Ubisoft’s Steep is a kinetic dive into extreme winter sports

The team at Ubisoft Annecy has lived in the shadows of the big mountains in Steep for a long time, and they’ve finally got a chance to depict the winter sports of those mountains in a lifelike experience that captures both the realism and the fantasy of extreme sports in the breathtaking environment of the French Alps.

Ubisoft’s Steep debuts on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and the PC on December 2. An early beta begins on Thursday and runs through November 14. I got a chance to try the game (as you can see in the videos embedded on this page) at a Ubisoft event held at the headquarters of action camera maker GoPro in San Mateo, Calif. I went into the preview expecting it to be a little boring, but it was actually really thrilling to play. You feel immersed in the cold environs of the mountains as you speed downhill and hear the sounds of wind whipping through your clothing. It feels more real than any other snow sports game I’ve played.