If killing the golden goose were a video game, EA Big's version would have crazy, stylin' tricks, a boss hip-hop / metal soundtrack and lots of attitude... all of which typifies what a huge disappointment the PS2 version of "Sled Storm" is.  Like "SSX Tricky", this is a game that overlooks solid gameplay in favor of production slickness and a contrived "coolness".
The original PlayStation "Sled Storm" was a critics' darling and revered by a small fanbase that appreciated its mix of clever, shortcut-friendly mountain tracks, semi-realistic trick-oriented "sno-cross" tracks, and a game system that offered snomobiles that pitched, bounced and bobbed in ways that cars and snowboarders don't.
All of those traits are absent in this PlayStation 2 version.  The tracks aren't clever; they're a garish collection of "extreme" design elements (look, it's the iceberg tunnel!  oh wow, it's the big lava jump!  hey, it's something ...from "The Nightmare Before Christmas") that makes gamers think that the marketing and art departments teamed up to browbeat the developers and anyone left over from the first game.
The controls are similar to the original and the grapics are up to next-gen snuff, but racing has been de-emphasized in favor of a trick system that builds up a "boost" meter, so you spend much of your time recovering from trick-induced wrecks and boosting to catch up.  The camera is often sideways or even upside down, and is perfectly willing to follow your sled through obstacles like cave walls and rocks that should be more solid than they are.
As for the bouncing, lurching snowmobiles, forget it -- paint the snow black and this could be mistaken for "San Francisco Rush 2049".
EA Big, I knew "Sled Storm"... "Sled Storm" was a game I beat... and this, sir, is no "Sled Storm".  If this is truly the game you intended to make, then don't ruin your previous accomplishment by co-opting its name... call this "Radikkal EXtreme Sledz" or something more appopriate to its big unsubstantiated hype.
If killing the golden goose were a video game, EA Big's version would have crazy, stylin' tricks, a boss hip-hop / metal soundtrack and lots of attitude... all of which typifies what a huge disappointment the PS2 version of "Sled Storm" is. Like "SSX Tricky", this is a game that overlooks solid gameplay in favor of production slickness and a contrived "coolness". The original PlayStation "Sled Storm" was a critics' darling and revered by a small fanbase that appreciated its mix of clever, shortcut-friendly mountain tracks, semi-realistic trick-oriented "sno-cross" tracks, and a game system that offered snomobiles that pitched, bounced and bobbed in ways that cars and snowboarders don't. All of those traits are absent in this PlayStation 2 version. The tracks aren't clever; they're a garish collection of "extreme" design elements (look, it's the iceberg tunnel! oh wow, it's the big lava jump! hey, it's something... from "The Nightmare Before Christmas") that makes gamers think that the marketing and art departments teamed up to browbeat the developers and anyone left over from the first game. The controls are similar to the original and the grapics are up to next-gen snuff, but racing has been de-emphasized in favor of a trick system that builds up a "boost" meter, so you spend much of your time recovering from trick-induced wrecks and boosting to catch up. The camera is often sideways or even upside down, and is perfectly willing to follow your sled through obstacles like cave walls and rocks that should be more solid than they are. As for the bouncing, lurching snowmobiles, forget it -- paint the snow black and this could be mistaken for "San Francisco Rush 2049". EA Big, I knew "Sled Storm"... "Sled Storm" was a game I beat... and this, sir, is no "Sled Storm". If this is truly the game you intended to make, then don't ruin your previous accomplishment by co-opting its name... call this "Radikkal EXtreme Sledz" or something more appopriate to its big unsubstantiated hype.