More Articles on Wipeout Fusion
Wipeout Fusion DelayedWipeout Fusion SoundtrackWipeout Fusion Web-SiteWipeout Fusion & Dropship Heading To The US!Wipeout FusionLatest Reviews
Too HumanHellboy: The Science of EvilSoulcalibur IVGuitar Hero: On TourSecret Agent ClankUser Reviews
There are currently 0 User Reviews for Wipeout FusionWrite your own review for this game today and you will receive 100 Gamer Points.
Click here to register
Wipeout Fusion Review
Chris Leyton
00/12/0000
Wipeout sold the PSOne, can Wipeout Fusion hope to have the same impact for the PS2???
Wipeout sold the Playstation, its blend of stunning visuals, pumping soundtrack and slick presentation appealed to the Playstation demographic, and must be regarded as one of the key-titles that helped to make the machine what it is. Whilst its sequel, Wipeout 2097 went onto achieve greater success, subsequent titles failed to ignite the gamerās interest. Has Wipeout lost its appeal, we checked out the latest version and the series first appearance on the PS2 to find out.
Wipeout Fusions development hell has been well documented, conceived way before the PS2ās release, the ill-fated game has hit many low points in its lengthy development period. Unfortunately this latest version does nothing to help its fading appeal, Wipeout was all about style over substanc;, flashy visuals, pumping sounds and slick presentation, Wipeout Fusion offers none of these at the level weād expect.
Firstly Wipeout Fusion looks like it has been in development for ages, the visuals which once impressed a gaming public a couple of years ago, fail to excite with what weāve come to expect. On itās positive side, Wipeout Fusion moves quickly and smoothly, thereās never any indication of slowdown whilst it chucks 16 opponents around a screen at once, and the tracks are impressive with no popping and a fair amount of objects onscreen. However textures are bland, sporting low detail and low resolutions. The crafts whilst easy on the eye lack the effects the next generation consoles are all about, missing such touches as reflective mapping and real-time shadows. Youād be forgiven for believing that Wipeout Fusion would be an opportunity to go over the top on special effects, fancy lighting effects, particle systems, but no, what weāre given fails to excite in the way the original did so long a go on the Playstation, even the trails donāt look as good as I remember them!
Secondly the interface and presentation are appalling compared to that of previous titles. Text is barely readable, whilst the slick screens and interface provided by Designer Republic in the first two games, has been replaced by a clunky system that is boring to the eyes and confusing to navigate, what has happenedā¦
Lastly Wipeout was about the music. Before Wipeout, game music was a secondary element with little attention being paid to it. Wipeout came with its list of licensed music and changed the way the industry looked at music forever, never has there been the same impact as when Firestarter kicked in on Wipeout 2097. To be fair Wipeout Fusion features a large line-up of artists, including the likes of Utah Saints and The Future Sound of London, but itās all a case of been there, done that.
Asides from these three vital points Wipeout Fusion plays the same as ever, complicated controls that take time to master, and gruelling opponent AI ensure that you need practise to win the games tournaments. In a move to try and change the game, emphasis is placed on combat rather then out and out racing, unfortunately this ends up harming the game as races become stop-start sticky affairs, even Wipeout has never been this frustrating.
After a few races youāll get the hang of things, and Wipeoutās appeal begins to shine dimly. You do still get a buzz racing around the tracks, however you canāt help but think that everything was better back in 2097, nodding your head frantically to the Firestarter.
Wipeout Fusion offers a number of different game modes, an arcade league, elimination, time-trial and endurance, as well as the inevitable reverse courses, weapons, craft and players to unlock. There are 32 different craft to unlock, including past favourites such as the Feisar and Auricom, 16 different pilots in eight teams, 45 different tracks and 26 weapons to keep the avid Wipeout fan happy, however for most of us youāll be hard pressed to play the game that much.
The two-player split screen mode works well, with very little slowdown or loss of detail, even with computer opponents racing around. This mode helps to alleviate some of the disappointment, but wonāt last forever.
