Steep

And here is something completely new for you -- Steep, a fresh snowboarding title from Ubisoft. Currently, the game is being tested in a beta stage, and will be officially released on December 2, 2016.

Steep is an extreme sports game set in an open world with a strong multiplayer component. This new approach will allow players from all over the globe to inhabit the same open locations engaging in various sports activities simultaneously. The most interesting aspect of Steep is the match recording system that will allow you to replay your activities, make screenshots and even share players’ experience data over social networks.

A few older mechanics, such as the tricks system, also make a comeback, including the famous Alaska track that is such a fantastic winter location, so if you have been a fan of the SSX series before, you should definitely check out this new game from Ubisoft.

What other winter-themed video games would you like to see mentioned? Share them in the comments section.

Batman: Arkham Origins

Gotham is almost exclusively depicted as this very dark and gloomy city, and even winter holidays bring no joy to its citizens that are being constantly terrorized by a bunch of maniacs. This kind of atmosphere perfectly fits the series of games about Batman.

Of all other games in the DC lineup, Arkham Origins has one of the most fascinating winters. This was possible due to the APEX Turbulence technology, that allows some truly innovative weather effects, especially snow, to be created.

Although, Origins is considered to be the weakest game in the Arkham series, it is still pretty solid, so give it a go.

Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter

If you’ve never heard of Icewind Dale, then think of it as a clone of Baldur’s Gate that is set amidst a frozen world. This is a classical RPG game that tells a story of a few wanderers trying to get into the very heart of winter in order to fight an Ice Dragon.

On top of the really snowy and icy locations you get to see a number of typical towns and taverns that accommodate groups of drunken elves. Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter, despite its cold title, is actually a very heartwarming expansion that will keep you engaged during these long winter nights.

Syberia

This cult adventure game from the Belgian comic book writer Benoit Sokal is preparing to become a trilogy. So before the third installment of the series gets an official release, this winter would be an excellent time to replay the first two parts. Both games take you to the coldest part of the world -- the Russian Syberia, full of icy caves and wild forests.

Syberia has a fantastic story taking place in the bizarre world of automata with its own peculiar atmosphere. Lately the game has become available for mobile devices, so you don’t even have to access your PC or console to play this great game.

Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit from Quantic Dream is a very unusual game made in a classical noir style, and takes place in the snowy New York City. If you like the atmosphere of Max Payne, then you will definitely enjoy the world of Fahrenheit, as they are almost identical. The city is a freezing hell that almost feels post-apocalyptic, but that's just the initial feeling of the severe New York winter.

This was the second attempt of David Cage in creating a cinematic video game that had the potential to revolutionize the stale industry, in which it did succeed to a certain extent. On the other hand, if you can’t stand the outdated graphics, then check out the remastered version that has significantly improved the visual side of this great game.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Everybody knows what Skyrim is and what it can offer. This game probably has the most furious snowstorms of them all. If you want to experience a true Skyrim winter, all you need to do is get up as high as the highest peaks and watch heavy clouds shower everything around with thick layers of snow.

It always looks amazing and if you do become tired of the fury of the Skyrim winter, you can always go back down into the sunny valleys. That’s the beauty of this game -- the world is so vast that you can never actually get bored of it.

Max Payne

Snow storm, steamy pipes, fire, explosions, bullets in slow motion -- all this is Max Payne, one of the best action games ever created. The setting and the story made this title into one of the most beloved among the gamers.

If you have an opportunity to replay the very first Max Payne, then do so. The graphics may look a bit outdated today, but hopefully, the sense of nostalgia will help you see right through those flaws, which mind you, weren’t flaws at all, when the game was released back in 2001.

Until Dawn

The horror genre has always been more about a good story rather than scary monsters. Until Dawn is that kind of game -- it knows how to scare, and all the events take place in a remote snowy area. Setting the events of the game during winter time was a proper decision, since it's much harder to run away from a maniac-killer through the thick of the snow-covered forest.

The game is very cinematic and the camera explores areas just as if it was a movie. The motion capture is one of the best you will ever see, and the actors are actually doing a great job expressing their emotions. The level of interactive drama is always high and it makes up for one of the best games in the recent years.

I am Setsuna

If you don’t like to play sports video games, then here is something you might like more. I am Setsuna is an original IP from Square Enix’ Tokyo RPG Factory branch, that was created to revive the classical JRPG style of games.

If you liked Chrono Trigger, then you will definitely enjoy I am Setsuna. The game looks very cute and charming and the perpetual winter environment perfectly underlines the story. Almost all locations are generously covered with the fluffiest snow, and you can almost feel the cool breeze coming from your monitor.

