Skater XL

 Xbox One
User Score
4.6

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 25 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 25
  3. Negative: 12 out of 25
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  1. Abcd69
    Aug 9, 2020
    7
    Game has a really fun control scheme with a lot of freedom giving it a very unique gameplay style different to others seen in the skate game genre. Although the game lacks polish and additional content all of that hopefully is gonna get fixed in future patches but not an excuse for shipping an incomplete game
  2. Monkapotomus
    Sep 12, 2020
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As a 34-year-old who got his first skateboard at age 5, spent countless hours mastering tricks on the street, traversing schoolyards, and even in the basement of my home during the chilly and often snow-filled winters of Southern Ontario(Canada), and spending the ensuing three decades immersing myself in skateboarding and skateboard culture the one thing about Skater XL that it does get absolutely perfect is the often demoralizing(and eventually incredibly gratifying) grind that learning to skate truly is. Beyond that frustratingly realistic aspect, Skater XL fails at pretty much everything else that a game should be.

    I've always been of the belief that video games should be "fun". Personal definitions of "fun" notwithstanding I truly believe that one of the most important traits of a fun video game is that it can be booted up and played with even a small level of success. Not feeling totally overwhelmed or in the case of Skater XL entirely hopeless from the get-go is imperative to the enjoyment of a video game. A game with zero story, goals, or rewards for your "achievements" is hardly conducive to creating a fun atmosphere. Add to the fact that aside from a sometimes beautiful rendering of Los Angeles this game is a barren wasteland only populated by you and you alone. This creates a joyless, soulless, lifeless slog of an experience that feels massively disconnected from the reality it's hoping to simulate.

    In a year where there has been a significant forward movement in the skateboarding video game subgenre's "brand name" franchises. From EA's announcement of the long-awaited next installment of the fan favourite Skate franchise to the release of the passionate, faithfully recreated, rebuilt, and rematsered version of THPS(Tony Hawk's Pro Skater) the "grandaddy" of skateboarding video game franchises. With the latter acting as a return to form of sorts for the once considered "dead" franchise and the former acting as a beacon of hope for the future of the genre Skater XL was always going to be caught in a tough position and likely get lost in the shuffle. Unfortunately, that's where it probably belongs with it's less than appealing control scheme and astounding lack of depth. Skater XL is ultimately a game that will appeal to a very specific audience and it may actually satisfy them to some extent. Unless you are the most ardent of skateboard enthusiasts who during the Global Health Emergency really miss the struggle of actually skateboarding or are someone who has always wanted to skateboard but didn't want to endure the cuts, bruises, broken bones, and requisite trips to the Emergency Room and would rather settle for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Skater XL likely isn't going to be your cup of tea. Take it from someone who has put in the time to actually skateboard this game is not worth the trouble of "learning" how to "realistically" skateboard with your thumbs.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

55
#55 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 14
  3. Negative: 1 out of 14
  1. GameCritics
    Sep 23, 2020
    60
    At the moment, Skater XL feels more like a skateboarding and lifestyle simulator rather than a fully fleshed-out game. There’s plenty to try and the difficulty level will keep enthusiasts glued to their screens in hopes of nailing those elusive combos, but as a gaming experience, it comes up short.
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  2. Gamer.no
    Aug 20, 2020
    40
    There is a solid fundament in Skater XL, and there is a hit of a potentially formidable skating sand box. But there is a heavy layer of polish that needs to be applied before the game is noteworthy.
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  3. MondoXbox
    Aug 16, 2020
    50
    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.
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