Steep

The opinions of the critics regarding the story of Steep are quite consistent. The majority of them, including GameSpew, Gameplanet, TheSixthAxis, and Hardcore Gamer, agree that the game does not have a story or a narrative-driven experience. This can be seen as a positive aspect of the game, as it allows players to have the freedom to explore the massive mountain and engage in various activities without being tied down to a specific storyline. Twinfinite also highlights this aspect, mentioning that the lack of narrative direction allows players to enjoy the game using four different disciplines: snowboarding, skiing, wingsuiting, and paragliding. This freedom of choice and exploration is seen as a positive aspect by the critics, as it aligns with the open-world nature of the game. However, there are a few critics, such as IGN and GameCrate, who mention that while the storyline is weak and not necessary, it does provide a nice break after several rounds on the slopes. This suggests that the story, although not a prominent feature, can still offer some enjoyment and variety to the gameplay experience. IGN specifically mentions the special challenges called Mountain Stories, which range from intimidating to downright goofy, adding some fun and unique elements to the game. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Steep lacks a strong narrative or storyline. However, this is not necessarily seen as a negative aspect, as the game's focus on exploration, freedom, and engaging gameplay mechanics compensates for the absence of a traditional story. The critics appreciate the open-world nature of the game, which allows players to immerse themselves in the various disciplines and activities available on the mountain. The inclusion of Mountain Stories and the occasional break from the slopes also adds some variety and enjoyment to the overall experience.

The opinions of the critics regarding the gameplay of Steep are varied, with some praising its positive aspects and others highlighting its negative aspects. In terms of positives, several critics, such as COGconnected and Digital Spy, mention that the gameplay is satisfying, enjoyable, and easy to love. They appreciate the responsive controls and deep mechanics, as well as the high-speed races, trick challenges, and exploration. The game offers a variety of extreme winter sports activities, including snowboarding, skiing, wingsuit flying, and paragliding, which are generally well-implemented and enjoyable to play. The snowboarding and skiing portions are particularly praised for feeling realistic and satisfying, with the ability to perform both simple and complex tricks. The game also offers a sense of freedom, allowing players to choose their own path down the mountain and explore at their own pace. On the other hand, there are some negative aspects of the gameplay that critics point out. AusGamers and Critical Hit mention that the controls can be finicky and unintuitive, especially for snowboarding and skiing. The lack of certain snowsport tricks is seen as a missed opportunity, and the trick controls are criticized as awful and unintuitive by GameCritics. Some critics, such as Game Informer and GameCrate, mention issues with the control scheme, including difficulties controlling speed and direction, getting stuck on objects, and encountering bugs. The wingsuit and paragliding challenges are also mentioned as flawed and not as fun by Hardcore Gamer. Overall, the consensus among the critics is mixed. While there are positive aspects to the gameplay, such as the satisfying physics, enjoyable challenges, and well-implemented traversal controls, there are also negative aspects, such as the finicky controls, lack of certain tricks, and issues with the control scheme. Some critics, like Game Revolution and GamingTrend, appreciate the variety of snow sports disciplines and the ability to switch between them freely, while others, like GameSpot and PC Gamer, express disappointment with certain aspects of the gameplay. Despite the mixed opinions, it is clear that Steep offers a unique and diverse experience for players who enjoy extreme winter sports, with some aspects of the gameplay being more successful than others.

