When the PlayStation 2 was released,
the system needed a really killer game to launch with it. One of the best games
that came out when the system was launched several years ago was a little game
entitled SSX. This game hit gamers out of nowhere, sure there was other
snowboarding games on other systems, but this game was over the top and just
what the system needed to sell units. Since that time there has been a couple of
sequels that have added more tricks and tried to up the ante in every aspect. EA
has released another sequel entitled SSX On Tour and it is another game that you
will want to own if you love snowboarding games.
Players will notice a difference the
first time they boot up the game. The overall presentation of the game is mixed
with an animated sketchbook with rock-and-roll flare kicked in there as well.
Throughout the loading screens players will see animated icons that are silly
but bring a nice new life to the game. Which brings me to this point: this game
is all about a sense of style and the developers did a very good job at this.
SSX On Tour adds quite a few
additions to the game. The first one that players will notice is that you can
choose to be a snowboarder or snow skier, which is a nice and welcomed change.
The general gameplay is almost identical to snowboarding, yet it has a whole new
set of tricks and trick animations. Even though the game controls pretty much
identically between the two different forms of going down the mountain, snow
skiing still feels different and you will have to adjust how you play it
slightly. This is still a really fun addition to the series that players will
appreciate.
Another new addition in this game is
the ability to create your own character and not just be one of the ones that
came with the game. This allows players to truly create their own sense of style
in this game and make it feel more real to them. While the character creation
choices are not as in-depth as other games, there are still plenty of options to
choose from that will allow you create your ideal character. Later on as you win
different events players will be able to purchase items for their characters to
further give them a sense of individuality.
The two real modes of this game are
quick play and On Tour. The quick play mode will allow players to get right into
the game, without messing with any of the stats of their campaign-mode
characters. This mode is really useful in getting used to all of the controls of
the game. Players will be able to partake in races, trick scoring competitions,
as well as various other modes. One of my favorite modes to play with is the
free ride mode. This allows players to just go down the entire mountain basking
in the game’s beauty and listening to the awesome music that the game provides.
The real meat of this game is in the
campaign mode that the developers have entitled On Tour. In this game mode
players will create their own character then go through many different
challenges trying to win to get more money to upgrade their characters and
obtain more hype, which allows players to advance in the world rankings. To
obtain money all players have to do win the competitions; hype is gained by
knocking down other skiers and your opponents as well as performing awesome
tricks. Some of the more interesting modes are avoiding the ski patrol and
seeing how many tourists you can knock down. These modes really help balance out
the game and make it less repetitive.
The game flow of this mode is really
free roaming as many players have become accustomed to games that have been
released lately. When players first load this mode they will see icons on
different parts of the mountain, which each represent a different challenge.
What I really like is the wide variety of different challenges that players can
participate in this game. First there is the usual racing and trick performing
challenges, but this game throws in some really innovative challenges.
If you have played any of the other
games in the series you will know exactly what to expect. You will still be able
to perform a wide variety of tricks, but this game really conveys the sense that
you are going down a mountain as this game has a better sense of speed. Unlike
the other games in the series, instead of doing “Uber Tricks” players will now
be performing “Monster Tricks” which are done in the same way. Players must
first get their boost meter full by performing smaller tricks, and when that is
done players just hit the right analog stick to see some of the most outlandish
tricks they have ever seen.
SSX On Tour is a great looking game.
Everything is just packed with more detail than in the previous games. The
mountains teem with alternate routes, more trees, and skiers who are not in the
races. The effects that this game has are really nice, which includes falling
snow that makes players believe that they are really on a mountain. The
characters are still packed with tons of details and their animations are really
nice to look at. Having a rock solid framerate is what I really liked about this
game because a game of this nature really demands it and the developers pulled
it off nicely.
One thing that players will notice
is the music that the developers choose for this game the minute that they boot
up. This game features some really good licensed music, especially some of the
classic rock from artists as Def Leopard and Iron Maiden. There can be nothing
better then snowboarding down a mountain jamming out to these bands, which
really fit the entire visual theme the game has going on. The game contains the
normal sound effects and voices that players have grown accustomed to over the
past few years. Nothing is amiss with this category and players will enjoy it.
This game offers multiplayer in the
form of a two-player split screen. While this is fine and good, what I want to
know is where is the online multiplayer? This game screams for players to
compete online to see who is the best snowboarder/skier on the mountain, yet all
we are left with is cutting the screen in half and racing with a buddy. The
options for the multiplayer mode are not that bad, players can do the typical
races, trick scoring competitions, and other various challenges that will keep
you entertained for some time.
SSX On Tour is rated T for Teen.
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Gameplay: 8.9
If you have played any of the other games in the
series you will know what to expect here, especially in the controls department.
This game still controls like a dream, especially on the PlayStation 2
controller.
Graphics: 8.9
SSX On Tour is a really good looking game. The mountains are packed
with more detail than ever and everything is silky smooth with a nice rock-solid
framerate.
Sound: 8.8
The music in this game was really good. What was surprising to hear
some classic rock music featured that really fits well with the game’s
atmosphere.
Difficulty: Medium
If you have played any of the other games in the series you will know
what to expect here, especially in the controls department.
Concept: 8.7
I really have liked playing the SSX series throughout the years as they
continue to offer new things. This year the addition of choosing between
snowboarding and snow skiing is really nice. Also this year, the mountain is not
“closed off” so when you are racing around you will bump into other skiers
trying to enjoy a good time while on the course.
Multiplayer: 8.2
Just like in all of the previous games, SSX On Tour has a nice
split-screen multiplayer mode. What I want to know is where the online gaming
mode is; this game practically screams for it.
Overall: 8.9
SSX On Tour is one of the best SSX games that has come out yet.
The fact that the mountain is alive and teeming with other skiers makes this
game that much better because it has a feeling of more realism in comparison to
the other games in the series. If you like snowboarding games or a fan of SSX
series then I suggest that you go pick up a copy of this game.
