Info
Title: Wipeout Pulse
Format: PSP
Developer: Studio Liverpool
Website: www.wipeoutpulse.com
Wipeout is a game with both a distinguished and troubled history. Back at the Playstation's UK launch in 1994 it was heralded as the game that made gaming cool thanks to a Ministry of Sound soundtrack and the sort of slick racing that made F-Zero look amateurish. Over the course of the PS1's life it became a supreme racing game thanks to the constant progression made by Wipeout 2097 and the series high point that was Wip3out. The PS2's arrival had Wipeout fans psyched for the sort of game the series deserved, but a developer change from Psygnosis to Studio Liverpool meant that Wipeout Fusion took the series back a long way. Over time SL has worked on returning Wipeout to its former glory and the PSP launch title Wipeout Pure was a good start, Pulse is the attempt to keep the improvement going.
First of all Pulse has completely changed the single player progression using the grid system. Pure's linear unlocking system (play championship, win medal, unlock next one) was dull and really didn't work with just 8 tracks. Pulse's campaign mode is made up of 16 grids each containing a number of cells representing events. A cell decides the track, race type, speed class and medal boundaries. Medalling at least a bronze in a cell unlocks all the connecting cells so not all the events in a grid need to be completed before moving on to the next one. The ability to sidestep an event you can't medal in is extremely welcome once you enter the higher speed classes.
Pulse's new stuff is balanced by something left out. The Vector speed class which has seemed rather pointless since Wip3out has finally been ditched to just leave Venom, Flash, Rapier and Phantom. Having 1 less class to worth through is really welcome and serves to make the difficulty curve a lot more fun to play with as the increase in speed is much more noticable.
Zone mode has been given a major facelift from the minor part it played in Pure. Each track is now available in Zone mode and is given a cool Tron-esque makeover for the occasion. Having more options in Zone makes it a much more fun way to play as well as provide some good training for the truly high speed classes.
Completely new to this game is online play. The first time its been in a Wipeout game and it raises the question again of why full online isn't in more PSP games. The games I've played have been fun and relatively lag free, even if most of the time I do end up crossing the line in a shell after a well aimed rocket.
Which brings me to the weapons, new to the roster are the Cannon, Shuriken, Repulsor and Leech. While in Pure the weapons rarely felt like they had any impact the effect of them this time is far more devastating. Everything feels a lot more dangerous and even the aids like the Turbo and Autopilot have been improved to the point where they can be used to far greater advantages than they had in Pure (where Autopilot often slowed you down when activated).
With the ability to create and share custom grids, track stats via the PSP version of the website and the forthcoming free downloadable tracks and ships (which more than doubled Pure's preloaded content) Pulse is everything that made Pure a great game with more added and the ideas expanded on. Anyone who enjoyed Pure and lifelong Wipeout fans will love this game as it really is a major step towards restoring the series to its former greatness. Hopefully Wipeout HD will finish the job.
Buy It!
>NJ
(Next planned review: Phantasy Star Online 3)
Title: Wipeout Pulse
Format: PSP
Developer: Studio Liverpool
Website: www.wipeoutpulse.com
Wipeout is a game with both a distinguished and troubled history. Back at the Playstation's UK launch in 1994 it was heralded as the game that made gaming cool thanks to a Ministry of Sound soundtrack and the sort of slick racing that made F-Zero look amateurish. Over the course of the PS1's life it became a supreme racing game thanks to the constant progression made by Wipeout 2097 and the series high point that was Wip3out. The PS2's arrival had Wipeout fans psyched for the sort of game the series deserved, but a developer change from Psygnosis to Studio Liverpool meant that Wipeout Fusion took the series back a long way. Over time SL has worked on returning Wipeout to its former glory and the PSP launch title Wipeout Pure was a good start, Pulse is the attempt to keep the improvement going.
First of all Pulse has completely changed the single player progression using the grid system. Pure's linear unlocking system (play championship, win medal, unlock next one) was dull and really didn't work with just 8 tracks. Pulse's campaign mode is made up of 16 grids each containing a number of cells representing events. A cell decides the track, race type, speed class and medal boundaries. Medalling at least a bronze in a cell unlocks all the connecting cells so not all the events in a grid need to be completed before moving on to the next one. The ability to sidestep an event you can't medal in is extremely welcome once you enter the higher speed classes.
Pulse's new stuff is balanced by something left out. The Vector speed class which has seemed rather pointless since Wip3out has finally been ditched to just leave Venom, Flash, Rapier and Phantom. Having 1 less class to worth through is really welcome and serves to make the difficulty curve a lot more fun to play with as the increase in speed is much more noticable.
Zone mode has been given a major facelift from the minor part it played in Pure. Each track is now available in Zone mode and is given a cool Tron-esque makeover for the occasion. Having more options in Zone makes it a much more fun way to play as well as provide some good training for the truly high speed classes.
Completely new to this game is online play. The first time its been in a Wipeout game and it raises the question again of why full online isn't in more PSP games. The games I've played have been fun and relatively lag free, even if most of the time I do end up crossing the line in a shell after a well aimed rocket.
Which brings me to the weapons, new to the roster are the Cannon, Shuriken, Repulsor and Leech. While in Pure the weapons rarely felt like they had any impact the effect of them this time is far more devastating. Everything feels a lot more dangerous and even the aids like the Turbo and Autopilot have been improved to the point where they can be used to far greater advantages than they had in Pure (where Autopilot often slowed you down when activated).
With the ability to create and share custom grids, track stats via the PSP version of the website and the forthcoming free downloadable tracks and ships (which more than doubled Pure's preloaded content) Pulse is everything that made Pure a great game with more added and the ideas expanded on. Anyone who enjoyed Pure and lifelong Wipeout fans will love this game as it really is a major step towards restoring the series to its former greatness. Hopefully Wipeout HD will finish the job.
Buy It!
>NJ
(Next planned review: Phantasy Star Online 3)
