Full Review

15 December 2003 - With the winter season on us once again, it is time to take to the slopes on and off screen. Microsoft is hoping it's on screen and on the X-Box and released the follow-up to the launch title of two years ago against EA SSX3. We havem't yet tested SSX 3, however Amped 2 is more of the same as its previous incarnation. That said more of the same is not a bad thing for a game that was pretty good in the first place.

New mountains, tricks and a Microsoft Live inclusion are the main noticeable differences on the original. For those unaware of series, Amped2 is your pro-typical Snowboarding action fest. Points are earned by doing death defying stunts without falling off your board and the more points you earn the more levels and cool kit are available to you.

Interlaced with general trick tracks are specific tasks such as proving to a possible sponsor that you are the best at doing rail slides. This provides a nice challenge as well as breaking up the game play.

The game play is very similar to the Tony Hawk Skateboarding series and any player of that will be on familiar territory here.

New to the game is the Live functionality, something that was missing from the first. Connecting to the XSN Sports Network will allow you to be involved in the league and therefore complete with other players from around the globe. The experience is actually very good and you can also download extra elements such as kit from the servers.

If the budget won't stretch to a broadband connection you can always spilt the screen and enjoy player on player action or if you're looking to throw a party you can connect up to 8 Xboxes together for some downhill madness.

VERDICT
While this is more of the same - it is still great fun. With plenty of tricks, mountains, obstacles and the online elements you'll find frequent late nights ahead.