Steve Boxer has been spending some quality time with WipEout HD, and it looks like he really enjoyed himself. The game is out on the 25th, and if you’re not already very excited indeed, you will be by the end of this review. Click through for what Steve thinks, and put your thoughts in the thread…
The PlayStation Network is about to go ballistic, with a hefty dollop of new releases which should arrive in time for Christmas. We managed to prise many of them out of Sony’s grasp, for review purposes. And naturally, we thought we’d kick off with WipEout HD, which is without doubt the daddy, as far as the PSN is concerned.
For PlayStation and PS2 owners, WipEout needs no introduction: Sony Liverpool’s epic hover-racer, with its achingly cool Designers Republic graphics and mega-hip electronic music backing, is one of the best-loved games franchises ever. Bearing that in mind, many were surprised when Sony announced that WipEout HD, the first PS3 version of the game, would be a PSN release. But who are we to quibble, since that means it will be available much more cheaply than through the retail channels.
The good news is that WipEout HD doesn’t feel like a game whose development has been skimped in any way. Indeed, fire it up, and all is reassuringly familiar, in the best possible way. Those minimal, highly distinctive Designers Republic menus are present and correct, underpinned by some fine, pumping house and electrohouse tunes. There is, though, a sense that proceedings are more simple and intuitive than before: select the single-player Campaign, and you’re met with a mini-honeycomb of games to choose between (only two of which are initially unlocked). As ever, you have to finish in the top three to progress, with Gold, Silver and Bronze medals awarded accordingly. Gather enough points (three for Gold and so on), and you unlock new Events (there are eight in total). The points system is cumulative so if, say, you’re struggling to open the third Event, you can go back to the first one and convert Bronze Medals into Golds to tip the balance.
Dive into a game at random (having chosen your vehicle – our favourite in the early stages is the Team Piranha one) and, as you would expect, you’re met with a sensory experience which takes the breath away. The tracks are more colourful and futuristic-looking than ever, and look unspeakably crisp. If only the makers of Tron had had the same sort of graphical power and skill available to them…
There’s not much time for admiring the view, however, as the gameplay is thoroughly frenetic. As any WipEout aficionado will tell you, playing the game successfully is all about nailing the speed-pads and making the best use of weapons and power-ups, although this time around, the speed-pads have more prominence. WipEout HD is noticeably more accessible for novices, too – which is a good thing, as the original game, in particular, had a fearsome learning curve. There’s a Pilot Assist (hardcore users note: it’s easy to turn off) which basically makes the vehicles turn more smoothly and less abruptly. The air-brakes, of course, are still in the game, but have been augmented: if you double-tap the left one, say, you will make a sudden shift to the left. Dead useful half-way round a tight corner. Although you can use the D-pad, WipEout HD, for the first time, is just as controllable using the left analogue stick. You can also use the controller’s motion-sensing, but we have to confess that we kept this turned off (the default setting).
Although the races against eight AI ships still feature – and are as bruising as we have come to expect – they don’t occupy quite such a position of prominence as they did in previous iterations. Each Event well and truly mixes and matches the different game modes. Which are: Single Race; Time Trial (you race against the clock, with your cumulative time, usually for three or four laps, the one that matters); Speed Lap (only your fastest lap counts, and if you achieve the Gold Medal time, the race will end); Tournament, which is a series of races; and Zone, in which the acceleration is done automatically, and every ten seconds you pass into a new Zone. In the latter, every time you make it to a new Zone, you speed up, and the track colour changes; it’s all about keeping away from the wall while still nailing those speed-pads. We liked Zone because it is quite spectacularly psychedelic.
Naturally, since WipEout HD is a PlayStation Network game, you can play it online. Which can be a simple matter of jumping into a pre-designed race on your favourite track to race against seven other humans. Or you can design and host your own, picking from any of the race types, tracks, speed classes and so on.
Then there’s the Racebox, which lets you customise the single-player game, by taking any track you’ve opened and tinkering with AI level, speed class and so on. But perhaps the best aspect of Racebox is that it lets you set up two-player split-screen action, and you can choose whether to split the screen horizontally or vertically.
