Make no mistake: Front Page Sports: Ski Racing is not like any of those snowboarding games on the console market. This is a racing simulation through and through, upholding the reputation of the Front Page Sports name. For ski racing fans, that fact should be a thrill; for skiing fans, that fact should be a warning.
Because it is so much a simulation, FPS: Ski Racing is very challenging, especially for the first few hours spent trying to overcome the steep learning curve. The control scheme tells the tale - there's more to this game than just steering the skier through the course. You also have to edge your turns (button one) and prepare for jumps (button two) to minimize air time while trying to stay in a tucked position (forward on the joystick) as much as possible.
Start with downhill racing. It's the easiest of all the events because you don't have to carve as many turns. As with most racing sims, knowing the ins and outs of the course is the most important factor in maintaining a competitive edge. Familiarizing yourself with the courses means a lot of practice and a lot of repetition. But even then, you have to worry about the snow and weather conditions on race day. Skiing a course on which you feel competent in ideal conditions (packed powder, no wind, clear skies) becomes much more difficult on corn snow with gusting winds and the haze of snowfall.
Racing downhill - where the gates are laid out in a relatively straight path before you - is one thing, but what about the Super G, giant slalom, and slalom events? That's when you'll really learn how much skill is required to play this game successfully and competitively. It takes a lot of practice to ski a slalom course without missing a single gate and post a respectable time. (And the best way to play - if not the only practical way - is to use an analog joystick.)
But the control scheme also tells another tale. There are a number of tricks you can perform - like daffies, back-scratchers, helicopters, even back flips - but their use is a mystery. The game only includes the four aforementioned events, none of which warrants the use of tricks. There's not even a good jump to fool around with. (Although Picabo finds one in the video clip of her showing you how to perform the tricks.)
Don't expect to go schussing through the powder between the trees either. The only open trail on each mountain is the one with the racecourse. Even the trees are nothing more than flat, texture-mapped polygons that cause some nasty clipping, even with a 3D card and the view distance turned up to maximum. Understandably, something has to give for the sake of a good frame rate.
Are you starting to think that maybe this polar bear came out of hibernation a bit early this winter? If so, you're right. The development team had grander plans for this game. Probably due to the typical rush job of getting this game out for Christmas, a lot of what would have made this game complete was left on the cutting-room floor. No arcade play option or "skiing aids" (features in today's racing sims imperative for achieving accessibility to the novice racer and a broader market) are unfortunate omissions in an otherwise well-crafted skiing simulation. Even the inclusion of a course editor would have been a welcome addition. Picabo Street's video tips are nice, but they apply more to real skiing than to the game and, all things considered, aren't very helpful.
What's more unfortunate is that this fine ski racing game, the best there's ever been on the PC, may never see a second season if it doesn't sell well - a strong possibility due to its strong niche appeal. Though the graphics are impressive with or without a 3D card, and the sound effects - particularly the music by Loudmouth Inc. - are inspiring, Front Page Sports: Ski Racing falls a split-second short of a gold medal run.
