Freak Out: Extreme Freeride

FreakOut: Extreme Freeride is a sports video game developed by Swedish studio ColdWood Interactive and published by JoWooD Productions for PlayStation 2, released exclusively in Europe on March 30, 2007. The player controls one of six playable skiers from a third-person perspective using a combination of buttons to jump and perform tricks, and has to complete challenges to unlock new mountains and equipment.

Freak Out: Extreme Freeride
PC version boxart
Developer(s)ColdWood Interactive
Publisher(s)JoWooD Productions
Producer(s)Michael Kairat[1]
Platform(s)PS2, Windows, PSP
Release
  • EU: March 30, 2007
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

FreakOut was announced on August 16, 2006. It received generally favorable reviews from critics. It was released on PlayStation 2, Windows and PSP in 2007.[2] On January 13, 2015, the game was released on Steam where for the first time, saw a North American release.[3]

Gameplay

In FreakOut: Extreme Freeride, the player can control six different playable skiers. Each skier has his own "special tricks." The player must complete challenges to unlock new mountains and equipment. While winning challenges, the player also increases his tricks, balance, and endurance skills.[4]

Multiplayer

There are two different multi-player modes: "Splitscreen" and "Network." In the "Splitscreen" mode (which is not included in the PSP version), two players can race, either with a keyboard or joypad. However, in the "Network" mode, up to eight players can play together online. An online high score was also included, until the official FreakOut: Extreme Freeride website was taken down.[4]

Players may initially choose from six skiing characters: three male and three female. Each character is of different age, comes from a different country and has their unique special tricks.[4]

Reception

Reviews for non-PC platforms were less favorable. In a review of the PSP version Dom Turner of AceGamez criticised the game for its "thin" polish and numerous flaws, noting that it "could have been a lot of fun," but that the game felt rushed and that "the flaws ruin the fun completely."[5] In a PS2 review, Romendil of JeuxVideo.com said that while the game is not "calamitous," it lacks any "hair-raising" sensations and that the gameplay is " classic and accessible", but "doesn't reach the ankles of games that inspired it, such as SXX."[6] However, both reviewers noted that the music was the game's soundtrack was its strongest point.

Ross Scott in Ross's Game Dungeon gave the game favorable praise, claiming the game was a light in the dark for a time when no ski games were available for the PC.

gollark: Huh? Why?
gollark: That's weird, why not just `disk/key` or something, why a directory then `.lua`?
gollark: Intereßting...
gollark: Oh, you're using a keycard door thing?
gollark: Some sort of direct computer-to-computer modem would give people unrealistic ideas about security.

References
  1. ColdWood Interactive (August 2007). FreakOut: Extreme Freeride (PC). Scene: Credits. Producer: Michael Kairat.
  2. "Gamers Hell: Freak Out: Extreme Freeride announced". Gamers Hell. August 16, 2006.
  3. "FreakOut: Extreme Freeride". Steam. Valve. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  4. "Xfire: Freak Out: Extreme Freeride". Xfire.
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20080622185351/http://www.acegamez.co.uk/reviews_psp/Freak_Out_Extreme_Freeride_PSP.htm
  6. http://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00007525-freak-out-extreme-freeride-test.htm
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