Amped 2
- October 29, 2003 11:13 AM PST
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This snowboarding sequel is solid with additions like tutorials and Xbox Live support that make it shine.
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Slow Snow Flow?
The sequel picks right up where its predecessor left off, featuring gorgeous graphics and smooth animation for a great look, as well as challenging, fast-moving action on the slopes. It also offers plenty of unlockables in the Career mode to keep you pushing for better scores and completion of new objectives.
Amped 2 also carves its own path with some notable additions. One of the most welcome is a full tutorial mode that steps players through the requirements?from the basic navigation to complex tricks to the elaborate chaining together of moves into combos?and enables guided practice sessions to hone the skills.
Stick Sick Tricks
There are a load of tricks available to you, though completing them will have your fingers flying around the controller. It?s also refreshing that, instead of a wilder arcade-like approach, the game portrays the sport more realistically; it?s a bit more work to pull off a dizzying spin or flip, as it would be in real life. Though there?s a high learning curve to the trick system, once you get comfortable with it, kicking out high-point tricks, grinds, or combos will be routine.
While the Career mode offers plenty for a player to complete, a whole new dimension is opened up with the addition of Xbox Live support for competition against others over the Internet. Amped 2 is one of the first game's under Microsoft?s XSN Sports banner, so it has the potential for player-created leagues and tournaments, as well as worldwide rankings over the Web. Two-player split-screen and System Link for up to eight Xboxes are available as well.
With a blizzard of snowboarding games this holiday season, Microsoft could have found itself on a slippery slope against the competition. Instead, it came out of the gate with a quality contest that won?t leave gamers out in the cold.