The combat utilizes an Active Time Battle system that so many RPG fans have been craving to see in the recent titles. This is a rare gem that respects the origins of the genre and should not be missed.

SSX (Snowboard Supercross)

The famous snowboarding series was rebooted in 2012 and featured real locations instead of the fictional ones from the previous games. One of the best tracks is obviously Alaska -- the kingdom of winter that is perfect for snowboarding challenges.

One thing you immediately notice when playing the new SSX is the vastly improved physics of movements. If this game will ever be available for VR, we all ought to try this out -- it would simply be amazing. However, even on the typical TV screen the game looks and feels astonishing.

Every location has lots of secret tracks and you also have access to some great snowboarding equipment. For example, you can wear a special body armor that protects your character from the rocks and trees; the coolest of them must be the wingsuit that allows you to cover huge gaps in the air; etc.

All in all, SSX managed to reinvent itself in this new reboot and you should check it out this winter.

SSX Tricky

Now is the best time to remember the best snowboarding game of all time -- SSX Tricky. This was a special game that was available on PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox consoles and garnered universal acclaim on all these platforms.

SSX Tricky was a sequel to the first SSX game, which added a system of Uber moves that could be performed during a boarding match. If you managed to perform six consecutive Uber moves, then you would be given an infinite boost until the end of the match.

This mechanics were so interactive and fun that it couldn’t possibly be topped by any other game in the same genre. On top of that you get to see some incredibly designed tracks covered with ice and snow that turn the game into a true winter sports experience.

If you can’t find a way to play this game today, then head to the next slide for a reboot of the SSX series.

Video games can do anything -- they can transport you to the times and places that are out of reach in real life. Soon the winter holidays begin, and many gamers wish to experience that special winter chill without leaving their homes.

It’s not too difficult to recreate weather effects in the game, but only a handful actually managed to create a proper winter atmosphere.

Here are some of the best games that will immerse you into the coldest season of the year, and make your holidays much more enjoyable.

A game's narrative is a fancy word for a game's story. This means if you ever see a game which is narrative-driven, or story-driven they are the same thing. A few of the best narrative-driven games are:

• Portal (as well as great puzzle game).
  
• Persona 3 and 4
• The Walking Dead (Seasons 1 and 2)
• The Wolf Among Us
• Fahrenheit (or Indigo Prophecy)
• Heavy Rain

Let's go on a journey through what makes or breaks a game's narrative, bearing in mind this has nothing to do with gameplay. You can have a terrible narrative, but terrific gameplay.

(Warning contains spoilers for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Far Cry 3 and an early choice for Telltale's The Walking Dead: Season 1)

What Makes a Narrative...

...Terrible?

A terrible story specifically reminds you that you are in a video game...

A terrible narrative can simply be caused by bad writing, or a thin plot, but something that can really cause a narrative to fall apart is incoherence. When the narrative threads jump around with no real relevance to each other can cause you to lose interest, and confusion. You stop caring or simply don't know about what is going to happen, and any cut scenes will be boring. A terrible story specifically reminds you that you are in a video game, and that if there is a man in front of you as you must shoot them, because you must. Why? To advance the story silly.

This is often used in FPS games, specifically Call of Duty: Ghosts. There was no real coherence between actions you perform, the place you are in and the characters behaviours. The locations and set pieces influenced the story instead of both being built around each other. Another example is in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, there is one mission, called Throttle, where you are randomly in a rail shooter, flying a jet through canyons then back on your feet without knowing what had happened.

A screenshot of the mission 'Throttle' in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.

A cliché is a pretty terrible to use, especially when linked with the handling of motivations for any characters. One specific example is the strong male hero character has their weak female wife or girlfriend taken or killed. It's overused and really boring, you don't get invested into the characters because they are just always angry or sad, especially when the death of the wife happens before the game even starts.

...Bad?

One thing that really bugs me about Call of Duty recently is the amount of near death experiences.

A bad narrative does not break the narrative of the game overall, it simply reminds you that you are playing a game for a split second, after that you then drawn back in. One thing that really bugs me about Call of Duty recently is the amount of near death experiences. It was a novel thing to start with, however it did get tiresome after the rehash of the same ideas in every game. Most of them are so unrealistic, they take you out of the game. In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, during the finale, you get stabbed through the chest. However your character appears not to care, simply pulling the knife out, casually spinning it in his hand, and throwing it with the accuracy and strength of a perfectly healthy man, the knife flies through the air and kills General Shepherd hitting him square in the left eye. It is just simply to far out of reality, and the games fiction. You can take 100s of bullets during gameplay, but one stab or gun shot during a cutscene instantly stops you doing anything until the vital moment.

