Skate is a great game, and while the controls are fun and unique, they're not quite perfect
Skate offers a brand new control scheme that can set a base for many games in the future. Instead of a traditional "hold this button to crouch and release to jump, push another button to do a trick" deal, you push the right analogue-stick in one direction and "flick it" in another direction to do tricks. It's very fun and unexpectedly natural. The problem here is that they tried to cram so many tricks into one little analogue-stick, and to often you find yourself doing one trick, when you wanted to do a different trick. This wouldn't be such a big deal, except for the fact that the Career Mode requires you to do specific tricks, which obviously won't always happen. Also, it's a little too easy to just sit there flinging the right stick frantically and randomly in an attempt to rack up huge scores. The other controls are fine though, the triggers to grab, B to brake, A to pump with right foot, X to pump with left foot.
Another problem found here is the camera angle. If you've ever watched videos of people skateboarding on youtube where they have that "under the skater" angle, that's pretty much this game's camera angle. While it's unique, it's hard to see stuff that's right in front of you. And since it's not centered, but slightly to the side, it's hard to predict whether or not you're going to hit that pedestrian, or that lamp post. And when you try to jump onto a rail, I would recommend trying to hit it at an angle instead of strait on, it's much easier to aim that way.
As for the multiplayer, the only offerings for local play are S.K.A.T.E (also known as H.O.R.S.E.) and Spot Battle (a turn-based contest to see who can get the most points on select objects). But with all the locations to go to, it surprisingly doesn't get boring as quickly as one might think it would. As for online multiplayer, it's FANTASTIC. you can play up to 8-player matches of S.K.A.T.E, Spot Battle, Jam (who can rack up the most points within the time limit), Best Trick (kind of like Spot Battle, except not turn-based, and it's kinda hard to explain the other main difference, you'll figure it out quickly enough), Death Race (simply finish first), and Spot Race (basically Death Race and Best Trick at the same time). The online is one of the main reasons why I kept the game after I beat it. I wouldn't disagree with you if you bought it solely for the multiplayer.
So Overall, Skate is a fun, uniquely made game that, while the new stuff that it presents needs some fine tuning, will keep you busy with a lengthy varied Career Mode (I don't really know the specifics, probably between 15 and 20 hours) with replay value and amazing, addictive multiplayer content.