by Russ Fischer
Shaun White is all grown up, and so is his game. Here are five reasons why you should seriously consider hitting the slopes.
More action than extreme
Shaun White rankles at the term 'extreme sports', which proves that he's got a decent head on his shoulders. The preferred nomenclature is 'action sports', and that's reflected in the game. While you'll catch serious air and ride the edge of a chasm in ways that would make real-life insurance auditors flee in terror, this isn't the high-flying absurdity of most snowboarding games. Designed by a whole crew of gamers that actually hit the slopes in real life, it's the most realistic take on snowboarding yet.
You'll be coming down the mountain
Each of the mountains in the game is based on a real location, and their characteristics vary wildly. Notice that we didn't say 'slopes' -- here you'll find full-on mountain ranges and resorts packed with manicured slopes, trick-oriented runs and pipes, and wild outback regions. Park City is emblematic of the variety, as it features all the amenities of a modern high-class 'boarding destination but also packs rugged backwoods areas and a few ruined mining structures from which to launch the most impulsive tricks. Meanwhile, in Alaska you'll drop from a helicopter into dangerous terrain. Be ready to outrun an avalanche.
Killer graphics - literally
You should be tired of static pre-set backgrounds and short draw distances when exploring a game meant to evoke the beauty and scope of the world's best outdoor locations. Lucky for you, the same amazing engine that powered last year's stunner Assassin's Creed brings life to the mountains. You can see twenty miles into the distance. Better yet, you can travel to and board upon just about anything that catches your eye.
Your tricks, your way
Unlike the lousy canned animations in most snowboarding games, all of the tricks you'll see on the mountain are dynamic. It's a bit like the 'create a trick' systems from the most recent Tony Hawk games, but this is a much better system that doesn't require any extra button press or slo-mo manipulation. The left analog stick handles body positioning and movement, while the right takes care of grabs and tweaks. The basic movements are easy to grasp, while stringing together tweaked tricks is challenging and -- when you manage to land a combo and 'butter' it into another -- extremely satisfying.
All modes into one!
Most games push their multiplayer component into a corner where it can't interfere with the offline solo game. Not Shaun White, which brings everything together into one ambitious package. Solo and multiplayer challenges are all on the same mountains at the same time, and you can freely move from offline to online gaming. Jump into a multiplayer race or trick contest with the push of a button, invite friends to join you on the slopes or just enjoy the camaraderie that results from being able to see other real players on the same runs with you. Then bust up the good vibes by throwing a few snowballs.
Shaun White Gallery
Posted: 10 Nov 2008
