11/14/05 >> SSX On Tour (PlayStation 2)
Genre: Extreme Sports
Let me first start out by saying, I am not a fan of sports games by any means. I've always found it to be mundane to sit and play a basketball or football game when I can physically get into these activities myself (which is the more healthy alternative). Yet, I find myself being particularly biased towards the SSX series. It takes an exhilarating sport and adds a fantasy twist to it. The SSX series started out as a launch title for PS2 and each sequel seemed to improve on the formula. That is, until SSX on Tour rolled around. It's unfortunate, but SSX on Tour is a disappointment on almost all fronts.
It's very hard for me to not compare On Tour with SSX3, which was one of the best titles to be released in 2003. This new SSX hardly makes any improvements on SSX3. On a positive note, it does add a new element by throwing skiing into the mix. While skiing isn't a whole lot different from snowboarding, it's actually feels like a fresh new addition.
Gameplay
Let's get the one thing out of the way; EA has gotten rid of the open ended feature that was present in SSX3. That's right, you are no longer able to go anywhere on the mountain anymore. Instead, you pick certain high-lighted events off of a map. While it's not a bad idea to be able to move from event to event in a flash, I find that I would much rather have an open mountain to roam freely on.
This SSX gives you the option to go on the Tour or a Quick Ride. Quick Ride is the fastest way to get on the mountain. You simply pick an unlocked character, pick an event, choose either board or skis, and go. The races themselves are still hold up pretty well. You can still perform a bevy of insane looking tricks while zipping right down the course. You can even perform monster tricks (which replaces uber tricks) by filling up you're boost meter. These tricks are some of the most impressive looking tricks. The problem with this is, it will all wear thin really quickly. While SSX3 had tons of small bonuses and feature that could be picked up through free ride, On Tour's free ride feels pretty limited. Not only do you not have an open mountain to roam about on, but the only real bonuses that can be gained are cash icons and photo opportunities. Another problem is that you might manage to pick up many of these things on you're first play through.
SSX on Tour also offers you the option to play the Tour itself. This mode allows players to create their own character. You can choose the sex of the rider and decide whether you want a skier or a boarder. The customization options themselves are very restrictive and not that great to begin with. The created character not only look pretty bad, but te amount of options are extremely limited. From the get-go, you can adjust height, weight, and the face type. After that, you take you're newly created rider and complete many of the pre-determined challenges that the game has set for you. Some of these challenges are races or collecting certain items. Others require you to outperform you're opponents through tricks. By completing these challenges, you're rider will earn different titles like rookie and pro. Not only that, but you'll unlock different gear, and harder challenges. You're character will also generate hype and will become a well known athlete on the slopes. Unfortunately, not all of these challenges are entertaining. You might find yourself repeating a few challenges just to increase you're rank another notch. My biggest gripe with the Tour is the character customization. Mac, Elise, Pysmon and the gang are back, but they've been tossed aside in favor of the mediocre character customization. There are a few strange characters like a hand drawn unicorn that play the guitar and an ape looking head banger. Other than that, the characters are extremely bland this time around and this game removes a lot of charm and personality that the characters had in the previous installments.
On Tour does a bit of good by adding skiing. Like I said before, skiing isn't a whole lot different from boarding, but it feels like a fresh addendum nonetheless. The ski tricks look just as impressive as the snowboarding tricks. Another good addition to On tour is sensation of speed. By effectively using blur effects, EA has managed to create a rather nice sense of speed. As you careen down the mountain, you'll also come across other skiers and tourists that are on the mountain. If you run into them, you're speed decreases noticeably. Overall, the game feels and controls just as tight and responsive as the previous installments. Unfortunately, playing SSX on Tour feels extremely similar to SSX3. The series hasn't really deviated from the formula that it has always used. While this isn't a bad thing, it is starting to feel a little stale.
Graphics and Sound
If there is one thing that really stuck out this SSX was it's presentational skills. The in game menus resemble that of hand drawn doodles that you would find in bored high school student's notebook who is really into heavy metal music. The menus are ripe with these quirky animations and drawings. It gives the game a distinct sense of style not present in previous SSX games. But, good presentational skill only go so far. The game stops impressing you with it's visual quality after you leave the menus. SSX on Tour looks pretty bland and average compared to SSX3. Some of the trees look like cardboard cut outs. The character designs don't seem as interesting as SSX3. The mountains in the distance and the snow themselves look extremely underwhelming. The graphics seem like a poor man's version of SSX3. Some of the explosions and pyrotechnics are impressive, but that's as far as it extends. The game just seems to lack a certain polish. SSX3 looks great even today, but SSX on Tour just looks average.
The music is one of the best licensed tracks you can in a sports game. You have the likes of Queens of the Stone Age, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, etc. There is definitely a heavy punk metal influence in this game. Once again, I found myself preferring SSX3's soundtrack. I enjoyed the diversity of SSX3 more than the tunes of On Tour. The sound effects are pretty good too. When your character is flying down the mountain at high speeds, you can hear the wind whistling. You can even hear the clamoring of the spectators on the mountain if you go slow enough. The music and sound effects do a fairly good job of making you feel like you're on the mountain.
Replayability
The SSX series has always been known to have good replay value. Heck, I still find myself popping in SSX3 from time to time. However, SSX On Tour isn't quite like that. There isn't anything in particular that actually stick with you. The tour challenges aren't all that fun and free ride gets boring pretty quickly. You might find yourself getting into the game in the beginning, but there isn't a whole lot to keep you coming back. SSX3 had tons of unlockable content, but SSX On Tour feels pretty skimpy in this department.
If you've played SSX3, you'll more than likely be disappointed in On Tour. On Tour is not a bad game by any means, but it just feels extremely lacking compared to SSX3. Not only are free ride and the tour not as exciting as conquering the mountain in SSX3, but the characters themselves have taken a backseat to a lame character customization. On top of this, there isn't a whole lot to come back to. But, On Tour does some good by adding skiing, good sense of speed, and a good soundtrack. If you played SSX3, I suggest you rent this SSX before anything. Newcomers to the series shouldn't bother with this one because the previous three games are much better than On Tour. If EA doesn't do something innovative with SSX, I fear that this series might be heading towards impending doom.
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Game Score: 7.6
Reviewed By: Sarang
