Session: Skate Sim Review (Goofy Oomfie)
For the impatient: Session is in a rough state that mixes very high highs and very low lows. If you are looking for a very realistic skating experience and are able to forgive other general videogame stuff, you will be likely happy with it. If you are a regular player without that high of a standard for realism and no previous knowledge of skating, be aware that the game has huge QoL and just general game design flaws.
As of its initial full release leaving Early Access, this is a game that hardly meets the quality standards of a proper videogame release. What seems to be a laser focus on skating mechanics has left many other aspects of the game unattended. While this focus is understandable, not having the rest of the game be up to the standards is really not a good look for what is supposed to be a full release.
Outside of the context of your character being on the board, Session is wonky in many respects from map traversing to reach the next mission's area to the general controls and camera while walking. I wouldn't even say unpolished but flat out abandoned. For every little tweak and setting you can adjust for even the most niche of things to tailor your skating experience to your own taste, there's a basic setting that is missing. For the average video game player, this is pretty unacceptable in what is supposed to be a complete game. For this, the game is and will be extensively criticized, and it is not undeserved. It really doesn't feel ready to make this step from EA to full release.
However, I think it is unfair to just ignore the things that have been accomplished. Skating, while unintuitive at first with its unorthodox but ultimately smart control mapping, presents a somewhat painful first contact but a very satisfying experience that gets better and better as you start to get used to it. For this, the game is and will be extensively praised, and it is not undeserved.
All in all, Session as a videogame has many flaws, but as a skating simulator is quite outstanding. Actual skaters praise it; and I, even though I cannot say anything in regards to its actual accuracy, can vouch for it successfully making me feel like I am actually controlling the board and not just a state machine like the Tony Hawk games I grew up with.
Because of this I choose to give this a positive review, albeit with a warning.