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"Wipeout Fusion - first impressions."

Do I buy it? Do I not? A question I asked myself a million times (mostly during lectures) before actually going and buying Wipeout Fusion today. I had heard many positive things about the game, after all, having been delayed by over a year, you`d have thought Studio Liverpool would do a good job. However, a review in PSM2 had cast a shadow of doubt over my initial enthusiasm for this game. How could this potentially amazing game get only 73%??

1 - Inability to manoeuvre past crippled ships and ships underfire.

Well, having played the game now, I can honestly say that I think PSM2 should stick to trick games like THPS3 and SSX. Enemy ships do present a challenge to get past, but not one that beyond the average gamer`s capabilities.

2 - Tracks that would make Anakin Skywalker think twice.

To be honest, I haven`t got far enough into the game to see if this is true, but I actually hope this is true. If you really do need jedi reflexes, then perhaps this is the ultimate racing game challenge, and I look forward to it immensely!

3 - Bad clipping.

Erm? This is when you can do things like view your ship through a supposedly solid wall yeh? Well... I haven`t noticed it yet, but to be honest, I can`t see it happening later unless you spend all your time with your ship planted in a wall. I believe the idea is to stay on the course, not experiment with its boundaries. Fair point if it is true... but I have no evidence of it yet.

4 - Night levels.

Whats wrong with that? Again, its all about adding a challenge. I don`t want a wipeout game where you just follow the course, go ahead of your opponents, and win with ease, I want a game which will make you work in every corner, every straight even, and actually make you sweat despite just sitting down.

5 - Old music.

Maybe, but thats hardly a reason for criticism. In fact the music, especially in the menus was rather good I thought. As with all previous wipeout games the sound track is important, and I believe its done the job (though living up to 2097 was an impossible task).

Anyway, so there you have it, a few hours into the game, and I was confident that all the criticism I had heard (which was fair enough for the reviewer, and his opinion) was not going to be a problem for me, and I could continue my game knowing that it was quite special.

So... what do I actually think of the game? The intro set the scene, fast paced, adrenaline pumping, speedy camera changes... all the stuff that goes together in great action movies, and top action games. Then its onto the main menu, and things get even better due to the cracking music played during your selections - which by the way include the ever important two player mode!

Pick a ship, any ship, it didn`t matter to me on my firtst go, then a course... just get racing I thought to myself, don`t worry about where! A few moments later, I`m onto some course in somewhere, with no clue what the controls are or what the competition is like. Using my old 2097 controls I began the race, and picked up a weapon... fiddled with controls for a while until I found fire, and it was away, and brilliant missile heading directly for the nearest wall - might have to wait for a target lock next time. Anyway, with the controls now sorted, it was down to business, racing, and blowing ships off the face of the planet.

The handling... how can I describe it? Think Gran Turismo combined pure water. A strange combo, as it would surely ruin your PS2, but in this case I mean solid handling as never seen before, with a kind of fluid feel that gives a more pure feeling of control than any other futuristic racer before it. Rather than Extreme-G3`s nervous twitching, this was real racing, and the control was simply "just right".

Its got the looks, its got the sound, its got the handling, its got the gameplay, and it certainly has style - by the bucket load. After only a short time with this game, I can see that this will be one of my favourites for many months or even years to come, its really something quite special. It makes Dante look about as cool as the insides of an erupting volcano.

The track in the demo is the Florion Height track, which is definitely my least favourite. The loop the loop doesn't really add anything to it. Later tracks are much better, longer, varied, and faster.

I wasn't that impressed by the Zone demo either. Though in the game, that's not even available at the start, you have to unlock it. I haven't as yet, so can't comment how it works on the other tracks.

I am the Tennant wrote:
>My Landlord won`t let me use games that in anyway cause excitement, or feelings of joy. That is why I won`t be getting Wipeout or MGS2.


I`m sorry to hear that.

Well, I played two demos, won the races and thought they sucked. I was promised new things. It looks like same old WipEout to me. Pah.

Zoom round track, crash into walls, blow stuff up occasionally. Nothing new! I think its overhyped, over rated and perhaps even a pile of tosh? Not that I'm quick to judge something I've seen so little of...

I feel my money would be better speant on some pyramid bags and a box of jaffa cakes.... but then the same could be said about MGS2, no?



Mmmmmmm Jaffa Cakes........

Your Honour wrote:
>I just need to sell some of my games to get some money
> first...

Well, to be honest, I was going to order from SR... but now you mention it... :-)

I haven`t been talking to Tarrant honest :-) He was a little worried you thought he was serious about the game selling thing, but wanted you to know he was joking.

I wasn't being sarcastic, I do want to get it. I did enjoy the race, but wasn't really sure what I was doing. I'm surprised I finished second, to be honest.

I realised right at the end of the race that I'd been throwing my weapons away instead of using them, oooops!

But it is a good game, and I will buy it at some point.

I just need to sell some of my games to get some money first...

Hiya Your Honey!

I`m still not quite sure if you were being sarcastic in your post there, but assuming you weren`t - its good news, and you won`t regret it. Just turn up the volume, and immerse yourself in the wipeoutness.

I'm going to buy WipEout Fusion I think.

I played the earlier demo, the one with the new mode of play in (where the craft keeps getting faster and faster) and wasn't *that* impressed.

Played the latest demo, did a race and came second on my first attempt. I was quite pleased with myself. The game wasn't bad either...

:-p

The multiplayer is exactly like Ginger said. Its split screen, and seems just as good as the single player game. The only change is the set of weapons (there are 2-p specific weapons) and also the number of racers which is slightly reduced.

Humpo, 2 player is split screen and there is no reduced frame rate/detail etc, exactly same as single player.

How come the reviews never mentioned this important fact? Pah.... Monkeys are a major consideration when purchasing games. That is why Timesplitters 2 may be the best FPS known to man. Monkeys with guns, what else do you need to say?