Chill is not just a feeling—it's also a snowboarding game that many forgot existed, akin to that one friend who always shows up uninvited to parties. Released in the dark ages of 1998, this little gem from Silicon Dreams tries to ride the wave of the snowboarding craze. Spoiler: it falls off the board halfway down the slope.
Chill boasts five whole tracks (yes, you heard that right), spread across only five mountains. This is about as varied as your daily breakfast choices when you forget to go grocery shopping. If you’re looking to live out your extreme snowboarding fantasies, prepare to be let down faster than a pair of soggy underpants on a snowy day. You can choose between playing solo or dragging a friend into this chilly madness with split-screen multiplayer. You know, so you can share the joy of crashing down a hill together, while inevitably blaming each other for your virtual demise. The gameplay mechanics are about as revolutionary as a 5.0 on a scale of 1 to 10 can get. You carve, you spin, and occasionally, you manage to pull off something that resembles a trick. Each time you land flat on your face, you’ll wonder if maybe, just maybe, real snowboarding is a lot less painful than this.
Ah, the graphics. If you think you've seen retro visuals, think again! Chill's graphics scream mid-90s like a denim jacket with a band logo. This game doesn't just age poorly; it looks like it's been stored in a time capsule buried under a snowdrift for two decades. The mountains have texture that could remind you of mashed potatoes on a bad day. Character designs? Think of a prototype action figure that didn’t make the final cut for production because the design team realized they ran out of good ideas. The colors are bright and cheery, but trying to ignore the awkward visuals is like trying to ignore that you left the oven on.
Chill is a game that wanted to be a big deal in the snowboarding era but ended up being the background noise while more popular titles took center stage. It walks the fine line between simplicity and dullness, which is quite a feat considering most games at least have a personality. A score of 5.5 reflects its earnest attempt to please a niche audience while being as effective as a paper snow shovel in a blizzard. In summary, if you find yourself craving some extreme snowboarding action and have an unquenchable thirst for nostalgia, then Chill may just be the frosty adventure you never knew you needed. Just keep a warm drink nearby; you’ll need it to wash down the bitter taste of disappointment as you navigate these icy slopes.
Another SquareThought Site