The genre of extreme winter sports is basically dead, so I had to give the game a try despite the middling review. They were on the money. The game looks nice and there is a good amount of variety but the gameplay flows badly and this feels more like a skeleton than a retail game. The progression is very tedious and you basically have to self-motivate yourself to push though. I also hate the extremely tedious way of traversing the mounting, to unlock new events. I can see a sequel fulfilling on the game's promise, a bit of a curse for Ubisoft, but this one is more of a weekend rental for genre fans. 6/10
4 Reviews
Precipitous
southdavid26 February 2020
I'm just going to be quick with my review here, as I don't feel I necessarily gave "Steep" all the time I could have done to fully unveil itself.
"Steep" was another Playstation Plus "free" game that, in the interests of full disclosure, I played for around three hours over two sessions once I'd downloaded it. The game is visually really strong. There is one central mountain range that you can assault from hundreds of different angles, via the various forms of extreme sports equipment that you have at your disposal. These include skis, snowboards, flight suits and parachutes. The draw level is really good, and the mountain and its woods look nice. However, it's only skin deep, and as soon as you interact with something like the villages up close, the sense of realism dissipates.
From a gameplay standpoint, when you're skiing or snowboarding the game is OK. The traction feels somewhat realistic, the speed is fun and the courses OK. The problem for me came from not knowing what I was supposed to be doing, how to actually progress through the game. I didn't really want that sense of an open world, as much as I wanted to start a race, win that, then go onto the next one. I'd have preferred an explore mode, where I could go and do what I want - but alongside a more structured experience.
It's funny how extreme sports fell so promptly of the gaming radar and it must be time for a renaissance, but "Steep" is not it.
"Steep" was another Playstation Plus "free" game that, in the interests of full disclosure, I played for around three hours over two sessions once I'd downloaded it. The game is visually really strong. There is one central mountain range that you can assault from hundreds of different angles, via the various forms of extreme sports equipment that you have at your disposal. These include skis, snowboards, flight suits and parachutes. The draw level is really good, and the mountain and its woods look nice. However, it's only skin deep, and as soon as you interact with something like the villages up close, the sense of realism dissipates.
From a gameplay standpoint, when you're skiing or snowboarding the game is OK. The traction feels somewhat realistic, the speed is fun and the courses OK. The problem for me came from not knowing what I was supposed to be doing, how to actually progress through the game. I didn't really want that sense of an open world, as much as I wanted to start a race, win that, then go onto the next one. I'd have preferred an explore mode, where I could go and do what I want - but alongside a more structured experience.
It's funny how extreme sports fell so promptly of the gaming radar and it must be time for a renaissance, but "Steep" is not it.
Good but room for improvement
jamdekjohn14 April 2019
Best of its kind
shineinpoverty24 December 2020
With all its shortcomings, Steep is the best of in this genre currently. Graphics gameplay design, it will give you many hours of fun before you run out of things to do. There is simply nothing else you could try over Steep. I am saying it as someone who played ea Snow.
Who Steep is for? It is for people who need to relax, love snow and winter but cant afford or don't have mountains nearby.
I cant express how relaxing it is riding a snowboard at night. It is currently my top game for relaxation.
Things I d like to see in the next game:
1. Even better graphics with everything current game engines can provide
2. More complex to the point of unrealistic tricks and motions for crazy tricks and jumps
3. Animals, I mean all of them. Birds, bears, deer. perhaps even deadly Amur tigers? (Russia DLC incoming)
4. Huge huge map, including real and imaginary locations. For example, a mountain with active volcano, and you, sliding down along the lava just few meters away. Or a frozen forest with ice and reflection of the ice using current graphic technologies.
5. I am trying to use the right words to explain something else I really want in the next Steep. It has to be the game mechanics immersing you into the game and sports. I mean when you accelerate or slow down. It has to feel amazing. Kind of like the moment in Avatar when you flyer is diving down accelerating to a very fast speed.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews