Review: 'ESPN International Winter Sports 2002'

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Platform: PlayStation 2

By Dingo Star

(IDG) -- This direct descendent of "Track & Field" consists of 10 events, from moguls to speed skating to the grand Canadian pastime of curling -- each involving a mix of rhythmic "PaRappa"-like button-mashing, lining up colored lines with other colored lines and similar mini-game fodder. It's easy to pick up, fun to play -- especially with a friend -- and there isn't really a throwaway event in the bunch. The PS2 controller layout makes a couple events unnecessarily difficult, though even the most obnoxious events throw in nice little twists to give your fingers a well-deserved rest.

The graphics in the PS2 version look pretty good -- especially the environments -- though the PS2's anti-aliasing problems are prevalent, and the participants suffer equally from a lack of polygons and a lack of charisma. The sound effects are convincing, re-creating the sound of skis sliding down packed powder with surprising accuracy, while some DDR-reject music and announcer phrases ("Now they're heading into a great turn now!") are unintentionally amusing. It?s definitely one of the healthier members of the Decathlon clone army.

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Graphics - 3.5

The game features some decent-looking re-creations of lots of different winter sporting arenas, but otherwise, nothin' fancy. Ugly PS2 anti-aliasing problems and the rare glitchy polygon seam occasionally mar these snow-covered vistas.

Sound - 3.0

The sound effects are good, especially the accurate re-creations of skiing friction noises. The low-rent J-pop soundtrack and Iron Chef Winter Olympics narrator, however, are lame -- when they're not being unintentionally funny.

Controls - 4.0

A few of the button-mashing events suffer from the PS2 controller layout (making you reach for L1 as you're vigorously tapping [X] and [O] is evil), but otherwise, the control and timing the various events is rock-solid and simple to learn.

Fun Factor - 4.0

"Winter Sports" is a solid, fun mix of mini-games directly descended from "Track & Field"'s royal lineage. If you think vigorous button-mashing is the lowest form of gameplay, however, stay far, far away?nearly half the events incorporate that particular "feature" in one form or another.