by  StarJet
from Panadura, , Sri Lanka | Feb 12, 2008 |
Overview :
WipEout Pulse is the latest instalment in the classic anti-gravity racing series WipEout. The series came all the way from the era of PSone. Now the series is extending its arms to the PS3 as well, with WipEout HD which is yet to be released. It basically involves piloting a range of hovercrafts on specially designed anti-gravity tracks.
Story :
It's the year 2027. Enthusiastic pilots are getting ready to race in the world class race series FX400. It is up to you to compete with other teams and become the champion of the FX400 race series which takes place in sophisticated tracks all over the world. This game can be considered the sequel to WipEout HD which is the bridge between the FX300 series of WipEout Pure and the FX400 of this.
Graphics :
Graphics are quite slick. WipEout Pulse has much better graphic detail than its predecessor WipEout Pure. Pretty much awesome for a PSP game.
Gameplay :
It's the true racing spirit. Pick a race from an available grid, pick a ship of your choice, RACE! Well, it's not that simple as it may sound. Maneuvering the ship around winding tracks at breakneck speeds can be truly enjoyable as well as quite a challenge.
The turning of the ship is a bit different to ordinary racing games. You cannot just turn the ship directly as you wish, because as the ship moves forward with intense speed, it is bound to collide with the guard rails of the track which will cause damage to your ship. For smoother handling, the game utilizes an air-brake system. The left and right air brakes can be triggered by pressing the L or R buttons, and they assist the ship to turn in the proper direction. For example, if you want to turn right at a sharp bend, hold down R as you near the bend and quickly turn to the right. This needs a little getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it's pretty much awesome.
The ships also have the capability to bear high-tech weapons when you need to blow through your opponents. Of course, they can use weapons too. There are weapons such as rockets, mines, plasma and missiles which can be picked up from weapon pads scattered around the tracks at random points. There are also defensive items such as the shield and other items such as the autopilot mode which steers the ship on its own for a few seconds which can be picked up at the same weapon pads.
Races :
Single Race - Duh ...
Head to Head - The same as a single race with the difference being you have only one opponent. And also certain Head to Head races have weapons turned off.
Time Trial - Again, duh ...
Speed Lap - Like the time trial, but you have to beat a specified lap time, not the total time.
Eliminator - Ooh, this is creepy. Your objective is to kill as many racers as possible. Use any weapons from the weapon pads to use on those pricks.
Zone - My favourite event. This is, as I feel, the easiest type of race in WipEout Pulse. First of all, this race type is weird. It turns the graphics into a worthless pile of crap. The track becomes all blue and white or brown and white or green and white or something like that. I just wonder why SCEE people did that. Anyway, the ship is constantly accelerating. You don't need to hold X. What you have to do is survive several segments of the track known as Zones, without destroying the ship. To cover like 20 zones, it may take 7 to 8 laps on a decently lengthy track.
Other Features :
Ad-Hoc Multiplayer :
Race with your buddies! Share your ship skins with them.
Online Multiplayer :
Create PSN account. Race with anyone online. Share data with them as well. (Though I wonder whether many would do that. )
GameShare :
Load up a demo to a buddy who does not have the game, and have a Head to Head race. The downside is that you have to update that other PSP to 3.70 or higher just to play that one race.
MP3 Tracks : WipEout Pulse makes things very easy for people who want to listen to their own MP3 tracks in-game while racing. Just drag your MP3 files into \MUSIC\WIPEOUT and you're done!
All in all, it's a pretty good game. I'd recommend this game to anyone. You don't have to be a racing freak like me to enjoy this.
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