WipEout Pure is the portable revival of the classic series and a very challenging and entertaining racer.
WipEout Pure is a flat out awesome game. It’s also flat out beautiful, sporting some of the best graphics on the PSP, and it all glides by at a (mostly) smooth framerate. The framerate will dip a bit if there’s a lot of ships on the screen at the same time or there are a lot of weapon effects happening at once. The good thing is, this doesn’t happen enough to seriously hinder gameplay or become an annoyance.
With the hardcore following that this game carries, it wasn’t a secret that this game has a lot going for it. Well, WipEout definitely delivers. The fully customizable controls allow players to hand pick the control style that works best for them. This is a big plus, as many racing games do not offer this option, requiring players to grow accustomed to a control scheme that they may not be comfortable with.
Based on my experiences, the d-pad, was the easiest to use. Control on the analog nub seems a bit loose in comparison. The physics engine works perfectly considering what you’re racing. The futuristic hovercrafts handle just like futuristic hovercrafts should.. Oh and you’ll notice how I mentioned the hardcore following this game carries right? This game may turn off some casual gamers because it’s harder to get into than something like Ridge Racer, for example. If you stick with it, you’ll find that this is a very fun and enjoyable game.
WipEout offers many different single player modes, including the standard single race, time attack and tournament modes. The tournaments are similar to the grand prix modes in several other racing games. Winning the tournaments unlocks new ships, tracks and speed classes. The speed classes range from “man this is slow” to “OMG I’m going to fast”. You’ll want to get started unlocking the new speed classes as the first is ridiculously slow and rather easy. Once you begin unlocking the newer speed classes, the game ramps up in difficulty and only the truly hardcore will be able to stand up to the highest class.
My personal favorite of the single player modes is Zone. These races take place using one standard ship on any of four (three of which have to be unlocked) tracks created specifically for the Zone mode. The ship starts off at a slow speed but gets progressively faster as you clear more zones. There is no finish line in Zone races. Each and every race ends the same way, in a blaze of glory. Your ship will eventually explode due to the amount of damage it has taken from collisions. Your goal is simply to survive as long as possible.
The multiplayer mode supports up to eight players via an ad hoc network. The multiplayer action is fast and frenetic with eight players. The WipEout series is one of the best at battle racing (only beaten by the likes of Mario Kart or the Burnout series) and is the most exciting of the PSP launch titles. The only thing really missing is a true online mode.
One of the things you’ll notice when you start the game is the word “download” on the main menu. Using a Wi-Fi hotspot or a home network, in the future you will be able to connect to the Internet and download new tracks, ships and music. This is the first game on the PSP to include such a feature and it paves the way for future releases to include similar features. This also means the game will remain fresh and entertaining for longer due to the promise of downloadable content down
the line.
WipEout does have its share of flaws, as with all games. The loading screens are a problem, one that has plagued a lot of PSP titles. While they aren’t obnoxiously long, they are frequent enough to become a bit of an annoyance. When you first start up the game, there is a lengthy load screen before you even see the menu. When you go to start a quick race, there are a couple more loading screens. An impatient gamer would be very unhappy with these constant loads.
In the end, WipEout Pure is an all around great game that is easy to recommend to any racing game fanatic. Hardcore racing fans and fans of the series will feel right at home with this portable rendition. If you fit this profile, pick this one up. You won’t be disappointed. It’s easily the best racer of the PSP launch and one of the best games on the PSP to this date.