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The Plot: A fairly large segement of the video game product that comes out today revolves around extreme sports - whether roller skating ("Aggressive Inline"), biking ("Freekstyle"), skateboarding ("Tony Hawk") or snowboarding ("SSX Tricky", "Dark Summit"). While many of these games provide great entertainment, there are also instances where these games provide little more than a clone ("Gravity Games"). "SSX Tricky" and "Dark Summit" are two of the snowboarding games currently available - both offer the same basics, but present the sport in considerably different ways. "Dark Summit" is interesting in the way that it doesn't approach the sport in the same straightforward manner as would be expected of it. "Dark Summit" actually is more of a story-based game, where getting tricks and earning points allows the player to proceed further up the mountain, where evil is afoot. While the game really doesn't seem to put a great deal of concern about the story, it's a nice additional touch to bring some additional involvement in the gameplay. While the goal-based (board out of the reach of guards) and trick-based (do 4 of a certain trick, etc) elements of the game are nice, the game really could have used a more varied approach. "SSX Tricky"'s more straightforward approach seems sleeker, more energetic and entertaining in comparison. While the riders in "Summit" were punky, the "SSX" team's energetic personality seemed genuine. While "Summit"'s courses, loaded with funky obstacles and other debris (sometimes too cluttered with stuff) were moderately entertaining, I actually prefered the courses of "Tricky", which provided a more-than-satisfying amount of jumps, obstacles, twists and turns. "Tricky" also offered more variables when it came to gameplay; while there weren't a wealth of courses to choose from, I liked the choice between "Race", "Showoff" (a great deal of fun) and "Time Challenge" modes. All of that aside, "Tricky"'s crowning glory is the fact that the courses and general experience the game provides offers a considerable rush at times - with the steep downhill that the game offers and all of the big jumps, it's about as close as video games can provide to really offering that feeling of flying down a mountain. "Dark Summit" is a fine attempt, but trying to merge story and snow simply doesn't work nearly as well as the free-flowing excitement of "Tricky". Rating: 7.1/10 (Summit) Rating: 8.9/10 (Tricky) The DVD Graphics: Both "SSX Tricky" and "Dark Summit" offer graphics that are more than respectable, but lack a certain polish that the XBOX system is capable of providing. Both games are considerably different in tone, with "Summit"'s appearance remaining considerably darker and odder, while "Tricky" remains bright and lively. While "Summit" may offer some additional touches (rocks and other objects that roll down the mountain after being hit), "SSX" offers stronger detail and a smoother, crisper appearance. Rating: 7.9/10 (Summit), 8.6/10 (Tricky) Sound: Both games provide fine audio, although "Tricky" also succeeds in this catagory. The voice acting on both games is satisfactory, although "Tricky" gets its slightly jokey, edgy tone more accurately with the voice work. I also liked the smaller touches of "Tricky"'s audio, such as the very convincing sound of the boards grinding against the snow or ice of the game's courses and the announcer, who calls you on the fact when you start to repeat tricks too much. Rating: 8/10 (Summit), 8.4/10 (Tricky) Gameplay: Both games offer control that's quite simple and responsive. Most players should easily be able to pick up either game and play right away. Rating: 8.5/10 (Both) Rating Issues: Oddly enough, "Dark Summit" is rated "T" (Teen), while "SSX Tricky" gets an "E". I suppose "Summit"'s "T" is due to its occasional action sequences, but there's really nothing graphic enough to warrant the Teen rating. Final Thoughts: "Dark Summit" tries something new, but seems more concerned with its odd look and feel than providing an exciting game. "SSX Tricky", while certainly more normal, also provides conisderably more thrills and excitement. "Summit" may be worth a rental, but "Tricky" gets a definite recommendation. |