New SSX Brings Extreme Sports to the Death Zone

[Tom Goldman]

New SSX Brings Extreme Sports to the Death Zone

[gametrailers=708355]

The characters in the latest SSX title are taking their extreme snowboarding habit a little too far.

If you have a death wish and also love to snowboard, you'll love EA Canada's new SSX [http://www.amazon.com/SSX-3-Playstation-2/dp/B00009WAVI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1292181375&sr=8-1] title. Revealed at the 2010 Spike TV Video Game Awards was SSX: Deadly Descents, and it's likely to bring new definition to the word "extreme."

You might even describe Deadly Descents as "extreme, on crack," if you're nutty enough. Deadly Descents will take players to the "most treacherous" mountatin ranges on the planet in a competition to descend them first.

These include areas from the Himalayas, where EA says "riders have to descend through the death zone at breakneck speeds to keep from blacking out," to the solid ice ranges of Antarctica, where "a sunlit line is the only survival option when temperatures drop 50 degrees centigrade in the shade." Players won't just be racing and doing tricks this time, but also trying to survive in these harsh environments.

Honestly, if you need to go to a place that has a "death zone" to entertain yourself, you might need counseling. Getting off the ski lift is about as dangerous as I like to get with winter sports, which I guess is why it's good that SSX: Deadly Descents is only a game and can take us to these places on our couches without even the necessity of wearing pants.

Actual gameplay for SSX: Deadly Descents hasn't been revealed yet, but looking back at the archive of SSX games it's not hard to figure out how the game will play. Though this time, maybe it'll be snowboarding "on crack." Deadly Descents wasn't named for any specific platforms or given a release date.

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[niege]

This is going to bring epic to a new level

 

[Dexiro]

Whatever the game's like I hope it's more similar to SSX3 than On Tour.

 

[Sparrow]

Please be on the 360, please be on the 360, please be on the 360...

 

[IamQ]

Whatever the game's like I hope it's more similar to SSX3 than On Tour.

Indeed. On tour was okay, but I loved SSX 3.

 

[FlashHero]

I love SSX games...and this one looks good.

 

[EvolutionKills]

You see, now this is what I like to see. They're taking the branding and name recognition of the SSX series, and pushing it in a new direction. Look at previous SSX games and compare them to the Tony Hawk franchise, and you'll see a lot of similarities. Extreme sports games with an emphasis on ridiculous stunts (well, from Pro Skater 3 and up at least). Now whereas Tony Hawk burnt out there welcome with too many samey sequels, and eventually reached a point where the series had nowhere new to go (if I wanted to play Tony Hawk on a board, I'd just get a real skateboard thanks).

They got beat to the punch by EA with Skate, and they're doing the same thing to SSX. Instead of playing the series out until no-body cares anymore, they taking a chance on a sequel with a new emphasis. I'll admit, going from crazy stunts to survival isn't something I would have thought for the next SSX, but that makes the change and surprise all the more refreshing.


Wow, remember the days when EA was the evil empire and Activision was the scrappy underdog champion? Yeah, I have trouble remembering that too sometimes...

 

[Gxas]

I just had a boardgasm.

And this game has sold me. I will be saving up for a PS3.

Honestly, the Xbox's controllers are not good for sports games.

 

[Eagle Est1986]

Yeeeeeeeeesssssssssss! My god I've just missed the SSX series so much, I have no idea how it's taken them so long to release on this generation. Can't wait.

 

[Jumplion]

GODDAMNIT EA, NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE NITTY-GRITTY-BITTY-MITTY!

I am absolutely terrified of this new revelation, and not in a good way. I absolutely loved SSX: Tricky and SSX3, especially the latter. Hell, I even enjoyed On Tour somewhat, I just love the whole extreme sports and bright, comical feel of it.

EA said that this new one won't have "much of a comical tone" or something, and that makes me nervous as hell for this.

Consider me extremely cautiously optimistic, and while I know all we've seen is a trailer, I'm afraid that this is going to be a case of "Look! We're edgy! And edgy means dark, not funny, and totally serious! Edgy! Edgy!!"

