One of the indie titles that caught my attention that was featured at PAX East 2024 showcase was Helskate, a game that fuses the skateboarding with the wild Art of a Tattoo parlor.
Helskate is a Tony Hawk-like trick combat game with a 2010s Saturday morning cartoon art style.
“Helskate” pays homage to underground skate culture, blending heavy metal album cover influences with graffiti and neon lights. The environments are infernal skate parks, apocalyptic ruins, or something else. They’re all live with personality.
The gameplay is a high-adrenaline mix of smooth skate mechanics and fluid, weapon-based combat. Players string together tricks and combos, not just to skate through the world, but to power up attacks against loads of monsters. The combat system is solid and keeps the game interesting where other games would feel tedious. The game also rewards creativity, encouraging players to experiment with different weapons and skating styles to score higher combo points.
Helskate’s director, Steve Swink, worked on Tony Hawk Underground, which makes it a great game for fans of the Tony Hawk series. This game feels like it would be considered Devil May Cry’s western cousin. The art style of the game fits with the stereotypical style, that of any nostalgic rider would appreciate. If you like high-energy indie roguelikes, then Helskate is for you.