Can the franchise conquer the slopes after a 5 year break?
It’s been a helluva long time since SSX last graced a console. So the stakes are high for its comeback, but will it end up under an avalanche or will it rise like a phoenix from the flames? Well, to say SSX is a good game is an understatement…
But first, let’s get the negatives out of the way so we can focus on what makes SSX worth playing. The single player element of SSX is lacklustre and short at 5 hours, but it does serve as a good way of prepping you for online play, which is the main focus of the game where you can compete against players for high scores while leaving a ghost to maintain your time against your rivals.
SSX can either be played with a new control method of analog sticks or a traditional setup using buttons, so those who’ve played SSX games before will feel right at home. The formula hasn’t changed much either, pull off tricks to get boost, boost to pull off better tricks, which gets you even more boost and so on. It’s very forgiving as well, there’s even a rewind feature if you mess up. Some of the tricks you pull off are impressive and it’s clear that each level’s design has been catered for some serious tricks to be shown off.
Besides the standard races and beating trick scores, there’s also a survival mode which pits you against Mother Nature like trees and avalanches, which is quite fun and challenging. SSX also uses an Autolog like setup of Need for Speed fame to help keep track of your progress. The story is basic for the single player, but does enough to get you through it, the game also gives you so much currency to spend that you’ll run out of things to buy.
Visually, SSX isn’t the best looking game but the animations for tricks are superb and the environments run at a solid framerate, while the levels are designed very well. The soundtrack is also impressive.
The Verdict
SSX is back and it’s about damn time. Ok, so the single player is a bit lame…but the multiplayer is incredibly addictive and has tons of replay value. I just hope SSX doesn’t take another 5 year break before we see a sequel…
