VR Skateboarder review: A challenging but not always successful sim

VR Skater is an enjoyable simulation skateboarding game developed for the PSVR 2 platform and produced by Deficit Games. Below is our full review.

You can tell that Deficit is working hard within the constraints of VR Skater's hardware. Using two Sense controllers and a head-mounted display for tracking, acceleration relies on swinging arms instead of legs, face buttons for jumps, and hand gestures for tricks. Real skaters might find this approach weird, but after the opening tutorial, the basic controls will start to feel natural.

However, learning the tricks is another story, as VR Skater doesn't offer hints during the levels. Some of the tricks don't quite mimic real life - for example, the side olly requires simultaneous head turns and left and right handles. You also can't rely on the same moves to get high scores. Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals rate your performance, while VR Skater penalizes repetitive tricks. Skills that are repeated multiple times will decrement until the minimum is reached.

Memorizing gestures and combos is difficult and a bit tricky, so the extra tutorial almost feels like a necessity. At first you might easily pass the initial level and get only a bronze medal. The game's difficulty curve can be daunting--this game demands patience, not instant gratification.

Still, when I was able to grind wheel tracks or avoid obstacles, completing tricks felt stylish and satisfying. I've never been good at real skateboarding, so moves like 720 spin flips or backside slides excite me. After several hours of practice, I got my first gold medal and felt that my hard work finally paid off.

VR Skater has eight maps, with plans to release three more maps for you to show off your skills in local neighborhoods, construction sites, and other locations. There's plenty of map variety, and while the visuals aren't particularly great, the rock soundtrack seems to fit perfectly with the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series. Each map has a fixed destination, and multiple paths often keep the game interesting. Some routes, though, lack opportunities for finesse, leaving a sense of emptiness.

The Mega Ramp is an extra map, and thus an exception, which uses two high-speed ramps with no branching options. It is different from the ordinary street environment and is specially used to practice aerial movements. Diverse maps are always welcome, but that alone isn't enough to make mega ramps fun. I never went back after trying a few times.

Maps are mostly unlocked through "tour mode". In addition to mega ramps, each map offers a free practice mode and four challenge types. 'Spot Challenges' focus on individual obstacles and require you to perform tricks in three tries. 'Best Trick' asks you to perform five tricks and calculates a total score from the best four. If you fall or collide, it counts as zero skill.

'Street Run' is the runway that completes the entire area. The checkpoint system regenerates your position after a collision, but sometimes puts you directly in front of an obstacle. There wasn't enough of a way around it other than to crash again, and I had to start over a few times, which affected my coherence. Although it rarely happens, it's irritating and makes the game feel slightly rough. Finally, 'Sudden Death' plays like Street Run; the only difference is that it only takes one collision to end the entire attempt.

Getting through "tour mode" takes just three hours, though looking at it that way might miss the point of the game itself. VR Skater is designed for the hard of hearing and records top scores for each challenge. I didn't feel the need to re-attempt the challenge after getting the gold medal, but getting there was another story. The few times I've come close to winning silver or gold, I've jumped back right away.

Players are further incentivized to progress through the experience point system, with bonus points awarded for silver and gold medals. You won't get faster skateboards or easier tricks, but this will unlock customization options in the Skater shop, letting you choose from full-color boards, checkerboard designs, flames, new original trucks, wheels, and more. For players looking for some personalization, this is a great option without going too slow.

VR Skater Review – Final Verdict

VR Skater is an enjoyable skateboarding sim that might frustrate those looking for quick gratification. Learning new tricks is difficult, making mastering the game challenging, and the steep learning curve means that only limited progress can be made with the basic controls. Successfully getting gold on the map can feel rewarding if you're willing to put in the time to learn advanced tricks, but there are a few issues that make it hard to fully recommend.