Wipeout Fusion

"Wipeout Fusion was well worth the wait. Need proof? Look at my roof..."

(Review is based on the Australian version of the game)

Wipeout Fusion is the fourth in a well-known series among gamers, birthed on the original Playstation, back in the first month of 1996. The series has always offered players a fast, action pack, pumping, weapons based futuristic racing game, and all past efforts have been worthy of the name.

Wipeout Fusion has gone step better than any of the previous titles, and become without question the best Wipeout game to date.

For those of you unfamiliar with the games, here’s the basic concept. You race unbelievably fast craft around insane tracks against a number of other competitors, and with the assistance of weapons and turbo pads, your goal is to win as many races as possible.

Wipeout Fusion has a number of game modes. These are AQ League (you race in a number of leagues, each with a set number of races. You are awarded points depending on where you place and how many eliminations (other craft you destroy with weapons). The goal is to get the gold medal by finishing the league with the most points. You are also awarded credits based on where you place, how fast you race and how many eliminations you get.

These credits can then be used to upgrade ship stats (including thrust, top speed, weapon and shield power and lateral stability). So even if you do really poorly in a league, you’re efforts will just make it easier next time around, with a slightly upgraded ship.

Challenge mode pits you in a variety of unlockable events, designed by each of the different racing teams in the game. These include elimination challenges, time trials, survival races, and catch up races. You will be awarded nothing, a bronze, silver or gold medal based on how well you perform.

Progressing through Challenge mode will unlock new weapons and other goodies.

Arcade Mode allows you to select the exact track you wish to race, and run 3 laps against competitors. If you come first, you get the gold medal. So there are no points involved here.

Zone mode, which is initially locked, is a new addition to the series, and a very welcome one. There are a number of tracks to race, each unlocked by getting the Gold Zone medal in the track previous to it. You must race a number of as many laps as possible, and make it to at least Zone 30 to get the Gold medal. Every 9 seconds you enter the next zone. The longer you race the more your speed increases. You will end up going at truly gut wrenching speeds by the time you make it to Zone 30+. The catch here is that you can race only as long as your shield is in tact, so you will need some super-sharp reflexes and reactions if you’re gonna have any hope of completing Zone mode at all.

My only complaint here is that Zone mode can get very, very difficult.

Time Trial, the last game mode to be unlocked (once 60% of the game is complete) is done quite well. There are pre determined fast times for each track, but if you manage a faster lap than them while playing another mode, (not including zone), that time will replace that fast time as the one you have to beat to get gold.

If you’re wondering how the game looks, it can be described simply in one word. “squirt”. It’s a treat to see in motion. Tracks, textures, craft models and the special effects look great. All while the game moves at a silky smooth frame rate (90% of the time, but we’ll get to that later) No more are the F-Zero-esque bland, baron and empty trackside and background areas. Though, you’ll be moving so fast you won’t have much time to take in the scenery, there is plenty there, which is well worth mentioning, as it really adds to the environments, and game itself.

Tracks are wide enough to accommodate the large amount of potential racers that can be on the track at one time, but don’t let it fool you, at such high speed, one false move and you’ll slam into a wall. The tracks features sharp turns, multiple paths, big jumps and dips, loops, corkscrews and other areas, including a cave and river (yes, you race over water).

The weapons and items in the game are made up of the “usual” stuff, including turbos, shields, missiles, mines, the as proton cannon well as some less common items, such as the charge up, on-hit-kill plasma bolt, the quake (which sends a rippling wave down the track which will damage every thing in it’s path) and many, many more.

The sound effects are very juicy, and more than do that game justice. But the real aural delight is the music. Some of the best UK techno, house and electric music is on the soundtrack, and as I’m sure you could predict, great techno music is the perfect music genre for a super fast racer. Although I’m sure most people reading this won’t be familiar with most, or all of these artists and songs, some of the artists on the soundtrack include: JDS, Elite Force, BT, Plump DJs, Humaniod, Sound Of London and more.

If you’ve got at least one friend…. Then bring them over for some multiplayer action, which is especially enjoyable while you are under the influence of alcohol, but perfectly enjoyable as it is.

My only complaint is something that would have required a few more months of tweaking. The game suffers from framerate drops here and there, which aren’t something toooo annoying, but really, such problems could easily have been fixed if the game was left with the developers for a little while longer. The second problem is the glitches. No, your game file isn’t going to **** itself sideways, but you will find yourself flying through walls and barriers for no apparent reason. What’s worse, is that when you are placed back on the track, often you will end up a good 5 or 10 seconds before or ahead of where you left the track, which can both help, but more often than no, hinder you.

If ONLY Wipeout Fusion had more time in development, but hey, maybe the US version isn’t just being ported.. as it is taking months to be released.

Pros
* F.A.S.T. ****ing fast.
* Good variety of game modes.
* Sweet graphics.
* Excellent soundtrack.
* Upgradable ships, a good few teams and dual pilots for each.
* Does the Wipeout series justice. And then some.
* Quake r0x0rz
* After beating AQ League you unlock custom league. Whee!
* Gallery mode is a nifty inclusion, which really rewards you for your progress.
* Solid multiplayer mode to ensure hours and hours more are put into the game after you’ve beaten it.
* Comprehensive game progress statistics, which let you know exactly what you’ve done, and where.

Cons
* Occasional framerate drops.
* Too many glitches (falling through barriers/walls mostly), which can really arse up your race.

Wow. Wipeout Fusion is a game that will have taken well over 40-45 hours of my life when I’m done with it, quite possibly 10 or 20 more. It is extremely solid in design, it looks great, has a pumping fresh soundtrack, great variety in game modes, and is a game that just about everyone will love. I suggest going and picking up a copy ASAP.

Overall 9.4 (Rounded to 9/10 for GameFAQs)

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/20/02, Updated 01/20/02