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Platform Filters:   All Platforms  Xbox   GameCube   PlayStation 2   PC   Game Boy Advance   Site Sections:   Updates  News   Games   Publishers   Developers   Reviews   Previews   Release Dates   Editorials   Glossary   Contact Us		Review:       8th February 2002: Wipeout Fusion  The next-generation Wipeout has arrived! With 16 speed-freaks putting pedal to the metal and thumb to the missile launcher! Posted by John Grothier - PlayStation 2 - UK and Europe Wipeout was originally a launch title for the PlayStation back in 1995, and was responsible for selling truckloads of Sony’s then new console. Wipeout featured a new style of racing; futuristic - combined with iconic graphics and fantastic music from many artists that were synonymous with the club scene. After years in development Studio Liverpool have finally released Wipeout Fusion for Sony’s newer console, the Playstation 2. The latest incarnation of the cult anti-gravity racing game is set around one hundred years after the original. The year is 2150, a time of even greater technological advances, now more teams, more craft per race, and more venues are now possible in the Wipeout F9000 League. Tracks are dotted around the globe in seven huge racing venues, each with its own interactive features and terrain. The first thing you will notice about Wipeout Fusion is its style; the presentation of this title is second to none. After a stunning opening sequence, a simple but stylised menu offers the player a number of game options. There are six playing modes including a revised arcade mode, the full league option, a challenge mode, as well as time trial and a secret zone mode. The main part of any racing game is the league, here if you race well you will open up new tracks, new craft to race and even new weapons to wipe-out your opponents. As usual you only have access to just a few ships at the start, but these craft can be upgraded with your winnings as you race. Upgrades include max speed, thrust, lateral stability, brake force, and weapon and shield power. As you fit out your ship it will change its appearance, so if you spend enough credits you essentially get a new craft to pilot. As you win leagues, challenges will open up against other teams, win these duels and you will be able to pick a new team, and new ships to race with. The challenge mode offers three different challenges for each of the racing teams, these include racing, elimination and time trials. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded if you complete these, and other team challenges will become available. Arcade mode allows you to play any track you have unlocked from the league, and also allows you to use your upgraded ship. Multiplayer options include arcade and a cooperative league mode, which is customisable. The control of your ship in a game like this is very important; at the phenomenal speeds if the control of you ship is suspect you will have no chance. The control system in Wipeout Fusion is just about perfect; using the left analogue stick for turning and pitching your craft, the trusty x button accelerates, and the L2 and R2 shoulder buttons apply air brakes. The R1 shoulder fires the weapons that can be picked up around the tracks. The handling of these gravity defying craft is fantastically responsive, and each ship really does feel different to race with. With the original Wipeout there were seven parameters to control movement and handling, with Fusion the new craft have forty-eight! The Tracks in Wipeout Fusion have six or seven distinct looks and terrains, but they all have different parts to the courses that unlock as you progress through the league. There are jump pads, special trigger pads that can raise or lower bridges and also open and close routes. Air jumps that can throw ships vertically into the air, and gravity pads that instantly flips your ship 180 degrees to race on a piece of track directly overhead. Another new feature is the inclusion of free running areas that don’t limit the pilots to following a track; these are usually full of potential shortcuts for the experienced players to take advantage of. If you throw in all the reversible courses in Wipeout Fusion, there are a staggering forty-two tracks to race. The arsenal of weapons in Wipeout Fusion has been greatly enhanced; to aid your chances of victory there are some very powerful weapons to unleash on your opponents. These weapons are ‘picked-up’ by flying over pads, which are placed at strategic points around the tracks, and there are also specialised weapons for multi-player modes. Also look out for the pit stops; these are situated either to the left or right of the start point. Pilot your craft through these to top up your shield energy. The graphics in Wipeout Fusion are stunning, but there are one or two little problems that unfortunately were not ironed out before its release. Most of the time the racing is silky smooth, but if there are too many craft on the screen, firing off weapons at one another, the frame rate drops significantly, and all to often you will collide with a barrier and drop through the racetrack itself. These problems do not happen every time you race, but they do happen a lot more than they should, and spoil the race experience each and every time you encounter them. Where the graphics are slightly flawed, the music and sound effects really are perfect. Wipeout Fusion has an incredible list of well-known club artists including Orbital, Utah Saints, Pariah and Elite Force. All these featured artists can be heard in an incredible sounding Dolby Pro Logic II, along with all the in game sound effects. Perfect for getting that adrenaline flowing. Overall Wipeout Fusion really is the next generation Wipeout that we have all been waiting for. The graphical problems mar the game only slightly, and should not prevent anyone from playing this racing experience. The incredible sound and the blistering speed make this a title for those of us who enjoy a good night out, and also a good night in. John Grothier             Latest Images:		Review Scores:    Graphics:   Sound:   Gameplay:   Length:   Overall: Click here for our Review Score Guidelines.  Review Summary:  The next-generation Wipeout has arrived!More tracks, more teams and more craft racing on the track. 42 Tracks (including reverses) make this a title that you will be playing for months!Fantastic music and a real sense of speed - staying in is the new going out!  Related Games:  Wipeout Fusion for PlayStation 2  14  Screenshots  1  Review Click here for All Game Information.
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