SSX for Sony Playstation 2

Never before has a snowboarding game contained as much excitement and fun as SSX. EA Sports Canada has delivered an outstanding Playstation 2 game that excels in every category.
To call SSX a snowboarding simulation would be inaccurate. It is a fast paced arcade-style racing game that balances the importance of speed and precision with the need to perform daring tricks. The premise of SSX is simple: six snowboarders race down complex courses to the finish line. The courses are nonlinear, meaning that you have a wide range of freedom to explore. SSX billboards mark shortcuts in the course which you can use to your advantage over competitors. You have the freedom to move to almost any location, although some areas are slower than others. This sense of freedom in SSX distinguishes it from the other more restricting games of its kind. In addition to shortcuts, you can build up a speed-meter by performing outrageous stunts with your snowboard. A variety of 360 plus spin, flip and backflip moves are at your disposal in addition to several board-grabbing tricks. The basic tricks will provide a slight boost to your speed-meter while the more outstanding ones give a significant boost. These points can be used as a "turbo" booster that causes your snowboarder to move faster. You should not, however, rely on tricks alone, for performing too many stunts will slow your snowboarder down enough for opponents to overtake him/her in a race. The balance of speed, shortcuts and tricks is perfectly woven together into the gameplay of SSX.

The graphical power of the Playstation 2 is clearly demonstrated in SSX. Courses are massive, ranging several miles in length. There are no "pop-in" problems either: everything in the distance is fully visible. The attention to details in SSX is impressive. Textures are high resolution, snowboarder models animate well and consist of high polygons, fireworks explode into the air as you perform a stunt and the boards grind up snow powder, leaving wakes as they tear through. The frame rate of the game is consistently smooth and rarely slows down, but never enough to disturb the game. SSX boasts excellent audio as well. The sound effects of churning snowboards sliding across various types of terrain is accurately represented. The music in SSX is a revolutionary new concept in game design. Not only does it feature music by the Beastie Boys, Rahzel, Rasmus and Hybrid, but it also ties the music directly into the gameplay. As you perform a stunt, the volume becomes intensely quiet as you attempt to perform your move. A successful move brings the music back to full volume and tempo, adding notes and bass to encourage you to keep racing more vigorously. If you wipeout face-first into the snow, however, several notes are dropped from the score resulting in a handicapped version of the song. You will be determined to get up and move along not only to win the race, but also to bring the music back to full score as well. As you gain progress in a race, the music becomes more lively and upbeat to drive you along towards the finish line.

Winning in SSX will reward you with unlockable snowboarders, outfits, race courses and snowboards. Be warned though, SSX is a very challenging game. In order to complete a course you must race in preliminary, semi-final and final rounds. If you do not place in the top three in all of the races, you must start over from the beginning. The warm up course is essential to learning how to play SSX. Luckily, it is very thorough and can be played as many times as you like. SSX is easy to learn via this course but difficult to master. In addition, it also features a well-implemented replay camera system that allows you to record your best performances onto the Playstation 2 memory card. The two player split-screen mode is also a fun competitive experience.

SSX belongs in the library of every Playstation 2 owner. Few games have been able to weave so many elements together into a blend of intense excitement and fun. EA Sports Canada has done an outstanding job in creating the most original, innovative title for the Playstation 2.

Highs: Great graphics, gameplay and audio. Lots of fun. Unlockable features.

Lows: Very challenging with a steep initial learning curve.

Screenshots


Reviewed by Davis Lentz
Developed by EA Sports
For Playstation 2