THE STORY
Honestly, the "story mode" of SSX isn't bad but it's a bit repetitive. As you advance through story mode you have to race, trick, and unlock, and at the end of each stage is a Deadly Descent. As the characters get unlocked, a comic based on the new character plays and they're basically all the same substitute a name here and there. Nothing exciting. But the SSX version of a boss fight is called a Deadly Descent which adds a unique challenge to each phase of the story and they do add some color to the game, for sure. The last several are quite challenging, indeed. 8/10
GRAPHICS
I think the production team did a great job on the graphical front. Visually interesting terrain, fun effects when pulling off Uber and Super Uber tricks and the ability to customize your look bring plenty of eye candy during the gameplay. And the addition of ghosts and trails is a welcome addition to help you complete and improve. 9/10
MUSIC AND AUDIO
The SSX franchise has always been reputed as bringing some of the best music to the experience, and I find that SSX delivers as well as any of the predecessors. My only gripes are that I haven't found a way to change the in-game playlists and decompartmentalize the tracks from the various genres (trick, race, survive etc). There is a way for you to play an Xbox playlist in the stead of the game-supplied audio but the Xbox itself is not exactly top-notch in this area. I can't fault SSX for that and appreciate that they have integrated what limited Xbox audio is available so that you can put in your own tuneage. Aside from the music, the audio cues and effects are very good and go a long way to immersing you in the full SSX experience. 9/10
BRINGING IT TOGETHER
When you finally get the feel of the controls and are really at synch with what you're doing on the screen, SSX presents you with a multimedia frenzy that delights the eyes and ears alike. The way the music fades as you're executing a trick mid-air is as if the audience is holding their collective breath waiting to see if you can really pull it off. And then when you finally come back to earth and stick the landing, a very rewarding sonic boom and visual ripple effect give you a just reward for having pulled off that complex chain of flips, spins and tweaks. No less enjoyable is the sensation of speed as you grind a rail in full boost with the roar of the throttle surrounding you. And as you grind through the curves and up and down the undulations of the track, the camera, sound, speed variation and controller really give you a great sensation of what it feels like to really be hitting the bumps and becoming alternately weightless and heavier in the dips. SSX is a truly immersive experience for every one of your senses. 10/10
MULTIPLAYER
I admit, I have no IRL or XBL friends that have picked up a copy of SSX, so I have little experience with the rivalry system. That being said, there are global challenges ongoing at all times that allow anyone to compete with everyone else in the world through leaderboards and a "ghost" system. Ghosts in multiplayer give you a way to compete against a virtual representation of the player whom you would need to beat in order to advance in medal rank. For example, if I'm competing in a global race and currently have a silver medal standing, then the ghost that I would see on the screen would be the player at the bottom of the gold medal standing. If I beat that ghost, I've earned gold (at least for the time being) and the next ghost would represent platinum. But aside from ghosts, there are a handful of realtime players on the slopes with you as well, which is a great way to push yourself and learn at the same time. Another minor facet of multiplayer is the addition of Geotags. When you're on the slopes, you can place a Geotag anywhere you like. They can be easily placed on the ground, or sometimes at the apex of your arc when taking a huge jump. Often they are left behind at the bottom a crevasse however. The point of these is to place it somewhere where no other rider can pick it up. For the longer your placed Geotag goes untouched, the more points you can accrue. If it goes untouched for 24 hours, you accrue max points for the `tag. Points are used to unlock runs, purchase gear, or participate in some events. It's a fun challenge when you're not involved in a run where speed and/or points matter. 9.5/10
CONCLUSION
I rarely pre-order games but I was hoping that SSX would bring me the thrill I got in SSX3 while updating the look for the newer generation of Xbox. Not only did they deliver on that front but they brought in new challenges and a great way to play against friends and the rest of the SSX community. I wholeheartedly recommend SSX take a place of honor on your gaming shelf. I think you'll find yourself playing it for a very long time to come. 9.25/10
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I'm not very far into the game so far.I am a HUGE fan of SSX, so lets get the bad out of the way:
1. The intro having to use the XBox controls was terri-bad. I wanted to use the PS controls and had a knot in my head from beating my head into the wall until I was able to change.
2. I really wanted to start off using my own boarder from the get go. I loved the interplay between the boarders in the first and second game. I loved having my own person or new folks in the third. I didn't play the fourth because I heard no one talked, did anything to each other and yea skiing not so much.
3. I hear there are horri-bad DLC I just "have" to get to be competative later. Yea, screw that noise.
Now the goods:
1. Whoa, look at Zoe's *beeps*! In other words, wow these are nice graphics!
2. I really miss SSX, so thank goodness they came out with a new one that was decent!
3. Yea, not that far in the game for a third.
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My husband and I bought this game after playing the older versions (ssx 3 and tricky) and were quite dissapointed that it wasn't multi-player. It has good graphics, but I am just overall disspointed.Honest reviews on SSX - Xbox 360
This is a fun ride but I still think the series peaked with SSX 3. Still, you cannot do much better for snowboarding on the Xbox 360.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for SSX - Xbox 360
I thought ssx would be a bit more realisitic, it's not because you can't fall, the tricks are not realistic at all, etc..But all in all it's ok.
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