 

[Jkudo]

You see, now this is what I like to see. They're taking the branding and name recognition of the SSX series, and pushing it in a new direction. Look at previous SSX games and compare them to the Tony Hawk franchise, and you'll see a lot of similarities. Extreme sports games with an emphasis on ridiculous stunts (well, from Pro Skater 3 and up at least). Now whereas Tony Hawk burnt out there welcome with too many samey sequels, and eventually reached a point where the series had nowhere new to go (if I wanted to play Tony Hawk on a board, I'd just get a real skateboard thanks).

They got beat to the punch by EA with Skate, and they're doing the same thing to SSX. Instead of playing the series out until no-body cares anymore, they taking a chance on a sequel with a new emphasis. I'll admit, going from crazy stunts to survival isn't something I would have thought for the next SSX, but that makes the change and surprise all the more refreshing.


Wow, remember the days when EA was the evil empire and Activision was the scrappy underdog champion? Yeah, I have trouble remembering that too sometimes...

It's made by the same guys who made skate right? Anyway i instantly realized that the past ssx is to this one, as tony hawk is to SKATE, and SKATE is awesome. Did ssx ever have avalanche races(haven't played in a while)? I thought that was awesome in Avalanche 1080...seems like it would fit this reboot.

 

[tce11]

lol, why does everything need to get a gritty realistic update these days?

Honestly, the SSX games always stood out for me as fun, arcade style, over-the-top snowboard games, and they were also the only "Extreme Sports" games I actually liked.

I'm not going to completely dismiss it until I see some gameplay footage, but yeah, why? If anything they should make it more comical and crazy, attach rockets to the boards or something...

 

[dillirgaf]

2&3 (epically 3) were great games. hopefully this will keep up with these

 

[Delusibeta]

1080 Avalanche: No Way Out edition, anyone?

 

[Jumplion]

lol, why does everything need to get a gritty realistic update these days?

Honestly, the SSX games always stood out for me as fun, arcade style, over-the-top snowboard games, and they were also the only "Extreme Sports" games I actually liked.

I'm not going to completely dismiss it until I see some gameplay footage, but yeah, why? If anything they should make it more comical and crazy, attach rockets to the boards or something...

Good, someone who shares my sentiments.

I'm not going to cry out "DOOM! DOOOOOOOOM FOR THIS GAME!" just yet, after all we've only seen a trailer, but right now I'm not especially confident with this new iteration.

It's still tricky;


[sup]My god does that bring back memories, don't even get me started on SSX3's opening...[/sup]

 

[The Bandit]

I'm not buying it if Eddie Whatshisface isn't a character. That has been my policy since SSX Tricky

 

[Littaly]

It's still tricky;


[sup]My god does that bring back memories, don't even get me started on SSX3's opening...[/sup]

Dear god that brings back memories. I still play it from time to time, god I love that game. SSX3 was ace too, even if I preferred the arcade-ish style of Tricky. I mean c'mon, a ginger guy with an afro, how freaking cool is that?

I'm not thrilled with this whole extreme, gritty, badass style either, but I'll keep an open mind about it. Maybe it's not the SSX I want, but there's a chance it'll be good regardless. Won't hold my breath for it though.

 

[Tharwen]

Was I the only one expecting that helicopter to be shot down by an RPG?

It's still tricky;


[sup]My god does that bring back memories, don't even get me started on SSX3's opening...[/sup]

*Shudder*

Too much... nostalgia...

 

[Trentnes]

This is a joke right? EA is just teasing those of us who have been waiting years for a new SSX by showing a bastardized version of a game that was all about flash and color right?.. right?


Seriously, I was over the whole gritty/extreme thing years ago.

 

[Jumplion]

It's still tricky;


[sup]My god does that bring back memories, don't even get me started on SSX3's opening...[/sup]

Dear god that brings back memories. I still play it from time to time, god I love that game. SSX3 was ace too, even if I preferred the arcade-ish style of Tricky. I mean c'mon, a ginger guy with an afro, how freaking cool is that?

I'm not thrilled with this whole extreme, gritty, badass style either, but I'll keep an open mind about it. Maybe it's not the SSX I want, but there's a chance it'll be good regardless. Won't hold my breath for it though.

I loved how the "It's Tricky" song got faster and faster as you got higher combos. It's seriously an ear worm. [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SSX]