Back when the PS2 was first hitting store shelves, there weren’t too many titles for gamers to get the most out of their cutting edge new console. Though there were a few other notable standouts, one that many a PS2 gamer was familiar with was SSX. After the first game’s early success, and some sequels that retreaded the same territory, EA Sports’ snowboarding franchise is back with SSX: Deadly Descents.
Rumored to be happening and first unveiled during the Spike VGAs, Deadly Descents, at first, seemed like it would be Call of Duty on a snowboard.
Yes, SSX has decided to incorporate a more intense experience than the previous arcade-centered titles, but as EGM has revealed, the game is in fact blending the old with the new.
One feature that is going to be SSX’s crowning achievement is its use of Google Earth. Depending on which real world mountain is being shredded, Google Earth will – as accurately as possible – attempt to recreate the terrain. Confirmed as playable areas so far are Siberia, the Himalayas, Kilimanjaro, Caucasus, and the Swiss Alps.
Taking a page from popular open world titles, Deadly Descents will allow the player to venture down each slope as they feel best suits their style. Though there will still be the jumps, ramps, and banks that have made previous SSX titles so popular, it will be up to the player to decide the best way to tackle them.
Since these tracks will now have the added danger of real world precipices, Deadly Descents is introducing a new rewind feature that will allow players to return to a point previous to correct their mistakes. Choosing to eliminate the frustration of falling too far behind, this new rewind feature should be the saving grace of players who tend to go on shortcut hunts rather then following the obvious route.
Shortcuts won’t just be available on land, as the announcement trailer showed that players will be able to take to the skies as well, with the use of squirrel-suits.
Along the way, players will be earning some form of monetary rewards that will allow them to purchase equipment that better suits the changing environments in the game. Perhaps in an attempt to eliminate time limits, Deadly Descents will utilize elements like thin air and temperature to impose some immediacy on the player.
Finally for those huge SSX fans, it has been confirmed that original racer Elise will be making a return in Deadly Descents. While Elise was the only confirmed character so far, it would be safe to assume that series regular Mac might be showing up at some point.
It was a brave move on EA’s part to take SSX in such a different direction, and it certainly reflects the new landscape of gaming. Choosing to emphasize a realistic experience is evidently something EA Sports is interested in, and might just be the breath of fresh air that the SSX franchise needs.
What do you think of Deadly Descents’ use of Google Earth to accurately create real world slopes? Is this the shot in the arm SSX needs to get back on track?
SSX: Deadly Descents is set to release some time this year.
Source: NeoGAF
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Though I will remain open minded until I’ve actually gotten my hands on it, I have to say that real world locations are quite possibly the very last thing I would ever have wanted in an SSX game.
SSX was cool because of its crazy, stylized design. This is the furthest thing from that, and I’m terrified of what the Elise character model is going to look like. Time to find an old copy of SSX 3.
EA Sports has some definite work ahead of them if they expect to please their fans. seems kind of weird to try to appeal to the style that’s “hip” for now, since snowboarding titles have been niche for a while now. Why not just work to give players what they’re asking for, instead of selling to people who don’t care?
I have no problem with the change in direction, so as the gameplay is good. The last SSX I played was the one on the Wii. It was fun, but the controls were broken when attempting to draw the shapes required to pull off the special moves.
I’m interested in this new title, but skeptical until release.
What platform will it be. I have seen that they are doing lots of stuff for Wii but I haven’t seen anything for the X-Box. I played SSX Tricky until my fingers bled. I will love any new title as long as they keep the same sort of formula. Especially with updated graphics.
See here’s the thing… SSX3 is arguably one of the top ps2 games, like god of war… what I want to see is a ps3 version of SSX3 everything bigger and better ….. bit like errrr God of War 3…. and I want DJ Atomica in the hotseat too….