In terms of actual gameplay, the move to the PS3 and full 1080p has a surprisingly big impact. The crispness and solidity of the graphics make it much easier to work out what is going on (although there’s still plenty of sensory overload on offer). It feels easier to work out what your weapon is and deploy it; the speed-pads and weapons-pads never seem to blend into the tracks as they have done in past versions. In Time Trial and Speed Lap, it’s vital to nail every speed pad, make judicious use of the free speed-sup you are sometimes given each lap and to pull of those barrel-rolls (left-right-left or right-left-right while in mid-air). And in the Races, you have to watch those wing-banging episodes and stay away from the edges of the track, or you’ll blow up before you reach the finish line, which is seriously frustrating, especially if you’re in the lead. In the latter stages of Races, shield power-ups can be life-savers.
All in all, WipEout HD can only enhance the legend, and it should attract a new generation of gamers who were too young for WipEout and WipEout 2097. Particularly given that it is much more accessible in its early stages. We feel sure you’ll agree that it’s the business when it comes out on September 25.
[...] impressions of games you’re going to buy anyway, then head on over to ThreeSpeech for more WipEout HD fapping. Â TS’s Steve Boxer has played the game, and likes it, a [...]
Pingback by ThreeSpeech Like WipEout | TheSixthAxis — Sep 22, 2008 @ 1:51 pm
Sweet can not wait. Will be picking this up Thursday.
Comment by wolfehound22 — Sep 22, 2008 @ 2:09 pm
JohnSketch expects epilepsy!
Comment by JohnSketch — Sep 22, 2008 @ 2:23 pm
what about the PSN cards or even worse
Singstar patch of PS3 only allows PS3 disc to be played
question 1,whats the use of a store
and the biggest question
Why did we get promissed to import all our Singstar Discs,if we still cannot use the PS2 discs
Comment by terrortime(just bought a 360) — Sep 22, 2008 @ 2:33 pm
Damnit, bring on the PSN store update already! Cannot wait
Comment by SinsToJudge — Sep 22, 2008 @ 2:39 pm
I´m sooo looking forward to this! Loved Wipeout since it debuted on Playstation wayyy back.
Comment by karmacoma01 — Sep 22, 2008 @ 3:10 pm
Can’t wait to see this game in the flesh!
Comment by PS3 Forums at GameSlurp — Sep 22, 2008 @ 3:11 pm
What a terrible review! What about some actual opinions rather than recycling the press release?
Comment by Rhythm — Sep 22, 2008 @ 3:27 pm
Will be picking this up Thursday and recommend anyone with a PS3 does.
From the early days in my bedroom playing Wipeout on my fresh new PS1 and rocking to Chemical Brothers to today when i will be playing this in HD, Wipeout is as much part of the PS brand as Sony is. Always enjoyed these games and now its online i cant wait to take all of you on come Thursday night!
Comment by Nathaniel — Sep 22, 2008 @ 3:31 pm
Nice review Steve. Just one minor point. Being a PSN-only release doesn’t automatically make this title cheaper when compared to buying through retail channels (if we could). Remember that one could purchase GT5 Prologue significantly cheaper through retail channels than you could / still can on the PSN store. I’m so looking forward to this title that I’ll put up with it being a download-only. However, given the choice I would rather buy it on blu-ray.
Comment by reakt — Sep 22, 2008 @ 3:57 pm
[...] the article here for their views and [...]
Pingback by WipEout HD: what to expect | PS3Gamer — Sep 22, 2008 @ 4:02 pm
was that a review?
cant wait till thursday! love wipeout! (not fusion).
Comment by manley — Sep 22, 2008 @ 4:18 pm
Not for me! Terrible re-hash of another old game! Original? Not! When are the games companies going to start thinking of new exciting games!? Shame, another reason for my PS3 to be gathering dust……….
Comment by Jon — Sep 22, 2008 @ 4:23 pm
I’m buying this day one!
Comment by E-ROLE — Sep 22, 2008 @ 4:41 pm
Fantastic, so cheap too, Wipeout Wipeout Wipeout gimme gimme gimme. Thursday - score!
Anyone want to join out Warhawk clan, head to crookedconsole dot com all are welcome.
Comment by MrJimmy — Sep 22, 2008 @ 5:10 pm
I’ve heard some goody things about this blog. cheers!
Comment by Acai Berries — Sep 22, 2008 @ 5:56 pm
that daft ‘airbrake’ control system has always killed wipeout for me. doubt i’ll be getting this either.
*goes off to play Merc’s 2*
Comment by mobiletone — Sep 22, 2008 @ 6:06 pm
You should give it a chance, assuming you haven’t already. I thought the airbrake system worked well.
