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« on: November 04, 2003, 03:30:31 PM »
Here's impressions from the 100% completed code from Jetsethero & Chandra Nair over at the GA forums (who both work for the euro-CUBE magazine) They are admittedly huge fans of SSX3, which makes these impressions that much more positive IMO.
1080º Avalanche
18 tracks, split into four difficulty levels (Novice, Hard, Expert and Extreme). Extreme opens after getting Gold on Expert.
The last track on each difficulty isn't a race against another player - it's a race against the avalanche. Screens shakes violently and you have to use all your skill just to stay upright.
Five characters (Tara Hunter, Rob Haywood, Kemen Vasquez, Akari Hayami, Ricki Winterborne with possible secret ones). Each has four boards but only one is available to start with. Others can be bought with Coins obtained from the Time Trial mode. In this mode there are five pieces of a Golden Coins hidden in each one of the 18 tracks. Find the five pieces to get one coin.
25 licensed music tracks from 8 bands. Really well sampled.
Gate Challenge is a slalom mode.
New additions to the gameplay:
Grinding: A balance meter comes up a la Tony Hawk's.
Stability: Lose your balance or hit a bump and you'll have to rotate the analogue stick like mad to regain your composure.
Power Bar: Pull of tricks to fill up your Power Bar. When full your character glows and has increased stats for a short period of time.
Short cuts: Open short-cuts by triggering events, e.g. smash barrels to set off an explosion and smash open an ice sheet that covers a cave entrance.
Multiplayer: 4-player split-screen, 8-player LAN
Framerate: Hangs around 60fps, does drop when there's lots going on but not so much that is bothers you. This is different to even the ECTS & demo disk versions, its been polished since then and looks stunning. The lighting effects are especially good looking.
Bear in mind that this is 100% completed code.
Graphics: Gorgeous, better than SSX3 and Amped 2
-Chandra Nair
Okay, just to clear a few things up:
I admit, Avalanche was looking well sketch. Thank God Nintendo gave it to NSTC 'cos Left Field had screwed it up big style.
NSTC did a great job of transforming it in the space of 12 months, but even the ECTS version wasn't as good as I would have liked.
I fully expected this finished version to be okay but nothing more. Thankfully this isn't the case. And just for the record, please don't judge the game on the current demo disc that's doing the rounds. The early courses on that demo ain't nothing compared to the Hard, Expert and Extreme courses. That's where it's really at.
Those later courses can get really exhilarating, especially when you're desperately trying to stay on a narrow powder snow-covered ledge, with 200 foot drops on either side.
To the people who still maintain it doesn't look all that... what can I say? I don't agree. Even the guys on our Xbox mags immediately said it looks better than SSX3 and Amped 2. All I can say is, I've played it for two days, you haven't. Ultimately I think that's what it comes down to.
I'm a huge SSX3 fan, and I wouldn't be able to choose between them both. They're both great and both very different games. I'd say that Avalanche is better than the original though... but so it should be after all these years.
Course Names
Novice:
Ski School, Tenderfoot Pass, Frosty Shadows
Hard:
Powder Treat, Tree-Top Trauma, Grits 'n' Gravy, Trestle Trouble
Expert:
Revolution Cliff, Midnigt City, Rotted Ridge, Diesel Disaster, No Way Out
Extreme:
Top Tree Mama, Treble Tussle, Evolution Riff, Sid's Night Midi, Dazzlin' Teaser, Wit's Thicket
Diesel Disaster: various landslides are causing havoc on the mountain roads, and as well as avoiding all the pile-ups, you also have cars skidding out of control at the most awkward moments.
Evolution Riff: At one point you are so high up that the camera zooms out above you so you can see the valley below you. The scenery draws out for miles.
No Way Out: The last track on Expert mode pits you against a huge avalanche. Worse still, the vibration is so intense that it sets off landslides all around you as you’re going along. The final set-piece requires you to jump off a cliff into the helicopter cockpit!
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