Wipeout XL

"Great gameplay, mediocre music, bland courses"

Gameplay: 7
The new vehicles are nice, the controls really work (the original WipeOut DEFINATELY needed that Discard command), and the whole thing seems a lot faster and more brutal. As far as gameplay goes, this is probably the best racing game I've ever played. So why only a 7 out of 10? Because compared to the original WipeOut, I think that WOXL's courses seem a lot more bland. WipeOut's courses had quite a bit of scenery, and each track seemed to have its own distinct feeling (Nothing like synthetic crystal under your boosters!) while WOXL's tracks all seem more like twisted NASCAR circuits built in a desert or hollowed out mountain.

Audio: 7
I really liked the sound effects of the original WipeOut much better, and the original computer voice was actually understandable. It looks like Psygnosis spent quite a bit of money getting big-name groups (Chemical Brothers, Crystal Method, etc.) to do performances that I didn't think fit well with the gameplay. Some people may disagree with me, but the music seemed a bit slow-paced for a game that's supposed to symbolize the future of racing

Story: 8
I'm not factoring this into my average, because story in a racing game seldom makes any difference. For a racing game though, the WipeOut/WOXL story is pretty decent. The version told in the WipeOut booklet is a bit more intriguing though.

Video: 9
Nice stuff! The new crafts in particular look like engineering marvels compared to the original (in which every craft looked almost identical). The new weaponry effects are nice, and although the courses were a bit bland, they did manage to supply a good amount of eye candy as well.

Replayability: 5
Like most racing games, once you complete the final challenge, there's really nothing else to do. I suppose you could start all over again, but going through hours of racing that you've already conquered, even with a different vehicle, gets boring fast.

Buying advice: Look for a used copy
The graphics and gameplay are better than ever, but the weak sountrack combined with the un-intriguing new courses makes me wonder where Psygnosis's priorities really are.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/27/00, Updated 07/27/00