Bite-sized Review:
Barton Lynch Pro Surfing

By Chris Picone, 28 November 2023

I'm going to call it right now:  Barton Lynch Pro Surfing is the Tony Hawk of surfing games.  Seriously, this game's top shelf.  Surfing fans should love it, obviously, but I think fans of skating and similar trick-based sporting games will love it too.  Word of warning though:  It's hard!  Or maybe I just suck at it.

Aesthetics

Just look at them! The in-game graphics are fantastic - not just the water effects and the gnarly big waves but the variety of it.  Barton Lynch sees you surfing waves all over the world, and each features different colours according to the depth of the water, more or less rippling depending on wind conditions, clearer or darker water depending on where you are in the world.  And if that wasn't enough, there's tons of polish added; the beaches in the distance, whether along the coastline of a town or butting up against imposing cliffs, it's all really beautiful and adds to that real world surfing vibe. Barton Lynch features tons of customisation - big name surfers, big name surf labels, tons of boards and gear. Music's pretty chill too.

Gameplay

This is, of course, where Barton Lynch shines.  Although the controls are simple, actually executing any moves can be quite challenging.  There's a lot to think about - the direction the wave is breaking, the speed of the break, the best way to enter... and then once you're there trying to get up on your board and find the right angles.  And if you manage to stay upright, there are tons of tricks to have a go at, depending on the type of wave.  Shredding levels see you trying for big air and grab tricks, shack attacks see you scoring points in the tube, and big wave sessions see you trying tricks inside the wave and trying not to get bombed.  There's a huge career mode which has you travelling the world competing and trying to score prize money - necessary to pay for flights to continue travelling, new wetsuits, new boards.  But there are also challenge and free surf modes.  

Verdict

Barton Lynch Pro Surfing is a supreme sporting game, top shelf, and I'm not exaggerating when I say it's the Tony Hawk of surfing games.  Even though I suck at it, I had a great time playing, and it just has so much to offer, it really is impressive.

Links: 

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1776170/Barton_Lynch_Pro_Surfing/