Skater XL Reviews
I find Skater XL disappointing in almost every respect. Wanting to sustain the entire game around its control and the hope of living off the mods of the community is not only disappointing, but even unethical when it comes to monetizing something that will be more aware of the work of others than of the own study. If you want to skate, I recommend that you look at other tracks.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Despite a legitimately innovative and satisfying control and trick system, Skater XL just feels incomplete.
Skater XL pushes off strong, noticing some wheel wobble as you speed through, until you realise there’s little substance and the game completely wipes out face-first halfway down the vert ramp.
Skater XL is, simply put, an unfinished product. It's a Skateboarding Simulation Game without the game. A barebones five developer-created maps and three user-created maps have no path, purpose or direction with just a handful of 'challenges' that are identical to tutorials. The skateboarding itself is great, the tricks satisfying to perform and a joy to pull off, particularly due to the control scheme. Will you enjoy it? Possibly, if you're happy making your own fun and you like skateboarding. If you expect a video game, you're going to be sorely disappointed.
What Skater XL does well is make you obsess over an 8-set of stairs, or return again and again to a simple curb. You will keep going back to line up the perfect angle, the exact spot to crouch into an ollie, tre flip and land a crooked grind. That’s great, that’s street skating in its essence, and it’s an achievement to capture that. But outside of that microcosm, as soon as you pan out, it steps on its own shoelaces and stumbles into a bush.
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
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
Actually, I just want to give Skater XL a high score. The controls are innovative and the game flows smoothly. It is a shame, however, that the game is virtually soulless and actually leaves you completely free in what you can do. Now you can see this as a challenge, but I expect that many gamers will see a Skate on the case, but are disappointed when they actually play the game. Game is actually not the label I would give to Skater XL. Rather, it is a good tech demo that has the potential to become a real game, provided there is sufficient support and further development. And when I think of a tech demo, unfortunately I do not think of a price tag of 45 euros. If the game is going to be significantly supplemented, then I am willing to revise my score, but for now it is what it is.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Skater XL has some great trick animations that prove the developer understands the sport and brought that experience to the video game medium. Sadly, nothing else holds up as the environments and playability fall apart the moment you realize there’s nothing to do. The game excels for those who enjoy creating their own fun, but for the price point, I cannot recommend a game that still feels like it’s in Early Access after game crashes and numerous bugs. Anyway, at least the soundtrack is dope.
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 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
Once you overcome Skater XL's learning curve there's some fun board-based entertainment to be had here. But this is a lightweight package with subpar presentation, and unless you're so deep into skater culture that you absolutely need a simulation for your PS4, we'd recommend either waiting for this to be updated – or pre-ordering Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 instead.
I am a massive skateboarding game fan and wanted to love this game. Skater XL just does not have enough content to remain enjoyable for very long. The levels, characters and gameplay are dull and I find it very hard to get excited about it. I think it perhaps could be a good game in the future but I do not have that long to wait. Yes, it does have a unique control system and pulling off tricks is fun but we need more than that, as that can only take you so far. Move on people, there's little to see here.
Easy Day makes a valiant effort with Skater XL, but this game isn't a pro skater just yet.
Skater XL's exit from Early Access doesn't feel like a proper 1.0 release, with disappointing levels and a lack of polish letting its good trick system down.
Skater XL has promise as a platform but on console it still feels a bit too much like a prototype
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.
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
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.
Skater XL is a unique take on a market that certainly isn’t saturated.