningful content like a story mode or challenges/missions. It's also in need of a visual overhaul, as the skate parks feel too empty and lifeless, skaters lack any expressivity and the overall graphical fidelity is quite low.
Review in Italian | Read full review