Shredding Through Hell: The Epic Meeting of Tony Hawk and Hades

Video game fans have had an exciting week with some impressive showcases. While PlayStation's showcase may have been a bit underwhelming for some, Summer Game Fest, hosted by Geoff Keighley as a replacement for E3, exceeded expectations. Following that, Double Fine's Day of the Devs showcase highlighted several new and thrilling indie games, including the standout title Helskate. Developed by indie studio Phantom Coast, Helskate made its debut about 20 minutes into the showcase and managed to capture attention despite being surrounded by popular hits such as Hyper Light Breaker and Viewfinder. The game offers a unique blend of Hades and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, making it a must-play for gamers. Moreover, it is set to release soon, adding to the excitement surrounding the game.

Helskate Looks Like the Perfect Blend of Tony Hawk and Hades

The game also takes inspiration from action RPGs, with players being able to level up their character and unlock new abilities as they progress through the game. The combination of skateboarding and monster-killing may seem like an odd pairing, but it actually works surprisingly well. The game's vibrant and colorful art style adds to the overall fun and energetic vibe of the gameplay. Helskate may not be the most realistic skateboarding game out there, but it's definitely one of the most unique and enjoyable.

In Helskate's reveal trailer, the influence of Hades is increasingly apparent through its art style, which is reminiscent of Hades' cel-shaded look. The game also features hand-drawn portraits and stylized speech bubbles during NPC dialogue, similar to Hades. Helskate is a roguelite game where players must restart the entire level upon dying. Players can unlock new skateboards that grant them new weapons and potentially new abilities, as well as tattoos with special bonuses like extra dashes. Additionally, Helskate's reveal trailer showcases a moment where players can choose from three potential upgrades after running into a glowing marker on the ground, similar to Hades' Boon system.

The similarities between Helskate's story and the relationship between Zagreus and Hades in Greek mythology are striking. The main character, a demon cast aside by his mentor who happens to be a demon ruler, bears a strong resemblance to the dynamic between Zagreus and his father. It will be interesting to see how this plays out when Helskate is released on Steam Early Access in 2024.