WIP3OUT (PS)
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Publisher: Psygnosis.
Developer: Studio Leeds. Released: 1999. Genre: Racing. Posted 13th June 2013. By Tom Clare © 2013 |
Wip3out is an absolute masterpiece, the pinnacle of its lineage and one of the greatest racers you'll ever be lucky enough to play. Yet somehow, it was never quite embraced with the kind of adulation a game of such unerring quality deserves. In retrospect, perhaps its toughest obstacle was living with the spectre of WipEout 2097 on its shoulders. Its predecessor was chic, on-the-pulse and, during the long wait for part three, attained such a following that the accepted consensus had already been pre-determined: it couldn't be bettered.
Wip3out wasn't helped by some peculiar criticisms, the oddest being that it didn’t offer anything new. That might have been the case, were you happy to ignore its uniquely-gorgeous presentation, world-beating graphics, overhauled crash physics, improved handling, raft of new play modes, much-vaunted two-player split-screen, and eight brand-spanking new circuits that are among the best you'll ever race on.
And this is where I fear some reviewers may have missed the point. Sure, Wip3out wasn’t a radical departure from what went before it, but then, did it need to be? After all, if you want to be pedantic, you could argue that WipEout 2097 wasn’t as thematically pioneering as its own predecessor – but it’s more fondly remembered because it simply did everything better. The same principle applies here, with Wip3out striking the kind of balance all sequels should strive for. Psygnosis tweaked the bits that needed tweaking, kept the bits that needed keeping, and brought enough of its own ambitions to the table to distinguish itself from what went before. Its lightning-fast, sophisticated gameplay makes for a supreme test of pure gaming skills and reactions, whilst its eminently stylish presentation and amazing track design helps make for a soaring, white-knuckled lesson in futuristic racing.
Wip3out screams style. There are eight very different circuits, each possessing its own quirks and challenges
Single Race offers the most streamlined means of sampling all of the delights Wip3out has to offer. Featuring an 8x8 grid with 64 combinations of craft and track to be bested, the number rises to a whopping 256 races should you wish complete the game fully on all four speed classes. It’s not mandatory though, as three of them are available from the start. Races typically last a little under two minutes, and in that time you'll combat competitors with various projectile weapons and speed boosts, and the tracks themselves, which are often narrow and unforgiving, with collisions sapping the player's shields.
It's replete with circuits that are of an incredible standard; both fiendish in design, and gorgeous to look at. Mega Mall remains an absolute thrill; the highlight being a breathtaking spiral that loops down from the top of the mall and when you get it right in the higher-speed classes, it feels utterly exhilarating. The gorgeous exterior vistas visible through glass at the start, and the brief glimpse you'll catch of a pixel stained-glass ceiling, just for a fleeting moment on the approach to the spiral, really make the difference too.
Stanza Inter (venue to a Pixel Duel) is a challenging and busy-looking cityscape with gloomy tunnels, and close buildings and billboards that accentuate the intimidating, enclosed nature of the track. P-Mar Project is a throwback to the earlier titles with its tricky high-speed kinks and glorious sweeps, whilst Manortop is the embodiment of what WipEout should look like if it strayed into BladeRunner's urban-dystopia; raced across rooftops, its beautifully hostile weather effects and grimy surrounds are wonderfully evocative.
It's replete with circuits that are of an incredible standard; both fiendish in design, and gorgeous to look at. Mega Mall remains an absolute thrill; the highlight being a breathtaking spiral that loops down from the top of the mall and when you get it right in the higher-speed classes, it feels utterly exhilarating. The gorgeous exterior vistas visible through glass at the start, and the brief glimpse you'll catch of a pixel stained-glass ceiling, just for a fleeting moment on the approach to the spiral, really make the difference too.
Stanza Inter (venue to a Pixel Duel) is a challenging and busy-looking cityscape with gloomy tunnels, and close buildings and billboards that accentuate the intimidating, enclosed nature of the track. P-Mar Project is a throwback to the earlier titles with its tricky high-speed kinks and glorious sweeps, whilst Manortop is the embodiment of what WipEout should look like if it strayed into BladeRunner's urban-dystopia; raced across rooftops, its beautifully hostile weather effects and grimy surrounds are wonderfully evocative.
