Kinda Funny Gamescast: "Skate: Our First Impressions"

Episode Date: September 17, 2025
Hosts: Andy Cortez, Blessing Adeoye Jr., Mike (Mongo Skating Mike), Barrett
Main Topic: First Impressions and Discussion of SKATE (Early Access)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the crew's first experiences with the newly released SKATE early access. The hosts review the game's mechanics, art style, customization, social/multiplayer features, and live service elements, offering honest opinions on both what works and what feels lacking. The feel of the classic SKATE gameplay is weighed against changes in visuals, structure, and community content.

Skater Banter & Set-Up (00:00–09:08)

• Hosts kick things off with playful banter about "Mongo pushing" (an infamous skating technique) and stream highlights.
• Inside jokes about Mike's unconventional skating style set the casual, humorous tone:
  • "He's always been Mongo push." — Barrett (00:52)
  • "Does it change your gameplay? Like, does it make you faster?" — Mike (00:56)
  • "No, you just don't look as cool." — Blessing (00:59)
• Brief detour into Kinda Funny business, podcast housekeeping, and member shoutouts.
• Chat about food, cultural exchange, and the idea for a team potluck brings warmth and personality.

Skate: Early Access Impressions

General Thoughts & Concerns (09:08–13:52)

• Blessing: Highlights a buggy, visually underwhelming early build but affirms SKATE "feels like it's back."
  • "The build that we're playing off of is buggy as hell. I had to restart my game like six or seven times..." (09:54)
  • "There's something that's just so satisfying about that experience... this game is putting the early in early access." (11:03)
• Mike: Enthusiastic about the core skating, but flags lack of fulfilling multiplayer experiences despite a "shared world."
  • "At its core, it's skate... It is skate at its very fundamental core." (12:11)
  • "There's this weird push and pull... It's a shared open world, but it also feels so solo and lonely." (13:11)
• Core Gameplay: The crew agrees the challenge-completion and trick-repetition loop remains addictive.

Multiplayer & Shared World Disconnection (13:52–16:28)

• Multiplayer structure feels isolated; parties can't truly skate "with" each other unless organizing outside the game.
  • "There is no reason to call this a shared experience..." — Mike (13:57)
  • "It's like we're doing things in the same lobby, but it doesn't feel like we're doing it together." — Blessing (16:17)
• Activities like "showdowns" are limited and poorly integrated, furthering the solitary feeling.

Art Style, Customization, & Live Service Model

Visual Style & World Design (16:28–18:21)

• Art direction is a shift from gritty realism toward a Sim/Fortnite mix. Mike finds it acceptable, Blessing finds it bland and "sterile."
  • "Kind of Sims meets Fortnite." — Mike (10:56)
  • "There's something about it that feels sterile." — Blessing (11:12)

Game Progression & Content Gating (18:21–22:54)

• Mike hits the cap on available challenges quickly; timers block continued progression, frustrating those eager to grind.
  • "They told me, hey Mike, come back in 11 hours. I hated that." (18:21)
• Monetization: Game is free-to-play, with mostly cosmetic microtransactions. Mike spends money on a jacket but prefers free gear for aesthetics.
  • "It's completely free to play. None of the microtransactions are... needed." (19:40)

Core Loop & Sandbox Elements (22:54–24:29)

• Andy: Newcomer questions; learns SKATE is not about upgrades, but finding tricks, personalizing play, and discovering "dope" spots.
• User-generated content is a vital component—a signature of the series carried forward.

Player Creations & World Impact (24:29–26:41)

• Sandbox builds can clutter areas, echoing other live service games but can be set to private/friends-only.
• Early access is available everywhere, with stable performance minus typical live service connection hiccups.

Customization & In-Game Progression (29:30–34:57)

• Character Creation: Shallow, according to Mike and Blessing.
  • "90% of the time you're looking at the backside of your skater... but still, I was really let down." — Mike (29:52)
  • "C minus on the character creation... it's pretty bare bones." — Blessing (30:53)
• Cosmetics are the main form of progression; unlocks are mostly for clothing, skateboards, wheels, etc.
• In-game currency mostly feeds loot boxes for cosmetics; variety and excitement of unlocks are debated.
  • "You're kind of doing that where you're getting one, maybe two items in an unboxing... most of the time you're getting a plain white shirt." — Barrett (33:06)
  • Mike argues loot boxes deliver quickly and without duplicates, so he doesn’t mind.

Notable Features and Missing Elements (35:02–41:39)

Climbing & Locomotion (35:02–36:11)

• Assassin’s Creed-style climbing feels odd but functional and speeds up navigation to skate-spot rooftops.

Music Collection (36:12–36:37)

• Diegetic music can be "collected" from speakers, cars, and boomboxes around the world.
  • "If you hold a button, you can grab that song... then add songs to my soundtrack." — Blessing (36:24)

Social Interaction/Voice Chat (38:08–39:12)

• Game lacks voice chat for now, with proximity chat and party voice set to arrive in a later season.
  • “For such a collaborative experience, no voice chat is odd.” — Mike (38:08)

Multiplayer & "Community" Gaps (39:13–41:39)

• The community aspects feel superficial, mirroring the Destiny Tower or NBA 2K “neighborhood” but lacking depth without robust interaction tools.

