The WipEout franchise has been a part of the Playstation world ever since its first release way back 1995 on the Playstation 1. And now, they’re keeping the console streak alive because they’re back with a more refurnished collection which has better game feature and added mechanics.
Platform Reviewed: PS4
Platforms Available: PS4
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Sony Studio Liverpool
Release Date: June 6, 2017
MSRP: $39.99 (Steam, PS Store)
This review is based on a review copy provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment.
This Omega collection consists of three different WipEout titles, WipEout 2048 which got its origins from the PS VITA and it has embellished the gaming console, experiencing anti-gravity racing on your hands was just something that every racing game enthusiast would love. WipEout HD and its Fury expansion also comes with unlockable campaigns which will give us more tracks and weapons in the game.
Same gameplay controls and mechanics will be used in all three campaigns. We still use the typical accelerate and drift mechanics. The acceleration pads and weapon pads which are really useful in this game which can be hard to surpass your competitors without them. So while you’re keeping your pace, it’s also a big challenge that you have to make sure that you get to them first before your nearby competitors does. Split-second judgements are also needed in this game because as soon as you get the bonuses from the weapon pads you get to choose between firing them or utilizing them as added health/energy.
The game’s difficulty is also one thing that I love about this game. There are certain levels which won’t require you to finish first in the race, but there are going to be a bunch of assorted objectives with different levels of difficulty required for you to finish in order to get past through the stage. Unlike every other racing game where you only have to focus on systematically passing your competitors one by one, you get to experience the progressing aggression which will be shown from your AI competitors.
There’s going to be a lot of crashing and shooting throughout in this game; and just when you feel like you are going to finish the race in peace someone just blasts your ship and you won’t even know where it came from, and I just love the game for that. The online multiplayer is also a good add-on because you get to compete with other players on different kinds of mode, maps and speed class.
Now let’s talk about how enjoyable the audiovisual experience is. I remember as a kid I used to play this extreme hoverboarding game TrickStyle way back early 2000s on my very first Windows PC. There was this certain arena where I would just skate around and I won’t even mind finishing the game’s objectives. Now I’m not saying that you shouldn’t finish every objective in WipEout Omega in order for you to appreciate the game. But the reason I never wanted to finish that stage in TrickStyle was because I was too caught up with the game’s stage design and its detail-packed landscapes, and I just wanted to linger on that area until I’m done playing the game.
This is the exact kind of feeling you get with WipEout Omega’s rich presentation, the game’s graphics is going to make replay a certain stage all over again. Wipeout HD and Fury levels contain unusual natural landscapes and you’re going to love it even more because of the game’s 4k support. Audio work in every level is also excellent in a way that every soundtrack intensifies the experience which makes you want to focus more and get your head entirely in the game.
This isn’t a game everybody would appreciate, especially those who aren’t racing game fans, even I myself, wasn’t really a fan of the franchise before but after spending hours of playing the game, I got to see the game’s imperfections but I was just happy that I got to play the franchise again and seeing all the slick visual and gameplay improvisions, with or without the 4k setup, it sure made my experience worthwhile.
