The textures are unattractive, and while the rider models are passable, the animation is incredibly choppy. The transparent computer AI makes racing through the tracks all the more cumbersome.Īnd even though the original SSX was one of the US launch titles for the PlayStation 2 over two years ago, every aspect of that game's presentation is far superior to Whiteout's presentation, which is just bad. So you'll find nothing here that stands up to the complex, sweeping track design of Whiteout's most obvious inspiration, SSX. The track designs are decent enough, though it can occasionally be unclear which direction you're supposed to be going, and all the tracks are modest in scope. The handling of your own snowmobile feels imprecise and choppy, and your control over it is tenuous at best. The AI exhibits two of the most abhorrent of racing AI traits: The aforementioned rubber-band effect, where racers will miraculously catch up to the leader regardless of the situation, and pack AI, where there's not enough variety between AI routines and everyone ends up going about the same speed along the same path, making the same mistakes. The gameplay modes are fairly standard, but the gameplay itself is slightly substandard. The two-player, time trial, and quick race modes pretty much explain themselves. The arcade mode lacks the upgradeable snowmobiles but adds point bonuses to the power-ups available on the track, rings of fire that you'll have to clear, and secondary objectives like reaching point goals, clearing gaps, finding shortcuts, and so on. Of all the modes available, the career mode is the most firmly grounded in reality, though you'll still find that the track is littered with glowing, spinning power-ups.
The career mode awards high placement in the race and tricks with cash, which can in turn be used to upgrade your snowmobile or buy an entirely new snowmobile. Though there are five different modes of play in Whiteout, the action remains essentially the same throughout, with the basic objective of crossing the finish line first usually taking precedent. There's also the great equalizer, the turbo boost, which can be charged by pulling stunts and picking up boost power-ups on the track, though the game's blatant rubber-band AI will occasionally nullify any advantage this mechanic might provide. You have a basic trick system at your disposal, and using L1 or R1 in conjunction with the left analog stick will produce can-cans, supermans, and the like, though there's no real discernable difference between the tricks other than the animation. The core difference between Vicarious Visions' two snowmobile racing games is that Whiteout cribs shamelessly and often from SSX in terms of both aesthetics and gameplay. Whiteout is actually remarkably similar to Vicarious Visions' Polaris SnoCross for the original PlayStation. Whiteout, a snowmobile racing game published by Konami, is a poorly conceived game that attempts to rely on the same merits that made EA Sports Big's SSX games so enjoyable, but without actually having those merits. Unfortunately, the latest offering from Vicarious Visions is certainly not the company's best work.
The real pinnacle for this New York development house has unquestionably been its uncanny interpretations of the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games for the Game Boy Advance. Earn coins from tricks to upgrade your snowmobile.Vicarious Visions has, over time, proven itself to be a fairly consistent producer of respectable video games.
Race on a snowmobile on ten different tracks against the rest of the world. Now is your time to take over this mythical hero. Others may have met him on campfire in the Lapland. Sometimes this mystical figure has been discovered in the spring fells of Sweden. He climbs the steepest hills and performs longest wheelies in his snowmobile. The villagers are rumored that Sled Bandit will make the longest jumps and the biggest flips. According to rumors, Sled Bandit is an outstanding snowmobile handler. It has been said that he is the best snowmobiler ever. Many have heard of this mysterious figure, but few have seen him. Earn coins from tricks to upgrade your snowmobile.