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Auto-pilots allow you a well-earned blink and if timed well, can see you rocket through difficult sections
It's all held together by one the finest PlayStation game-engines ever created. Visually, there are no half-measures with Wip3out, no short-cuts. It looks phenomenal; there's so much detail to every track, so much variety in appearance between the eight as a collective. It all functions with breathtaking fluidity, and even with eleven A.I. competitors, it's as smooth as silk. There's never a hint of slow-down, never a hint of a glitch. A drab palette for once is made to look suitable and elegant, and things are aided further by some eye-catching, minimalist menus, which unlike the majority of games attempting to look space-aged, still look every bit as good now as they did back 1999.
Ship handling is a work of art; the eight crafts all perform differently and with varying degrees of handling sensitivity, but all can be made to zip around even the narrowest tracks and tightest corners, with skilful application of the air-breaks, which can either widen the angle of entry into a corner or, if you’re a fraction late, ruthlessly smash you into the scenery. It presents a momentous challenge, especially on the Phantom speed class, but the overall learning curve is more reasonable than the previous two games, owing to a couple of fractionally less-murderous circuits to get newcomers bedded in (though they’re still tougher than most racers). Meanwhile, crashes now allow some leeway for scraping along walls before the more jarring stoppages, which is a huge positive.
Ship handling is a work of art; the eight crafts all perform differently and with varying degrees of handling sensitivity, but all can be made to zip around even the narrowest tracks and tightest corners, with skilful application of the air-breaks, which can either widen the angle of entry into a corner or, if you’re a fraction late, ruthlessly smash you into the scenery. It presents a momentous challenge, especially on the Phantom speed class, but the overall learning curve is more reasonable than the previous two games, owing to a couple of fractionally less-murderous circuits to get newcomers bedded in (though they’re still tougher than most racers). Meanwhile, crashes now allow some leeway for scraping along walls before the more jarring stoppages, which is a huge positive.
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Whilst replete with common-sense improvements, perhaps the most seismic and definitive improvement over WipEout 2097 is its longevity. As well as the mountainous single race setup, those looking for more variety need look no further than the Challenges mode. This is packed to the rafters with events to test the player’s mettle over multi-race tournaments, time trials and even an elimination setup that brings shrewd weapon and power-up use to the fore. There are lots of medals to be fought for, and the Golds will prove no gimme either. A bunch of prototype tracks that act as your hard-earned bounty, and these are pretty sweet too.
It just gets better. Two-player split-screen finally makes its WipEout bow, and boy, does it deliver. In an era where performance issues and compromises were commonplace among multiplayer experiences, the end result here is outstanding. The speed and smoothness of the single-player is recreated with startling effectiveness, with further examples of clever design coming to the fore with only peripheral scenic details missing (Mega Mall’s exterior is given a night-time veneer). What’s more, fields of eight racers can compete simultaneously, meaning they feel busy and engaging. Indeed, bug-bears have been all but eradicated entirely from Wip3out, though there’s the odd area in which it could have fared a smidge better. The A.I. are a little anonymous in their racing behaviour and collisions with competitors remain underwhelming to say the least, but that’s entirely insignificant in the scheme of things.
Orbital, Propellerheads and Sascha help elevate the game further with a superb, rocket-fuelled audio suite that, along with a cold, sultry mechanical voice-over that chips in with weapon info, fits the tone perfectly. Wip3out is a glorious marriage of supreme gameplay, skilled design, stunning audio-visual presentation and a truly intense, inviting vision of the future that, just a few years prior, you would barely have believed possible on a PSone.
It just gets better. Two-player split-screen finally makes its WipEout bow, and boy, does it deliver. In an era where performance issues and compromises were commonplace among multiplayer experiences, the end result here is outstanding. The speed and smoothness of the single-player is recreated with startling effectiveness, with further examples of clever design coming to the fore with only peripheral scenic details missing (Mega Mall’s exterior is given a night-time veneer). What’s more, fields of eight racers can compete simultaneously, meaning they feel busy and engaging. Indeed, bug-bears have been all but eradicated entirely from Wip3out, though there’s the odd area in which it could have fared a smidge better. The A.I. are a little anonymous in their racing behaviour and collisions with competitors remain underwhelming to say the least, but that’s entirely insignificant in the scheme of things.