The graphics and visual design of Steep received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the majority of critics. Many reviewers praised the game for its stunning and gorgeous visuals, with attention to detail and beautiful landscapes. Critics such as AusGamers, Digital Spy, Game Informer, GameCritics, GameSpew, GamesRadar+, Metro GameCentral, PlayStation Universe, Push Square, The Digital Fix, TheSixthAxis, Twinfinite, Wccftech, Impulsegamer, and Hardcore Gamer all expressed admiration for the game's visuals. They highlighted elements such as the snowy mountains, alpine scenery, and the day/night cycle as visually stunning and impressive. The graphics were described as crisp, beautiful, exceptional, and even drop-dead gorgeous. CGMagazine specifically praised the game for its fantastic motion blur and sense of speed, while Gameplanet mentioned the awe-inspiring horizons and large open world. The visuals were also commended for their ability to create a realistic winter sports experience, as noted by Impulsegamer. However, there were some minor criticisms and negative aspects mentioned by a few critics. COGconnected mentioned minor graphical issues, Gameplanet pointed out the lack of aliasing and occasional framerate drops, and GameSpot mentioned that the HUD and gaudy markers for events could sometimes ruin the mood. ZTGD also noted some open-world glitches and weird animations. Additionally, Destructoid mentioned that while the game had a realistic and believable aesthetic, the physics engine had a cartoonish feel. The review did not explicitly praise or criticize the visuals, but this comment highlights a potential inconsistency between the game's visual design and its physics. Overall, the consensus among critics is that Steep has impressive graphics and visual design. The game is widely regarded as beautiful, with stunning vistas, picturesque scenery, and attention to detail. The majority of critics praised the game's visuals, highlighting the gorgeous alpine setting, dynamic terrain deformation, and detailed visuals. The ability to explore a vast, snow-covered environment and the inclusion of diverse landmarks were also mentioned positively. The positive feedback from multiple critics, including IGN, Digital Spy, and Game Revolution, further supports the overall consensus that Steep's graphics and visual design are very good.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Sound Design and Music of Steep are generally positive. COGconnected describes the audio as solid, creating a serene atmosphere with sounds of nature and snow. Push Square praises the sound design for evoking the atmosphere of snow swept peaks with the sound of rushing wind and skis on snow. NZGamer mentions that the game has an emotive and diverse soundtrack that enhances the serene majesty of the environment. Game Revolution also praises the soundtrack for adding to the immersive snowy atmosphere of the game, describing it as cold, yet inviting, and angelically beautiful, yet humble. Hardcore Gamer commends the well-curated soundtrack that features a variety of genres fitting the game and interesting to hear. However, there are a few negative opinions regarding the Sound Design and Music of Steep. Gameplanet points out that the sound is glitchy in places, with the soundtrack dropping out during retries. The Digital Fix criticizes the soundtrack for lacking a defining direction and not inspiring the listener. GameCrate mentions that the sound of bones crunching on impact adds to the realism of the game, which could be seen as a negative aspect for some players who may find it too intense or uncomfortable. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the Sound Design and Music of Steep are generally well-received. IGN, NZGamer, and Push Square all mention positive aspects of the sound design and music. The diverse soundtrack, evocative sound design, and serene atmosphere created by the audio are praised by multiple critics. While there are some negative opinions regarding glitches in the sound, lack of inspiration in the soundtrack, and intense sound effects, the overall sentiment leans towards the positive side. The positive aspects mentioned by COGconnected, Game Revolution, and Hardcore Gamer, along with the generally positive consensus, indicate that the Sound Design and Music of Steep contribute positively to the overall experience of the game.

The opinions of the critics regarding the voice acting in Steep are varied. IGN and GameSpot both mention that the major mountains in the game are given distinctive personalities and human voices, which they find charmingly absurd. This suggests that the voice acting for these characters is well-executed and adds a unique element to the game. IGN even mentions this positive aspect twice, indicating its significance. Additionally, CGMagazine mentions that the voice acting in Steep is cheesy, which could be seen as a positive by some players who enjoy a more lighthearted and fun approach to the game. On the other hand, The Digital Fix criticizes the voice acting in the Mountain Stories feature, describing it as drama school-like in delivery and messing up the pace. This negative feedback suggests that the voice acting in this particular aspect of the game may not have been up to par, potentially impacting the overall experience for players. games(TM) briefly mentions a dudebro-type guy over the radio, but does not provide much information about the voice acting, making it difficult to determine whether it was positive or negative. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the voice acting in Steep has its positives and negatives. The distinctive personalities and human voices given to the major mountains are generally praised for their charming absurdity, as mentioned by IGN and GameSpot. However, The Digital Fix's criticism of the voice acting in the Mountain Stories feature suggests that there may be room for improvement in certain areas. ICXM also suggests that more voice overs and engagement with the player would enhance the game, indicating that there may be a desire for a more immersive voice acting experience. Therefore, while there are some positive aspects to the voice acting in Steep, there are also areas that could be improved upon to create a more cohesive and engaging overall experience for players.