Comment by Obli — Sep 22, 2008 @ 6:35 pm
Stop it already. I didn’t even bother reading through the whole thing, I JUST CAN’T WAIT. SERIOUSLY. i’ve been waiting since the release of the PS3 for this. Time booked off work already!
Who’s clanning or hosting servers? Let’s do it!
Comment by Zoob — Sep 22, 2008 @ 8:19 pm
just a few…. more….. days….
Comment by Christopher L Lowder — Sep 22, 2008 @ 11:38 pm
I’m a big fan of the original Wipeout and would like to have WipeoutHD for PS3.
But: I want it on disc. So please release it on Bluray! I wish the same for Tekken 5 :).
Comment by Peter — Sep 22, 2008 @ 11:54 pm
@ Obli - i’ve played other Wipeouts, can’t see this being any different. it looks good enough, maybe they can temp me with a demo.
ps: Merc’s 2 is pretty good IMHO, different to the first one, and it does have some minor issues but it’s easy to gloss over them once you get into it. 7/10
Comment by mobiletone — Sep 23, 2008 @ 8:07 am
Wish it was coming out nearer payday. Gonna have to wait until then, but I’ve waited this long - so, what’s a few more days??
Comment by Aragorn1001 — Sep 23, 2008 @ 11:06 am
For those too young to remember wipeout and 2097, ok now your making me feel old. Thanks ThreeSpeech…
Comment by Terry — Sep 23, 2008 @ 11:53 am
Last Wipeout game I played was Pure on PSP, really enjoyed it…
From reviews I read motion control is implemented well
(for a change)
Will be buying on Thursday, but hope there is a demo too..
Comment by Mr. Monkey — Sep 23, 2008 @ 11:57 am
This game is was made me buy the original Playstation when it was released way back. At the time it just captured everything the Playstation brand was hoping to be, “cool”. I just hope the new one captures that same feeling. Hopefully the jump to HD does the trick and captures a new audience and not just the gamers that remember the old game. If it looks as good as I hope then this needs to be displayed in GAME and Gamestation on a gaming pod and rather than the 360 I see there constantly.Perhaps even doing a bundled package with it preinstalled on the HDD. Come on Sony get some marketing behind this franchise. Otherwise with it being a download only I am afraid it will only be sold to the converted/hardcore and not a new market.
Comment by mumraa — Sep 23, 2008 @ 12:33 pm
Indeed mumraa - Sony finally seem to be pumping out the content (or very nearly - the next few months are packed) but where the heck is all the advertising of this good stuff. I can’t remember the last time I saw a Playstation advert, on TV, in a magazine, on a billboard… wherever. I agree with Wipeout - that is a brand associated with and significant to Playstation.
Comment by Obli — Sep 23, 2008 @ 2:59 pm
@ Threespeech
With the release of Wipeout imminent, will you be changing your banner to another game that has been ridiculously delayed?
Comment by Aragorn1001 — Sep 23, 2008 @ 3:52 pm
Cant wait. An immediate purchase for me! I love the franchise although I have not shown enough love to Pulse on my PSP but I will be battering this game come thu. Cant wait to play online too.:)
Comment by Carl Busby — Sep 23, 2008 @ 5:50 pm
Anybody got any idea how much space I should clear from my HD for this yet?
Comment by Zoob — Sep 23, 2008 @ 6:36 pm
“Those minimal, highly distinctive Designers Republic menus are present and correct”. Really? Did DR actually design them? I thought they had no input into WipEoutHD.
Comment by consoul — Sep 24, 2008 @ 12:45 am
@29 [Zoob]:
[ thesixthaxis.com/2008/09/24/wipeout-hd-lands/ ]
—
“…We’ve just maxed the TSA Towers broadband line this morning, what with the LBP beta weighing in at a hefty 900 MB and now the final ‘gold’ version of WipEout HD (which can can categorically confirm is out tomorrow) streaming down our pipes. It’s 2 MB shy of a Gig, and we’ll be bringing you the full lowdown…”
—
“Burnout Paradise” should be seeing another update tomorrow too as it is to be patched to have Trophy Support (64 retrospective Trophies available).
The full version of game (including all patches to date) will be also available for download via the PlayStation Network from the PlayStation Store.
BFN,
fp.
Comment by fanpages — Sep 24, 2008 @ 3:08 pm
Does anybody know what time this will be available?
Comment by DBSnappa — Sep 25, 2008 @ 12:16 pm
It’s there now, all 998mb of it
Comment by Mark — Sep 25, 2008 @ 3:56 pm
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