Trying the new "Skate" game on PS5.

After being absent for several years (Skate 3 was released in 2010), we finally have the sequel to EA Black Box's iconic series, originally conceived as a sort of direct competitor to Tony Hawk's, which gradually created its own identity while earning the love of its fans.

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The reason? Skate struck a firm balance between arcade and simulation, making its players more directly involved in performing tricks on the skateboard, yet still capable of being exaggerated and fun. The original Skate trilogy perfectly embraced the technical capabilities of the then-young seventh generation of consoles, building around an open world full of possibilities and allowing us to control our progression.

With the brilliant remakes of Pro Skater 1+2 and 3+4 released for the PlayStation 4 and 5, it seemed the industry was ready to give skateboarding games another chance, so what better time for another Skate installment?

Thus, Skate (2025) emerged. Considering the lack of a number, it's nothing more than a reboot of the franchise, retaining the classic titles that made the originals classic but adapting everything to meet its standards.

And while there are a couple of questionable decisions in its presentation (like the fact that it's free to play), my first impressions indicate that everything I loved about Skate 3 is still here: the open world, the flexible mission structure, and the ability to shape our skater to our liking.

If I bitterly mention the fact that Skate 2025 is free to download, it's not because I prefer to pay full price for an experience like this, but because I'm concerned about Electronic Arts' eagerness to turn this into a live service closer to something like Fortnite than a skate game capable of sustaining itself without constantly investing real money.

However, in its favor, we must recognize that, at least during the first few hours of the game, most of the "premium" options are nothing more than cosmetics: new decks, shoes, or clothing inspired by real-life skater brands like Trasher.

As with its predecessors, the gameplay remains its greatest strength, and, as this is a kind of early access/open beta, it's clear that there are many details to be polished regarding the overall gaming experience, starting with a bug that crashes the title from the first launch unless we download some additional languages (something I discovered thanks to Reddit).

Skate 2025 feels raw, but it has the potential to become a solid game over the coming months. Its cartoonish style is refreshing, and its open world doubles down on everything we've seen in previous installments.

I honestly expected more from the jump to next-gen consoles, but I think this will be more than enough for those who love the franchise.