In terms of the technical performance on the PlayStation 4, the overall consensus among the critics is relatively positive. AusGamers, COGconnected, Digital Spy, Push Square, and Twinfinite all mention that they did not encounter any major technical performance or stability issues. Push Square even highlights that the game runs well on the PlayStation 4 Pro with a framerate close to 60 frames-per-second. However, there are some negative aspects mentioned by other critics. GameSpew points out issues with game mechanics not being explained well and camera glitches when crashing into obstacles. Gameplanet criticizes the poor menu design with cluttered map screens and cursor issues. Metro GameCentral mentions suspect collision detection, particularly with wingsuits. GamesRadar+ highlights annoying bugs that can force players to restart races repeatedly. Despite these negative points, the overall sentiment on the technical performance for the PlayStation 4 is relatively positive. Moving on to the Xbox One platform, the critics' opinions are mixed regarding the technical performance of Steep. GameSpot and ICXM mention lingering bugs, but they are described as mere inconveniences. Impulsegamer notes issues with lag affecting gameplay, but overall considers the game to be relatively sturdy. ZTGD points out some weird open-world glitches, although the frame rate is mostly stable. While there are some negative aspects mentioned, the overall sentiment on the technical performance for the Xbox One is relatively neutral, with no major technical issues reported. For the PC platform, the critics' opinions lean towards the negative side when it comes to the technical performance of Steep. GameCrate encountered bugs and glitches, such as starting courses backwards or getting stuck in objects. Hardcore Gamer mentions some bugs, including spawning issues, but overall considers the technical performance to be solid with instant loading times. These negative aspects mentioned by GameCrate and Hardcore Gamer indicate that the PC version of Steep may have more technical issues compared to the console versions. In conclusion, the overall consensus among the critics is that Steep generally performs well in terms of technical performance, with no major issues reported on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One platforms. However, there are some minor technical issues mentioned, such as game mechanics not being explained well, camera glitches, and occasional bugs on all platforms. The PC version seems to have more noticeable technical issues compared to the console versions, as reported by GameCrate and Hardcore Gamer. Despite these issues, the technical performance of Steep is generally considered solid, with no game-breaking problems reported by any of the critics.

The opinions of the critics regarding the replay value of Steep are varied, with some positive and negative aspects highlighted. Several critics, such as AusGamers and Game Informer, mention the game's replay value through challenges, exploration, and the ability to create and participate in events with other players. This emphasizes the game's potential for continued engagement and enjoyment. Additionally, COGconnected and GameSpew highlight the large open world and diverse locations as factors that keep players engaged even after several hours of play. On the other hand, some critics express concerns about the game's replay value. CGMagazine mentions unnecessary mechanics that make the game feel like a checklist, potentially diminishing the desire to replay. Digital Spy also notes that the game can become repetitive and lacks a compelling hook to keep players coming back for more. GameCritics criticizes the design of the game, stating that it takes away any real reason to level up, which may impact the long-term appeal for players. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Steep offers replay value through its challenges, exploration, and online component. The game's open world, variety of activities, and ability to play with friends are praised by multiple critics, including Game Informer and The Digital Fix. However, there are concerns about the potential repetitiveness and lack of motivation to continue playing, as mentioned by critics such as Digital Spy and TheSixthAxis. The multiplayer integration, global leaderboards, and sharing features are seen as extending the game's life, but may not appeal to solo players, as noted by IGN. The game's replay value seems to depend on the player's passion for snow sports, as mentioned by Game Revolution.