When Steep came out last year, it offered the most comprehensive winter sports simulation ever, in the largest, most open terrain possible. Throughout the resulting months, after numerous awards, Steep has grown into a living, breathing beast of a game. That said, it’s still a niche title. But if you long for the glory days of SSX, then you need look no further than Steep. This is our review of their big new expansion, Steep: Road to the Olympics. Road to the Olympics review.
It’s a hard juxtaposition to take a free-wheeling open world game like Steep, and confine it to something as rigid as the Olympics. To do so, Steep serves up a story mode that is solid in some aspects, and a bit rocky in others. Arguably the best part is when the game cuts away to real life interviews with current and past famous olympians. It’s amazing to hear stories from the likes of Lindsey Vonn and Bode Miller. But the events tied to the narrative of your “from nothing” Olympian sometimes seem disjointed against the actual story.
Still, it serves well as the fabric that ties the events of the game together, and keeps you from just aimlessly wandering off and skiing the mountain. You can still do that, sure, but Road to the Olympics is more about the Olympics and the rise of your athlete, so it makes sense that the game would want to keep you more on a path.
There’s a whole load of new terrain to play in Japan as well, and the mountain is gorgeous as the rest of the game alread is. There’s something unparalleled in gaming when you’re cruising down the mountain at death-defying speeds, hitting turns just right, and pulling off tricks like a pro. Similarly, it’s harsh and hilarious when you crash and burn.
The new map is huge and varied, and definitely the best part of the new expansion. You can do the Road to the Olympics story right from the start of the game (after the tutorial), and it’s only about 3-5 hours long. It’s worth playing through, but the long term fun comes from Japan itself, playing with others, and trying out all the different ways you can explore the map. I hope when the Winter Olympics begin for real, Ubisoft reminds me that I’ve got this expansion with new DLC and new events, because it’s definitely more fun than ever with the new competitive events.
If you’ve been holding off on Steep, but long for the days SSX or Shaun White, then Steep has you covered. Plus, you can put on a wind suit and go base jumping. Beat that, SSX Tricky. Road to the Olympics came out on December 5th, and can be bought with the base game of Steep for $60, or just the expansion (though you need Steep) for $30. Recommended.
