I have enjoyed the X Games pass for Steep. I think it has far more positives than negatives. The inclusion of actual events means that you have something to play for, and the design of said events is more impressive than not. It’s a solid expansion to an ever-growing game.
A year or so ago, I reviewed Steep from Ubisoft Annecy and had a pleasant time reminiscing about how much fun winter games can be. I even had some SSX flashbacks from the first Xbox launch in the early 2000s, minus the badass music. Since then, I have gone through a summer, gone through forgetting what winter was like, and have been unknowingly pining for some Steep. Thankfully, Ubisoft has given me a second reason to bring this sucker out of retirement with a new expansion called X Games based on the actual games. It features some organized winter sports, plenty of styles, and a healthy dose of stupid winter games fun.
Let’s break this sucker down.
Once you obtain the X Games pass, you open up a good chunk of Alaska (the place where the X Games are going to be), as well as a series of trials, medal games, and just dumb fun in the snow. Essentially, what you get with X Games is something familiar and something that you can relate to inside and outside the game. When you can watch events on television, then play a good version of them in a game, you’re in heaven. That’s never a bad thing if done right. Ubisoft Annecy did a lot of things right with this pass. Not only do they seem to represent the X Games pretty well through gameplay design, but they nailed the ambiance of the sporting event with a nice nighttime, lights-on atmosphere. Honestly, I enjoy the nighttime X Games more than I do anything else. It is just plain pretty to watch in motion. The snow is falling, the lighting on the events is usually perfect, and it just feels like winter is firmly here. *sigh*
Anyway, the game is more than just atmosphere and pretty. They have a variety of different types of games you can choose to play in X Games. You get the half-pipe, rail grinding, and even an event called Big Air (guess that one). Big Air is interesting, as it requires you to know a fair amount of tricks to pull off in one giant jump of a slope. That shit is tricky as hell, especially if it’s been a while since you played Steep. I’m shocked my poor virtual guy didn’t get virtual vertigo as many times as I spun him around. In different directions. Sometimes accidentally falling hard into the ground. Yeah. I feel bad now.
In addition to torturing your poor player on a giant big slope, you also get some clever level design, which seems detailed, meticulous, and proper. For example, during one of the medal rounds called Slopestyle, you have a series of grinding rails that provide you with a MOBA-esque option of approach. For those not familiar with MOBAs, what this means is you have three paths to choose from when you’re trying to score points on tricks through rail grinding. Some of the paths feature rails with large extensions to them (multiple rails back-to-back), which have the potential for scoring chains (always a good thing), while others have short, easy stints of grinding with single rails. I know, it sounds a bit dirty, but damn it’s fun. The good portion of this gameplay design is that you have choices. Most sports games don’t offer up such flexibility when it comes to what you can do. This is pretty much opening the door and giving you free rein. Open options to scoring is always a nice thing when you’re trying to encourage your gamers to figure out the best way to score the most points. They take chances and connect with the game a bit better. Plus, it will encourage people to come back for more.
Now, having scoring choices is nice, but sometimes there is a moment where you can get lost in the woods (literally/figuratively) with the game. For example, there is a Freestyle X Games course (the 14th X Games event I unlocked) that had a mixture of grinding, slopes, and freestyle off of nature. The starting gate points the player in one direction of the map, then opens up with little to no direction given…except for a single checkpoint that lies over to the left side of the gate, halfway to the finish line. You can go wherever you want, but you must hit that checkpoint in the game. The freedom to find slopes to freestyle off of is burdened by the fact that if you miss that checkpoint, then the entire event ends. It’s only a single checkpoint, and it doesn’t make much sense to hit it, other than to point you to the rails, slopes, and finish line. That’s something that the game could do without. Why does this suggestion make logical sense? Well, if you can score major points off of the natural slopes around you, then why force players to go to the rails? They should be given freedom to explore a bit, with a visual cue of the finish line being the only indicator that there is an ending. It’s a freestyle course in a natural setting, don’t take that away from players. Let them play a bit. If you have to do any restrictions, give them a timer. Anyway, this is my biggest annoyance of the game, but it’s rather small when it comes to how much the game does right.
As for the feel of the gameplay, it feels like its parent. You still have a lot of automated help when it comes to landing, and when it comes to pulling off tricks, which I appreciate. I’m not the most sports-technical person in the world, so not having to break my fingers and hands to pull off a move is appreciated. Plus, the controls don’t get in the way of the gaming experience, which I can dig a lot. There are some moments of over-compensation with movements, as well as some frustration when trying to aim your player correctly quickly, but nothing that ruins the gameplay experience. This is still a very easy to pick up and go sort of game. That’s what you want out of a sports title. Sheesh, it isn’t Pro Evolution Soccer (I think I need an additional degree to play that game correctly). Steep X Games feels and plays fine.
One of the minor downers of the game is that some of the content that comes with the pass is not quite out yet (though what you get is fine). I know that the pass will carry with it two more items of interest (hitting in December/January), which some folks were lucky enough to experience for seven beautiful days after launch, but I want more now. Don’t get me wrong, I think the asking price of $14.99 is reasonable for what is unlocked at launch, but it you can get through some of the events very quickly. Most of what will bring you back over and over again is your need to do better, and to beat other players. I do want the 90s/Rocket DLC coming in the next month or so. So. Very. Badly.
Overall, I have enjoyed the X Games pass for Steep. I think it has far more positives than negatives. The inclusion of actual events means that you have something to play for, and the design of said events is more impressive than not. It’s a solid expansion to an ever-growing game.
