Why You Should Be Playing Steep

I heard about steep long before it came out by word of mouth, then I forgot about it got on with my life and then all of a sudden it quietly released. Why did it have such a hushed release? Does the game suck? I asked myself.

I really wanted a good old school snowboarding game in my collection so I picked up a copy. A friend of mine was also playing and got me into the hype which helped. As soon as I started playing I knew I liked the feeling of it. I didn’t know much about the game before I popped it into my PS4 beyond the fact that you could mix between different sports (skiing, snowboarding, paragliding and my favorite base jumping). The game feels fluid and very unique, the open alps are there for the picking and the game actively makes you explore and find new ‘drop points’ to challenge you. If you liked Skate then this game has some similarities with how the snowboarding handles. It does not feel as bombastic as Tony Hawks or as grounded as Skate, as such it’s a really nice mix of silliness and realism.

The game really comes alive when you are playing together. The simple fun of completing a ride and then watching your friend try and beat your high score is great. The swearing down the mic as your friend stacks it into the rocks moments before landing the best trick ever is just hilarious. You can also set new routes and dare your friends to ride them. A couple of friends and I who are playing have set an epic base jumping challenge that boils down to old school fun. We are all trying to be the best on the course so when you get a message saying your high score is dust, you feel compelled to crack the game open and regain the crown. The game does have its faults though and hopefully the impending big update and free content will help the game realize its full potential.

All I can say is go and try it, it’s a great, fun game and for me a good game to have in the collection for casual playing and some healthy yet infuriating competition as you do your best to beat your friends high scores. 

Jake Buchnan | @hdd_heart

Buy Steep on PS4, Xbox One or PC