So here is the deal. For me, this game came to my attention by surprise and the title itself was kinda (in my opinion) "under the radar" in terms of both marketing and publicity. At least, at first...now, the fact that this game is already sold out (first day) on Amazon speaks volumes as to how much "word of mouth" has taken this game. So if you've played the demo (which is exceptional) and still are unsure whether or not to purchase the game, then perhaps I can lend a hand and help you make a more informed decision.Multiplayer: Okay, normally I don't start off with this topic, however this seems to be the one that people have the most concern about, therefore I feel I must address this first. There are basically two different types of multiplayer modes essentially. The first type is when you play in "Explore" mode. Technically this is a single player type mode, however I'll give it the "multiplayer seal of approval" because basically in this mode, if you have a friend that has played a certain course, it will let you compete with a "ghost" of them. Kinda like how back in (for example) Mario Kart (for those of you that have played it) or just about any racing game (like Gran Turismo) for that matter in which you would do a "Time Trial" and try and race against a ghost of yourself to beat your time. Well in this case, you're competing against the saved ghost of a friend (whether by beating their time or a certain amount of points). The other type of multiplayer mode, is basically the same thing, except rather than being limited to just your friend's times/scores you are competing in "Global Events" against the vast majority of those who own/rent SSX (provided they have an "Online Pass." If you're wondering if this game has at-home splitscreen multiplayer capabilities...I regret to inform you that it does not, so if that is a "deal breaker" toward purchasing this game, I would recommend searching elsewhere.Gameplay: In short, for what it is, it's top notch. Getting more detailed however, there are game modes to endure. I already mentioned above the "Global Events" and "Explore" modes, yet also there is somewhat of a story mode called "World Tour" mode. This is where you can unlock all of the characters (although you can also unlock them by purchasing them with in-game credits) and also learn the basics of the game and the different types of gear that can be used to enhance/help you through each course. Basically there are 9 regions (and also as a PS3 exclusive, a Japan Mt. Fuji level is included in "Explore" mode) to explore each with several courses that you can play through. These courses are split into three categories: Race, Tricks, and Survival. The first two are pretty much self-explanatory, and as for "Survival," that basically puts your boarder up against various extreme conditions and you're given a certain type of gear to help aid you through the challenge (whether it be an oxygen tank to help you survive thin air at Mt. Everest, or an Ice Axe to help you board more smoothly on overly icy surfaces). Each character n the game levels up, and as they do so, you can purchase new gear to improve their performance; I haven't seen it all yet, but so far there seems to be a decent amount of customization. Anyway, having said all that, there is a lot of replay value in all of this (especially if you're into collecting trophies and such). It's actually kinda cool to try and outscore or beat your friend's records...a very satisfying feeling if I may say so myself.Graphics: Very well done. No, they're not phenomenal, however you can clearly tell that both time and effort was put into trying to make this snowboarding experience a feast for the eyes. All the locations and various weather conditions are accurately portrayed here in this game. So if you're the type of gamer where "looks" are important, then I can safely say you will not be disappointed here.Sound: Overall, the sound here is not too bad. The soundtrack itself used during the game is actually fairly enjoyable, however the voice acting is mildly cheesy...also the things that the characters say is kinda cheesy as well...Yet this game isn't suppose to be serious. It's a sports fantasy that let's players enact their wildest dreams at the touch of a button, so with that in mind, I'll let the "cheesy factor" slide, since it is all in good fun!Controls: Personally, I find them fairly easy to get use to. For those of you that may be veterans of the series, the game allows you to switch to-and-from an SSX Classic controls setting (which is actually pretty neat). Yet aside from that, I haven't really had any trouble with either bad camera angles or controls what so ever, which is a definite plus!Alright, now with that out of the way, here are what my scores for the game itself would be:Graphics: 4/5Controls: 4/5Sound: 5/5Multiplayer: 4/5Gameplay: 5/5Overall: 4.5/5To be honest, it's hard for me to give the game a score of a "4.5/5" cause in my opinion, that seems a little low. It really is a great title and it is a rather enjoyable arcade-style action experience, but then again, I have to force myself to realize that it isn't exactly perfect...the multiplayer is great, but COULD have been better (especially with the use of at-home splitscreen). Either way, these are just my own thoughts and personal opinions on the game. Hopefully with this review you can pick up a copy and see for yourself! Bottom line, I'd definitely say to AT LEAST give this game a rent, but I would definitely say it warrants a purchase (if you're into these sorts of games). :)Update (March 4, 2012): Alright, I've had quite a bit of playtime with this game since receiving it on it's release date and I must say, this game truly is incredible. I didn't think I'd end up clocking in as much time with this game as I already have but life is full of surprises. It would be a crime for me to not STRONGLY recommend this game. There is nothing quite like that "rush" or feeling you get when you take down a friend's score or beat their time in an event and you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you choose not to AT LEAST pick this up as a rental. Again, I know I'm slightly being redundant here, but the purpose of this update is to show that my stance on the game hasn't declined, in fact, it may have grown even better!Update: (March 6, 2012): I've earned 52% of the trophies now for the game (there are 37 trophies in all for those wondering), so I've put in a decent amount of time playing this. I'm going to change my score for the "Sound" category from "4/5" to "5/5." Why? Well as another reviewer mentioned, you can edit the music that plays in-game with a playlist/songs of your own (provided that you've uploaded them onto your PS3). Nothing quite like racing to the sounds of "Paradise City" or "Party Rock Anthem." This is a really neat feature that I believe more games should implement in the future. Anyway, if you have any questions, feel free to ask!