10 Video Games That Don't Deserve Their High Metacritic Scores

9. SSX (2012)

ssx 2012
EA
Metacritic Score: 81 (PS3), 82 (360)

Take a once-prolific franchise, announce it's coming back, give it a lick of paint and re-release it to the masses. Such was what we thought we were getting with the revamped SSX in 2012, the reworked version of EA BIG's characterful arcade-style racer on the PS2.

Nope! Instead, someone clearly didn't get the memo that SSX's appeal was routed in character. Characterful riders, characterful special moves, character courses. None of which was present, as the afro-topped Eddy was suddenly DLC (urgh) and all the once-colourful and quip-happy cast had about as much to differentiate them as Zack Snyder does CG explosions.

The control scheme was overhauled and a terrible 'rewind' mechanic was implemented, yet it only worked on yourself, meaning the second you fell off the course, every other rider was immediately several hundred meters ahead. Add in that it had no head-to-head multiplayer and instead forced you to race 'ghosts' of your opponents, and there's a damn good reason this was a 'return' resigned to a single instalment..

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Gaming Editor
Gaming Editor

WhatCulture's Head of Gaming.