Snow Joke!
Stoked is the latest in a not so long line of snowboarding games, but can it take the crown? Well I have to say, it has a good go!
Better and better
Unlike other snowboarding games, Stoked seems to get better the more you play it. You start off by creating your boarder which is quick and painless. There isn't a huge amount of gear to choose from to begin with and the character creator is very limited, but I found that to be a small niggle which I soon forgot about once I headed for the slopes.
Carve up the slopes on any of the open world mountains which in their own right are very pleasing to the eye.
The tutorial is your next stop which although a little dull is necessary as the controls are slightly different from what you may be used to from previous snowboard experiences. The left stick controls your body and the right is used to control the board. This works well and is pretty easy to get to grips with, but mastering it will take time and patience.
You run through a few basics and then move on to pulling off certain tricks and other cool moves. Once completed, you're ready to carve up the slopes on any of the open world mountains which in their own right are very pleasing to the eye. The nice look, along with the variable weather, goes a long way towards making you feel immersed in the experience. Each side of the mountain has various challenges that you must complete in order to turn pro. This takes hours of play and seems to take longer than it needs to but is worth the wait.
Video star
Once you get your pro license and your fame begins to rise you will be approached by sponsors to wear their clothing which means unlocking more gear and boards for your character. You'll also be tasked with some crazy stunts by members of the media who are desperate for photos or video footage of you performing specific jumps and tricks. You will begin to unlock new challenges and mountains in abundance by completing these tasks. This is where the game begins to get more much enjoyable.
Stoked tries very hard to be a true representation of what snowboarding is really like.
The multiplayer aspect of stoked adds to the game's longevity. There are a few different game modes that you would expect to see in this type of game. Bring it, is a score based gametype where the aim is to simply score more points than your opponent by performing ticks. There is also the obvious, perform a trick and your opponent has to match it game which has had many different names in various snowboard titles over the years. In stoked it is aptly named “Trick”. The Ground is Lava is the most original game mode I have experienced in a while. The aim here is to stay off of the snow! This means pulling off big air jumps and long grinds. Failure will result in your board catching on fire!
Hit the slopes
Despite this, in gameplay terms Stoked is not an arcade style game. It tries very hard to be a true representation of what snowboarding is really like. There are a huge amount of moves that can be performed but none of them seem to feel to ridiculously unrealistic. I also noticed that Stoked can be very unforgiving when it comes to landing jumps and grinding. Although frustrating at points, I felt this brought more realism to the experience. Any boarder will know that the slopes can be unforgiving at the best of times. This is where stoked stands out, its realism.
Although it has its slight faults here and there, Stoked provides a solid snowboarding experience that boarders and gamers alike will enjoy almost as much as hitting the slopes for real.
GAME's Verdict
- Realistic Snowboarding experience that stays true to the real thing.
- Good control system that is easy to get to grips with.
- Decent visuals and animation.
- Very slow start to an otherwise enjoyable experience.
- Trying to land tricks can be a bit hit-and-miss.
- The hardcore sim-style handling doesn't match some of the more out-there game modes.
Review by: Dan '1080' Penfold
Version Tested: Xbox 360
Review Published: 16.04.10