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Remember the Super NES classic, F-Zero? So did our little friends in the UK about two years ago, and they realized that hovercraft racing should be brought to a 32-bit system. Since then, our little buddies (a bunch of crazy Brits collectively knows as Psygnosis) released WipeOut, which remained until recently, the best hovercraft racing game the world has ever seen. With its blinding speed, sharp graphics, pumping techno, and unmistakable style, WipeOut is outdone by one game only: WipeOut XL. Would it be an unwise assertion on my part to assume that we all know what WipeOut is? I don't think so, but I'll explain the game briefly for those of you who have been in a coma for the last two years or so. WipeOut falls into the fascinating genre of battle racing, in which weapons and power-ups are used to increase the speed or damage tolerance of your vehicle, as well as slow down your opponents. The original WipeOut featured winding tracks with jumps, steep rises and declines, and narrow tunnels. Seems simple enough, right? Then why was this game such a hit last year? The overall futuristic presentation and silky smooth graphics in a challenging yet controllable game made it a hit in my book, and in many others' books as well. So, after a year of gut-wrenching, heart-pounding, palm sweating gaming, it's time for a sequel...and what a sequel it is. From playing...no, playing seems too uninvolved...from experiencing WipeOut XL, I came up with the conclusion that Psygnosis should write two instructional books for other 32-bit software companies: How to make an outstanding 32-bit game, and how to blow away that game with an amazing sequel. Unlike most sequels these days, which only add marginal improvements over their predecessors, WipeOut XL is the paragon sequel. XL keeps the well-balanced WipeOut formula while adding amazing visual effects, stunning sounds, unbelievable music, and important control improvements. The first feature that will strike you is the intro, which is so silky smooth that it looks more like a grainy movie than a normal computer generated intro. Just from watching the intro, you get a feeling of the fantastic futuristic style of this game. The graphics in the game itself are nothing short of spectacular. Although racing along on the track resembles the first WipeOut almost exactly, the various atmospheric and weapon effects are just phenomenal. For example, the new shockwave created a huge wave which flows down the track itself, destroying vehicles in its path. Lightning in one of the more advanced tracks looks impressive alone, but is beautifully complemented by the distant thunder crash which explodes in full stereo. Speaking of which, in case you had any doubts, the sounds in WipeOut XL are excellent. A brand new techno soundtrack offers you an unrelenting beat in the background, while your craft hisses around the track. The explosions are also quite nice, but the new voice (you know, the one that replaced the overly enthusiastic "3-2-1-GO!") is perfect. While several racing games have already tried (usually with little success) to add an interesting ‘commentator' who makes you aware of laps, countdown, weapons, etc., the vocals in XL (which are thankfully never present in the music) are fantastic. A voice that sounds like a humanized robot makes you aware of the events and weapons, and it's probably the best use of voice in a game since...well...Super Mario 64. (Sorry guys, it'll be a while before I can write ANYTHING without mentioning SM64.) Options include, as expected, choice of vehicle, team, class, track, etc. The control has been tweaked to perfection in XL. While, in the first WipeOut, a scrape against the side of the track would have meant a halt to a stop, the second installment allows you to make such mistakes without such awkwardness. This small change makes the game much more playable and less frustrating than the first WipeOut was. The weapons, for the most part, are present along with some new ones. Probably the most useful new weapon is the autopilot, which will guide you at top speed through any area for a short time, which comes in quite handy when you came across a bunch of hairpin curves. I think you guys get the idea. If this game doesn't make you get up and spend $60 very soon, you might as well just turn in your PlayStation and live in seclusion for the rest of your life...or you could always become one of those dancing monks in that cluster of Indonesian islands. This is one of the few games that pushed 32-bit technology to its limit, and besides the lack of a great number of tracks and the pop-up, this game could almost be considered flawless. I'll leave you with two words: Get it. |
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