Helskate

Helskate is an original cross between a slasher, a roguelike and arcade skateboarding games reminiscent of the Tony Hawk series. It was developed by an indie studio Phantom Coast, its main designer being Steve Swink, known for his work on games such as Tony Hawk's Underground.

Plot

Helskate is set in the fantasy world of Vertheim. We play as an adventurer facing hordes of monsters inhabiting the land and the gods of skateboarding who rule it.

Mechanics

Helskate is a third-person game (TPP). The player traverses Vertheim on a skateboard, cutting down hordes of enemies. Apart from regular foes, which we slaughter left and right, we'll also face powerful bosses.

Enemies can be dispatched through our diverse arsenal of weaponry, including melee (hammers, swords) and ranged weapons (shurikens) or various gadgets (such as explosives). To succeed we must keep moving, dodging and countering, chaining our attacks into deadly combos.

Our skateboard can be used for more than just moving around. The playable character's capable of many different tricks, such as aerial stunts, grinding or wallriding. Each trick is scored, while chaining them into combos increases the score multiplier. Tricks also empower us, making our attacks stronger.

As we progress through the game, we gradually develop our character. New skateboards grant us various buffs, better weapons let us face stronger foes, while acquiring tattoos provides the protagonist with permanent skill bonuses. After each death, the game's world changes, meaning each run is different than the last.

Technical aspects

Helskate makes use of an atmospheric, cartoonish artstyle.