Build & Trick Variety (41:23–42:03)

• Missing several tricks and multiplayer modes (Death Race, Own the Spot, etc.) from earlier games, which is disappointing for veterans.

Comparison, Questions, and Roadmap (42:04–46:28)

• Comparison to racing games: "Tony Hawk is to Forza Horizon as Skate is to Forza Motorsport" (42:03)—arcade vs. sim.
• Roadmap Overview: Upcoming seasons will add voice chat, replay editing, player-created parks, and game modes (see 44:51 for details).
• Most desired features: The crew craves more meaningful multiplayer, social features, private lobbies, robust "create a park" tools, and iconic challenges/events.

The "Vibe" Problem: Where's the Culture? (46:28–53:30)

• Bland Writing & Voice Acting: The dialogue and characters lack charisma, with some real skaters voicing generic NPCs poorly.
  • “We need to bring in actual voice actors... not monotone delivery for three and a half hours of tutorial stuff.” — Barrett (48:38)
• Absence of Skate Culture: Lack of real brands, authentic music, or recognizable skaters undermines immersion and "sauce."
  • “It feels like it exists in a vacuum where skating exists, but skating culture doesn’t exist.” — Blessing (50:57)
• Missed Opportunities: Calls for more licensed music, Tim Robinson as a voice actor, and a return to Skate's punk, irreverent roots.

Wishlist & "Magic Wand" Segment (53:31–58:08)

• Crew's Most Wanted:
  • Mike: Private lobbies for up to 40 players, wider game modes, more tricks, user-created parks—“Let me own this open world.”
  • Blessing: Battle royale–esque challenge modes, expanded co-op, deeper interaction.
  • Andy: More authentic culture touches, session-based “one more try” video game magic.
• Multiplayer Ideas: Skate battle royale, obstacle courses, trick-based elimination.
  • “I want Skate Battle Royale. But it’s like fall guys—I want it to be obstacle based.” — Blessing (56:48)
• Content & Culture: Integration of skating legends, classic brands (Etnies, Osiris), and the “punk rock” feel are cited as crucial for the soul of the franchise.

The Core of SKATE: What Works (58:09–64:57)

• "One More Try" Factor: The challenge system and skating "feel" are magnetic; the urge to master big combos remains the heart of the game.
  • “SKATE is the perfect ‘one more try’ video game.” — Mike (63:02)
• Challenges: Stories of failing and retrying tough trick combos echo what fans love about the series.
  • “I was on this for probably like 20 minutes straight... I was so locked the fuck in.” — Blessing (60:17)
• Physics and Control: New landing mechanics add depth to tricks and stunts.
• Hall of Meat: Fan-favorite injury mode is missing but requested by audience and hosts alike.

Closing Thoughts (64:23–65:32)

• Overall Sentiment: The core gameplay is strong, but the live service trappings, lack of culture, and social/creative features need rapid improvement.
  • “At its core it is great—around it, it's just early access, and that sucks.” — Mike (64:13)
• Listener Takeaway: Despite obvious flaws and rough edges, the hosts are optimistic—provided SKATE continues evolving and reconnects with its countercultural identity.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Mongo Pushing: "No, you just don't look as cool." — Blessing (00:59)
• On Early Access State: "This game is putting the early in early access." — Blessing (11:03)
• On Multiplayer Disconnect: "There is really no reason to call this a shared experience..." — Mike (13:57)
• On Core Appeal: "At its core, it's Skate. They didn't change it." — Mike (12:11)
• On Customization: "C minus on the character creation... it's pretty bare bones." — Blessing (30:53)
• On Lack of Culture: "It feels like it exists in a vacuum where skating exists, but skating culture doesn’t exist." — Blessing (50:57)
• On "One More Try": "SKATE is the perfect one more try video game." — Mike (63:02)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–09:08: Banter & show intro
• 09:08–13:52: First impressions and bugs
• 13:52–16:28: Multiplayer/shared world discussion
• 16:28–18:21: Art style, world design
• 18:21–22:54: Progression, content gating, microtransactions
• 24:29–26:41: World personalization and early access platform details
• 29:30–34:57: Customization & progression
• 35:02–36:11: Climbing and locomotion
• 36:12–36:37: Music collection mechanic
• 38:08–39:12: Social features and voice chat
• 41:23–42:03: Trick/mode removal disappointments
• 44:51–46:28: Game roadmap/future updates
• 46:28–53:30: Cultural critique, writing, and music
• 53:31–58:08: Feature wishlist and "magic wand" segment
• 58:09–64:97: Core challenge gameplay & wrap-up

Summary

Kinda Funny’s crew is excited about the bones of SKATE’s return—the satisfying challenge-completion, trick mechanics, and endless “one more try” vibes hold up after a decade away. However, early access is rough, with sterile visuals, minimal customization, and the sense of skateboarding culture (music, real brands, authentic voice) diluted by corporate live service structures and missing features.

The consensus: SKATE’s back, and it feels right, but it needs meaningful multiplayer, cultural personality, and creative tools ASAP to rise above its bland, too-safe shell. If SKATE can fix its social/multiplayer gaps, expand customization, and channel its punk, irreverent roots, the next year could see SKATE reclaim its legendary status among fans.