WipEout Pulse improves on its predecessor in nearly every regard, making it a must-own for racing fans.
In WipEout Pulse, you'll compete in races against the computer AI, friends, or other players around the world. While getting to the finish line in the fastest time will usually be your goal, you'll only be able to do so if you stay alive. Racers in Pulse utilize a wide variety of weapons to destroy their opponents, ranging from video game staples like bombs and missiles to signature WipEout power-ups including earthquakes and shurikens. In addition to a shield, defensive players can fend off attackers by using a temporary autopilot, speed boosts, or repulsor blasts.
Previous WipEout titles have relied on the standard tournament mode for their single-player campaigns. Pulse abandons this rigid structure in favor of a grid-based system of progression that gives the player more control over their next event. If you don't feel like playing a tournament, time trial, or speed lap, you're free to choose a Zone event in which you must stay away from the walls of the track and survive as long as possible while your ship travels at ever-increasing speeds. New to the PSP series is Eliminator mode, where the object is not to finish first, but rather to destroy the most opponents using a more powerful set of weapons than those available in other events. Though difficult, Eliminator makes for some intense firefights and is one of the standout features in Pulse. If you come across an event that you're having trouble completing, simply drop the difficulty level down for that race. Unfortunately, this wider variety of event types means you'll find yourself playing the same tracks over and over as you complete different objectives on each course.
Where WipEout Pulse really shines is in its customization options. As you progress through the single-player campaign, you'll unlock tracks for use in Racebox. In this mode, you can create your own grids, specifying the race type, speed class, available weapons, and AI difficulty. For those who plow through the single player campaign, Racebox adds significant longevity to the game. You can also design and share your own ship skins online, save in-game screenshots to your memory stick, or, if you're not a fan of electronica, Pulse lets you import up to thirty mp3s from your memory stick to use seamlessly in the game.
WipEout also raises the bar for its competitors on the PlayStation Portable in a number of other categories. Pulse improves on the amazing visuals of its predecessor, running at a smooth framerate in even the most hectic battles. Its pulsing (apologies for the pun!) soundtrack from a variety of established artists fits nicely with the gritty style of the game and adds to the sense of speed during races.
The most important precedent set by Pulse, however, is in the online arena. WipEout is the first PSP title to use your PlayStation Network ID as a unifying login for its infrastructure mode. In addition to the standard ad-hoc mode for local multiplayer, Pulse lets you race online worldwide with minimal lag. Within the in-game menu, you can also open the PSP web browser and surf to wipeout-game.com where you'll be able to access new ship skins, check your leaderboard rankings, and download new content. Although Studio Liverpool nearly doubled the size of WipEout Pure with free, post-release downloadable content, it's a shame that the content packs for Pulse carry a price tag.
Regardless of minor shortcomings like track repetition or premium downloadable content, your decision to purchase WipEout Pulse should come down to two factors. Do you own a PSP? Do you enjoy racing games? If you answered yes to these two questions, Pulse is a definite must-have. It won't bring any new fans to the genre, but there is certainly more than enough content to satisfy anyone who likes a good race.