A perfect throw after pulling a knife out of your chest? I think not.

The story is going so well...suspense and adrenaline are running high then...

The story is getting better, everything is advancing at the perfect pace, the writing is on point, you love all the characters on your side and hate but respect the ones you are fighting. The story is going so well, you feel it reaching the mid section crescendo and you look for the plot twist. Thinking back through each characters backstory trying to spot who will do something stupid or turn on you. The game then reaches the exciting mid section crescendo, suspense and adrenaline are running high then...

Everyone is dead and you win.

Don't you just hate that?

...Good?

I find a good story often has plot twists which do something the wrong way round, they remove interesting and complex characters, and replace them with less interesting and more simplistic characters. Neither character is badly written or voice acted, and both are understandable or relatable. However due to the first character just being so good it leaves the second feeling bland. This happened in Far Cry 3, with Vaas being replaced by Hoyt Volker. If Far Cry 3 had done this the other way round, it would be under the next heading.

Vaas on the left, Hoyt on the right.

Another really good trick that writers use on you is the old bait and switch. You get really invested into one specific character who is your friend, you trust them and they are privy to sensitive information. Then suddenly they turn on you, turns out the whole time they were lying, of course the best writing leaves clues about their intentions, but does not explicitly tell you they are secretly working against you untill a pivotal moment.

...Terrific?

Decision making like this is what games...are pefect for...

Let's now look at the very best narrative games can offer. Not only can games give you the ability to meet engaging characters, who are not just black and white but morally grey. Games can allow you to become this character, to take on the hard decisions they will have to face, Telltale's The Walking Dead is a perfect example of this. Every decision you make you dread, you know that neither is 'good' or 'bad'. They are snap decisions which will always have bad consequences. Decision making like this is what games are best at doing, they are perfect for it and with writing as strong as in The Walking Dead you can really see why.

Who lives and who dies? You pick. Not easy right?

...when wielded well it can create some amazing and powerful moments.

Empathy, the ability to understand or share the emotion someone else is experiencing. It's powerful stuff, when you can make a character the player can empathise with, the feeling of loss, betrayal, anger, sympathy or compassion can then all be projected onto the player, sometimes all at once. Making you, as the player, care about a character will get you invested into the story, then if that character dies (if they take a supporting role) you will feel loss, and maybe anger, then want avenge your fallen comrade. It can also be used on the player character in much the same way. Empathy is a powerful tool, and when wielded well it can create some amazing and powerful moments.

Have you every wondered what makes or breaks a game's narrative? Let me know your thoughts in the comments bellow.

So most people in the gaming community now know Ubisoft has announced that in the future they are not going to even bother thinking about making a game that does not have the potential to be made into a franchise.

"That's what all our games are about; we won't even start if we don't think we can build a franchise out of it. There's no more fire and forget – it's too expensive."

Tony Key in an interview with [a]ListDaily

Not Every Story Needs a Sequel

Does this mean that they are going to continue smothering their IPs with a pillow until there is no life left in them whatsoever? While I personally hope that they pack in endless sequels to Assassin’s Creed because I have really enjoyed those games; I'll admit even I have been getting a bit tired of AC since Revelations.

Some games only require one game to be able to tell their story, and there are some games from Ubisoft, like The Division, which at first glance don’t seem to have much need for a sequel. But Ubisoft’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Tony Key, said “It is too expensive"... Really?

Budget Vs. Quality

Just because they are making a game does not mean it needs a big AAA budget.

If you look at the overall spending used for The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings next to the marketing cost alone for both Battlefield 3 and Call of Duty it is nearly twenty times as much, not to mention that the graphics in Witcher were absolutely breath taking.

For those whom are interested in the figures, in total the development costs of the vanilla version of Witcher 2 set CD Projekt Red back $7.97 million, whereas the marketing both Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3 was budgeted by EA and Activition at around $100 million each, meaning that you could develop the vanilla version of witcher more that ten times before you hit even one of their marketing figures!

Not All or Nothing

I am not saying that all games should be stand alone; different ideas have different levels of story capabilities, and some work well across a franchise. But I feel that Ubisoft is making a mistake - there are games that aren’t franchises which are successful. A good example of standalone games is every game from Quantic Dream, who use writing from David Cage to deliver great games like Omikron: The Nomad Soul and Fahrenheit, which don’t require a sequel, and they are releasing yet another new IP in October, Beyond: Two Souls starring the voice of Ellen Page.

Come on Ubisoft - don't pass up a great game just because it's a challenge.