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Wipeout Pulse
The Wipeout franchise once again zooms its
way onto the PlayStation Portable that is set in the not so distant
future where the gamer must pilot their futuristic ships on a variety of courses
as they travel at insanely high speeds.
Apart from their speed, they also have
access to a plethora of weapons and
equipment to assist them with their number one goal, winning the race.
Of course, the crux of the title is the campaign mode where gamers must complete a
variety of races and as they proceed, more races are unlocked via a
hexagonal display map.
The best part of Wipeout Pulse, apart from
racing at high speeds is having access to the various powerups and weapons available to your racer which are used in
conjunction with your racing skills to eliminate your opponent and
hopefully win the face.
The title also offers a variety of other
gameplay modes with a new element added to the franchise called
Elimination where the gamer engages in a variety of opponents in order
to reach your acquired number of kills.
Elimination also has a wide gamut of powerups available to the gamer,
however the catch of this game mode is that players cannot repair their
ships.
The tracks have also been redesigned for this new incarnation as
gamers can now perform some death defying loops, thanks to the magnetic
strips that ensure your racer doesn't fall victim to gravity.
The control system of Wipeout Pulse is a little tricky on the PlayStation
as many of the tracks contain a variety of different obstacles in the
way of sharp turns, however, fortunately for you, air brakes are
available and most apt
gamers should have no problem at navigating. The control system is
perfectly mapped on the PSP with movement and combat nicely spaced and
nothing feels awkward or forced.
Graphically, Wipeout Pulse is almost an eye
candy experience on the PSP with well designed and colourful tracks and
best of all the game maintain a constant framerate which assists with the
illusion of speed in the title.
The ships are also more details as are
the backgrounds than previous installments and add to it some great
realistic and Hollywood looking explosions and the developers have
really pulled out all stops.
Wipeout Pulse also offers a great online mode and match that with local
wireless play with up to eight players and gamers will be pleased to
know that this adds much to the longevity of the title.
I must admit
that the online mode is great and it's definitely a consideration that
should be looked into. Add in the new "Race Box" feature and gamers will
be able to create their own custom tournaments and races. You can even
visit the website to download additional bonuses for the game.
In conclusion, Wipeout Pulse is a worth successor to the franchise that
features better gameplay, improved graphics and best of all, internet
gameplay that will make this one of best titles for 2008, especially for
those gamers that love racers. |
