The EG Readers' Game Tasting Society

SSX 3 (Xbox)

by Peej

"Hello old friend, it's been a while," sayeth casual gamer to SSX 3. "And what new treats do you have in store for me?"

SSX replied with a torrent of sound and graphics akin to being shouted in the face like that little old lady in the Aphex Twin "Come to daddy" video. So here we are with the third trip out on the slopes with EA / BIG's eponymous snowboarding title. And let's start this review off by throwing rotten vegetables at anyone who dares suggest that SSX 3 "just isn't anything like real snowboarding". Sorry Mr Pedant, but I shall point out herein that any computer game simulation of anything is pretty far removed from the real thing unless you're strapped into a full body immersion suit complete with groinal attachment for those "och, I've just received a whack in the cricket box" moments. So forget all that crap, and play it as it should be played - as a game (you remember those don't you?)

So what's new I hear you ask? Well if you read the latest issue of Official Xbox Magazine they would probably try and kid you that there's nothing new to spend your money on here. Well how's this for a little list... a totally updated graphics engine (ahh, that old marketing chestnut), 36 (count 'em) new runs split over three distinct peaks of a monster mountain that would make Chris Bonnington brown his kecks and Sherpa Tensing run back to his mum asking for his dummy. New characters also abound, and the dynamic of the game has now shifted to an almost free form approach (you snowboard off to where you want to race, you can go practice, you can just skidoo about like a lunatic if you like, but eventually you will have to race).

There is also a new system of rewards. You earn money, you buy upgrades to clothing, equipment, snowboards and all-important character statistics. In fact upping your skills becomes an all out battle to scrimp as much dosh as you can to make your snowboarder into some sort of mecha-godzilla. After a few solid hours of play I can tell that there's a hell of a lot to unlock here and so the single-player experience is deep and rewarding.

Graphically there's a lot of polish here to be seen. Snow reacts well (OK it doesn't have the nice feature of 1080 where snow sticks to your player and "flakes off" as you snowboard down the run, but hey, who cares!) and player movement is fluid and smooth. You genuinely feel like this has been written for the machine and not just ported. It's not without its faults though - who the hell thought it would be a good idea to assign the grab and the boost functions to the same button? Many's the time you'll end up tumbling down the slope because of this particular annoyance [hear hear -Ed].