SSX
SCORE: 80
EA Sports has successfully revived NBA
JAM. They have successfully revived NFL Blitz. Now they are on the path
to revive SSX. Will it be successful? Oh yes, we get Tricky with our SSX
review. The core of SSX is the snowboarding. There are three main kinds
of modes - Race It, Trick It, and Survive It. They are just like they
sound too. Get to the bottom first, do the most tricks, and actually
make it to the bottom alive.
Rarely is there just one path down the mountain in SSX. There are more
than multiple paths. There are mountains. The area players can go is
large. I love boarding down these mountains looking for the snowflakes,
and something different from an area I had not previously explored. The
Explore Mode is the best in SSX in my opinion. There are over 150 drop
sites for the player.
I have been following the screen shots in the FFG magazine for some time
now. They make SSX look fantastic. The reason for that is this home
console game looks great. There are all kinds of things going on in SSX.
From trees, to jumps, to poles to grind on. I found power lines, and
rail road tracks in this downhill title. The difference between powder
and ice is distinguishable in SSX. Players can hit things like trees,
and fall. Thankfully SSX is about speed and getting us right back into
the action.
The music in SSX woke me up. I found some songs I enjoyed and others I
was not fond of. EA Sports is smart about this, and lets players turn
off songs they do not like. The tutorial does a fantastic job of
explaining how to play SSX. I also appreciate how the difficulty level
is tapered to allow us to learn the skills we need to compete.
The Playstation 3 version of SSX includes Mt Fuji. That will drive many
gamers to that version. The World Tour includes nine other areas for
players to explore, trick, and race in. Online modes abound in SSX.
Players can compete against their friends or complete strangers.
Characters in SSX level up as the player does well. There are also items
that can be purchased that improve the players skills. SSX is one of
those games that can easily be played for a month or two.
The controls are the true marvel of SSX. The two main controls are the
left and right analog sticks. There are buttons used for tricks, and
rewinding; but the two analog sticks are what are used most often. If
you want classic SSX controls then EA Sports has you covered as well. I
can tell that EA Sports put a lot of thought into SSX. They made it
approachable by all. They provided upgrades but do not force gamers to
use them.
If you do not land properly then you lose the tricks performed in the
air. This is a great lesson to all of us to finish the race well. We can
do all kinds of wonderful things, but if we miss the landing we negate
what we just did. That is the biggest lesson I learned from SSX. I also
learned to wear armor while flying through a forest at night. Those
Survival levels are insane.
EA Sports has successfully revived the SSX franchise. This is a game
that all kinds of different families, and all kinds of different gamers
can enjoy.
- Frank
Graphics: 78%
Sound: 70%
Replay/Extras: 87%
Gameplay: 90%
Family Friendly Factor: 74%
System: Playstation 3/Xbox 360
Publisher: EA Sports
Rating: ‘E’- Everyone
{Mild Lyrics, Mild Violence}
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