The graphic engine of Sled Storm seems the same behind SSX: Tricky. In fact, the game offers visuals that are very close to the ones of SSX, and as I said before, the crazy level design is exactly the same. Sled Storm conveys the same great sense of freedom and vastness of SSX, at the same time providing an extraordinary variety, also within the same level.
All this is done smoothly, and the graphic engine can provide genuine thrills at a blistering speed. Yes, Sled Storm is an incredibly fast game, faster than SSX, and what's more impressive, the environments are always filled with details, enormous structures, and mountains. The shortcuts often become sort of great sub-levels, and proceeding in the game they become more and more imaginative. These are levels that could be easily inserted in an adventure game or in a good platform. Lighting effects are sometimes gorgeous, and they vary from beautiful sun flares to the light of torches and headlights.
The characters have the same hip-hop design of the ones in SSX, and in fact many of the heroes of the SSX series, like the aggressive Zoe or the psychotic Psymon, are in this game. They look all extremely cool, for one reason or another, and are clearly created to appeal both girls and boys. The dozens of different sleds available in the game look great too, with bodies built till to the slightest detail. The characters are well animated, they react finely to the movements of the sled, and many of their tricks are a pleasure to look at. It would be impossible to see such aerobatics in the real world, but in some way, the developers were able to make them look believable.
Overall, rock solid, ultra-smooth graphic engine. Maybe the visuals are the same of SSX, but they still look terrific while running at 200Mph on a sled.
