Players on the Xbox One suddenly find themselves with another skateboarding title on the horizon, in addition to the earlier-announced Skater XL. Titled Session, this skateboarding simulation game will be released on PC via Steam Early Access this September, followed by a launch on Xbox Game Preview the month after. The game’s final release is targeted for next year, and with these announcements, developer Crea-ture Studios also showed off a Steam Early Access trailer which you can view below.
For an Early Access title, Session is showing a lot of promise, especially when it comes to the animation department. One of the most overlooked aspects of skateboarding games and other extreme sports titles is how good the animations must be in order for the player to better immerse themselves in the gameplay. With a little more polish, I can see this inheriting the crown from Tony Hawk Pro Skater as the skateboarding game to play – or at least competing for it with Skater XL.
Session is inspired by the absolute golden era of skateboarding, from the early 90’s to early 2000s – think MTV culture and the resurgence of rebelling through hip-hop and skater rock. Session also promises to be the most authentic and grounded skateboarding game yet, with a move away from the arcade feel of other skateboarding titles that relied on button presses more than anything else. As much as I am interested in this sentiment, there was nothing inherently wrong with arcade skateboarders as they’re typical of the mindless fun that existed back then. Likewise, there suddenly is an immense pressure on Session to deliver on this promise of actual skateboarding simulation, but if it does, then that would be great for everybody who loves these types of games.
To achieve this realism, Crea-ture Studios states that the Early Access version of Session will include true stance stick controls, with each controller stick manipulating a foot to replicate real skating. The first skateable environment is also a 1:1 scale of New York focused on lower Manhattan, featuring the legendary Brooklyn Banks and surrounding Financial District. Of course, since skate videos are also considered a very integral aspect of skate culture itself, there will be an in-depth video editor that matches the period, featuring a VHS-style visual aesthetic.
Session will be released on PC via Steam Early Access On September 17, followed by a launch on Xbox Game Preview sometime in October.
