As somebody who continues to skate properly into their twenties, I do know a factor or two about kickflips, 50-50s, and the like. And by extension, I additionally know a factor or two about skating video games.
I’ve a whole lot of time for the arcade type, over-the-top motion of the THPS collection, and I equally adore the true-to-life take caused courtesy of EA Skate. Nevertheless, in case you’re searching for realism, then nothing compares to Session: Skate Sim.
This phenomenal skating title feels as near the true factor as doable, making even probably the most fundamental strains really feel like an achievement. Which is accented by the fantastic real-world locales you may have at your disposal to skate to your coronary heart’s content material.
That being mentioned, the perfect skate spots are usually discovered on this recreation’s DLC map content material, and fortunate for you, I do know every of those maps in and out.
I’ll rank every of the Session DLC maps, permitting you to make an knowledgeable resolution about which of them are value spending cash on and which are not value tearing up.
6
Prague
A Slavic Session
Sadly, the latest DLC map, Prague, which was launched just some days in the past on the time of writing, is a little bit of a bust. Prague is a really fairly map, and it has some good stair units, ledges, and DIY additions.
However the issue is that, once you strip it again and have a look at it for what it’s, it is only a park. The bottom recreation has an abundance of those park areas, and virtually each one in all them is extra fascinating than Prague.
Except you are actually into technical ledge strains, there is not an terrible lot of enjoyable available right here, and there are no standout or distinct spots that make the map a location you will return to time and time once more.
It seems like a type of parks you’d find yourself throwing collectively your self within the THPS park editor. There may be far an excessive amount of open area and never sufficient standout areas to fixate on for hours on finish. It isn’t terrible, but it surely’s the one park I might say is not definitely worth the cash.
5
Phat Nugget Mall
No Mall Grabs Allowed
I’d get a bit warmth for placing the Deserted Mall map to this point down on this checklist, and to an extent, I get that. aesthetically, it is unimaginable and looks like a love letter to the Mall degree within the authentic THPS.
Nevertheless, this map is a bit too dilapidated for its personal good. Most of the slopes and drops are exhausting to skate persistently, and the verticality of the map because of the varied flooring would not actually mesh with the sport’s mechanics.
It is also very tough to place collectively strains and get right into a move state, as you will consistently have to hop off your board to get the place you could go.
It’s extremely compact, however the upside is that it does have little pockets of brilliance, just like the neon hall with neat ledges, rails, and curved benches. To not point out holes within the flooring and properly positioned kickers for gnarly drops.
If there was rather less crap mendacity round, and it was a bit extra spacious, it will be an excellent map to simply zip round, however regardless of having its moments, it is a map that appears the half however fails to ship.
4
Paris
Patiner et détruire
Subsequent, we’ve got Paris, which was launched across the time of the Paris Olympics, the place skateboarding loved its second look on the age-old sporting occasion.
This map has a number of the similar points as Prague, with a whole lot of huge open areas and a few tough across the edges spots. But it surely greater than makes up for it with a wealth of eye-catching spots which can be enjoyable to skate, and quite a lot of completely different obstacles.
You will have the Siene financial institution with good ledges and drops, you may have the unimaginable overlook of the Eiffel Tower with nice ledges, stair units and banks, and also you actually have a park space with a contemporary take and a bowl that is a great deal of enjoyable to skate, albeit with some minor points on account of the video games hassle with transition.
All in all, it is a phenomenal real-world locale value skating and has sufficient selection to warrant a purchase order.
3
The Sewers
Skaters In A Half Shell
You’ll have thought that with the TMNT crossover being a free DLC replace, the related map could be rather less grand in scale when in comparison with the paid DLC.
However surprisingly, this map is without doubt one of the higher DLC choices and gives an superior, flowing skating gauntlet run via two large sewage pipes of your selecting, every resulting in an underground skate park with numerous wonderful obstacles.
It is the mix of ways in which gamers can have interaction with this one which makes it so nice. You’ll be able to bomb down every pipe akin to Downhill Jam and hit ledges and ramps as you go. Or you may get technical and hit the park part to piece collectively an intricate line.
To not point out, all of the cool graffiti and TMNT crossover content material is a welcome bonus. Without cost DLC, you actually are spoiled by this one, so decide the turtle of your selecting and get caught in.
2
Chris Cole’s Waterpark
Slip & Slide
Our runner-up looks like Session doing its finest EA Skate impression, and attempting to copy Danny Method’s Tremendous Extremely Mega Park. It isn’t fairly as obscenely excessive as that, but it surely’s positively as shut as Session can do with out throwing realism out the window.
This waterpark is a big map with a whole lot of nooks and crannies with superior obstacles to skate. Naturally, you will need to hit the slides first, since you’re solely human, however there’s rather more to this map than a few colourful waterslides.
There is a bunch of superior DIY parts to the park, there’s some nice banks and stair units, there’s a lot verticality in one of the simplest ways doable, permitting you to go at obstacles at velocity, and the place appears to be like unimaginable, too.
The one factor that stops this place from taking the highest spot is that a whole lot of the issues that look most enjoyable to skate on this park are the least satisfying as the sport is not transition-oriented, resulting in some elements of the park that really feel very awkward to skate. However the truth that you get to roll round because the legend that’s Chris Cole considerably makes up for that.
1
Schoolyard
As somebody that performed a whole lot of Skater XL earlier than hopping over to Session, I nonetheless miss rolling round Straightforward Day Excessive College. It was a tremendous map, however I might argue that Session’s Schoolyard DLC may be only a smidge higher.
You will have all the pieces you may ever need right here, bleachers for lengthy grinds, gnarly stair units, ledges on raised banks, and loads of techy spots for flowing strains.
Nevertheless, the true star attraction right here is the legendary stair set, El Toro. Any skater who is aware of their stuff is aware of how daunting El Toro is, and having the ability to soak up on and personal the spot your self is an excellent factor.
It is a map that permits you to channel your interior Daewon Tune and rule the college, and for me, it is the perfect map that Session: Skate Sim has to supply by a ways.
