Session Preview

When I was given the opportunity to play and review a skateboarding game, I was instantly returned to my childhood days of Tony Hawk Pro Skater on N64. I thought about returning home from school, putting the yellow cartridge in, and sitting down for hours to skate my way around the Warehouse in Woodland Hills level, collecting S-K-A-T-E and finding the hidden tape. There was nothing better than breaking out the Capri Sun and settling in, especially considering I never once set foot on a skateboard. That game set the bar incredibly high for newer installments and franchises, which the Tony Hawk series continued to vault over, with Pro Skater 2 and Underground.

I never played any other skateboarding installment, despite reading high praise reviews for games like Skate or OlliOlli 2. I was loyal to the Tony Hawk brand and played almost every installment in the series since its inception. There was just a tingling feeling I would get whenever firing up the system and playing the game.

With such nostalgia and childhood memories to live up to, when I turned on Session, the expectations were high. I am pleasantly satisfied to report I had the same tingling sensation in my fingers when playing the Early Access version of Session, as it was easy to get into and a great gameplay experience.

This skateboarding game is a huge leap into 2019 gaming, as it is easily the most realistic and unforgiving skateboarding game out there. When I was playing, I did a constant comparison with what I remembered from the Tony Hawk games. To me, there is no greater challenge for a game than taking the greatest game/series in a specific genre and comparing it to see how it stacks up. Where Tony Hawk was sympathetic and more fantasy-like, Session is pure and merciless.

Session provided a gameplay experience I imagine would directly mirror what being on a skateboard would be like, especially for someone who has never been on one. That was how I felt when I first started skating in Session, but I relished the challenge. It was like I was learning how to skateboard for the very first time, trying to correspond each stick to one of my feet. I found myself even mimicking the movements, trying to match up my feet with what my fingers were doing. I fell quite often, ate it into the pavement constantly. The controls were a lot to get used to. I referred to the control sheet often, but after a while I got the hang of it.

The focus on the technical and physical side of skateboarding is what made it so fun for me. I often watch in awe at sports because of how talented athletes make something so difficult look so effortless. This game is a constant reminder just how incredible skateboarders at the highest levels are, the way they manipulate the board underneath them with such ease, you cannot help but be envious and be motivated to be the best virtual skateboarder you can be.

Session is going to be hit or miss with the gaming crowd. There are those out there that like the challenge of trying to conquer something realistic. These are the folks that will play this game and will be rewarded when you can really start skating at a high level. There are others that like the mystical aspect of doing something incredibly challenging in the sports world. I do not recommend this game for those types. It will be frustrating at first, maybe too much so to keep you playing. It will be a distressing recap of your own lack of aptitude in physical activities. Give it a shot if you like the challenge of conquering something difficult.