Orbital, Propellerheads and Sascha help elevate the game further with a superb, rocket-fuelled audio suite that, along with a cold, sultry mechanical voice-over that chips in with weapon info, fits the tone perfectly. Wip3out is a glorious marriage of supreme gameplay, skilled design, stunning audio-visual presentation and a truly intense, inviting vision of the future that, just a few years prior, you would barely have believed possible on a PSone.
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VERDICT
Visual: 10/10
Audio: 9/10 Gameplay: 10/10 Longevity: 9/10 OVERALL: 10/10 |
SECOND OPINION: WIP3OUT (PS)
For a franchise in its early years, the excellent second instalment WipEout 2097 became such a cult hit it became near impossible to top. Thankfully, Psygnosis were utterly marvellous and brought us the third title that beat its predecessor in every respect. With considerable ease if I may add. From the hi-octane art style of the intro, presented like a real televised race, its clear Wip3out is going to be fast, hard and sexy. Oh er! The definition on the visuals alone is enough make you drool like Ecclestone at his latest wedding, as the PlayStation is pushed to its limits with some of the best graphics to grace the system. But the F7200 season doesn’t just look delicious, it also tastes of sweet, sweet nuclear fumes and sounds like a trip to the best club in Ibiza. The audio is perfectly matched to the action and subject matter, the likes of electronica outfit Orbital making a blast on Stanza Inter, or soaring over Manortop so much more pulsating. From the racing physics, the collision detection and difficulty curve to the selection of crafts and amazing tracks, Wip3out scores high marks in all sectors, making for a glorious, absorbing racing experience. If I were to be hypercritical, I would whisper that the minimalist look of the selection screens is maybe too sparse, and as cited by critics at the time some impatient gamers may not tolerate the higher difficultly levels and thus loose interest. They would be fools however, because reaching the ‘all complete’ target is one of the hardest challenges on the PS, and all the more gratifying because of this insane toughness. Staunch fanboys of 2097 still stick to their misguided beliefs that the series reached its pinnacle there, but that is not the case. Wip3out was a demonstration how a second-sequel should be done, improving on the best parts, extending the scope and bettering the challenge. One of the PlayStation’s elite titles and maybe the finest vision of the future of motorsport. [9] – Chris Weatherley © 2013
For a franchise in its early years, the excellent second instalment WipEout 2097 became such a cult hit it became near impossible to top. Thankfully, Psygnosis were utterly marvellous and brought us the third title that beat its predecessor in every respect. With considerable ease if I may add. From the hi-octane art style of the intro, presented like a real televised race, its clear Wip3out is going to be fast, hard and sexy. Oh er! The definition on the visuals alone is enough make you drool like Ecclestone at his latest wedding, as the PlayStation is pushed to its limits with some of the best graphics to grace the system. But the F7200 season doesn’t just look delicious, it also tastes of sweet, sweet nuclear fumes and sounds like a trip to the best club in Ibiza. The audio is perfectly matched to the action and subject matter, the likes of electronica outfit Orbital making a blast on Stanza Inter, or soaring over Manortop so much more pulsating. From the racing physics, the collision detection and difficulty curve to the selection of crafts and amazing tracks, Wip3out scores high marks in all sectors, making for a glorious, absorbing racing experience. If I were to be hypercritical, I would whisper that the minimalist look of the selection screens is maybe too sparse, and as cited by critics at the time some impatient gamers may not tolerate the higher difficultly levels and thus loose interest. They would be fools however, because reaching the ‘all complete’ target is one of the hardest challenges on the PS, and all the more gratifying because of this insane toughness. Staunch fanboys of 2097 still stick to their misguided beliefs that the series reached its pinnacle there, but that is not the case. Wip3out was a demonstration how a second-sequel should be done, improving on the best parts, extending the scope and bettering the challenge. One of the PlayStation’s elite titles and maybe the finest vision of the future of motorsport. [9] – Chris Weatherley © 2013