Wipeout Fusion | |
---|---|
![]() European cover art | |
Developer(s) | Studio Liverpool |
Publisher(s) | |
Designer(s) | Colin Berry |
Series | Wipeout |
Engine | Kinetica |
Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
Release |
|
Genre(s) | Racing |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Wipeout Fusion (stylized as WipEout FuSion) is a futuristic racing video game developed by Studio Liverpool and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. It is the fifth instalment in the Wipeout series and was released in February 2002 in Europe, and in June for North America. It was the first Wipeout game to be published on the PlayStation 2. The game takes place in 2160 and revolves around players competing in the F9000 anti-gravity racing league.
Wipeout Fusion received positive reviews upon release, with particular praise being directed at its techno soundtrack, but its graphics and track design received mixed responses from critics.
Wipeout Fusion is a racing game which is set in 2160 and revolves around players competing in the F9000 anti-gravity racing league. [1] Players control anti-gravity ships owned by large racing corporations (collectively referred to as "teams"). Overall, the game contains 45 race tracks, 32 ship models, and 26 weapons. [2] There are eight teams in Wipeout Fusion, each having a lead pilot and second pilot – players can choose which pilot and team they want to use before a race. [3] Each ship has its characteristics; depending on the team selected, a ship will vary in terms of speed, acceleration, manoeuvrability, shield strength, weapon power, and mass. [4]
The game has four race modes. Arcade mode involves a standard single race, in which the player must race against opponents and finish first to earn a gold medal; securing second or third place will reward the player with a silver or bronze medal, respectively. [5] The AG League contains ten tournaments; each tournament has 3 to 7 races with sixteen competitors. Money is awarded at the end of each tournament as a result of time, damage, and skill bonuses. Players can use money to upgrade the appearance and performance of their ships. [6] The other two race modes are "Zone" mode, which revolves around survival as the player's ship automatically accelerates to extreme speeds, and time trial mode, where the player may record their best lap times. [5]
In addition, the game features a variety of weapons which can be utilized to destroy other opponents or for self-defence. Offensive weapons include rockets, plasma bolts, missiles, and grenades, whilst defensive weapons range from deployable mines to energy shields. [7] Every ship is also equipped with a standard energy shield which will protect the player from damage caused by collisions or weapon fire. If a shield runs out, the ship will explode and the player in question will be eliminated from the race. [2] [8]
The game was developed by Studio Liverpool (formerly known as Psygnosis prior to 2001 [9] ). After the success of Wipeout 2097 , the studio wanted to aim their next game at an "older, savvier crowd". [10] Shortly after the release of Wipeout Fusion, chief designer Colin Berry said in a retrospective interview that he became disillusioned with the way the Wipeout franchise was trying to emulate games such as Nintendo's F-Zero GX . [9] Wipeout Fusion was announced to be published in North America by Bam! Entertainment in March 2002, after a delay in receiving the publishing licence by Sony's American division. [11] [12] The game was ultimately released in Europe on 8 February 2002, [13] and in North America later on 18 June. [14]
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
Metacritic | 83% [15] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Edge | 5/10 [13] |
Eurogamer | 7/10 [16] |
GamePro | 9/10 [12] |
GameSpot | 7.3 [10] |
GameSpy | 8.5/10 [17] |
GameZone | 92% [18] |
IGN | 9/10 [2] |
Wipeout Fusion received generally favorable reviews upon release. It holds an average score of 83 percent from Metacritic based on aggregate of 21 reviews. [15]
The graphics received mixed opinions from critics. Rick Sanchez of IGN felt disappointed with the game's visuals, opining that its graphics had not changed since he had played it at E3 2001. Sanchez stated that the game looked like an "early first generation PS2 game", and asserted that had it been released a year from writing his review, the graphics would not have looked as dated. [2] Louis Bedigan from GameZone praised the game's attention to detail, stating that the game's visuals had improved by "110%" since Wipeout 3 and thought a lot of time was put into Wipeout Fusion's graphics, resulting in "something truly extraordinary". [18] John Kauderer of GameSpy praised the game's key improvements over its predecessor – in particular its cutting edge graphic design, stating that it "sets [the game] worlds apart from the tired side scrollers and kiddy characters that populated the 16-bit systems". [17] A reviewer from GamePro enjoyed the game's "slickly renovated" graphics. [12] Ryan Davis of GameSpot criticized the game's visuals, asserting that although the track designs appear more "flamboyant" over Wipeout 2097 , the game "keeps its visual flash to a minimum". Additionally, Davis also expressed disappointment in the lack of awe-inspiring tracks, as well as the game's occasional slowdown and graphical pop-up issues. [10] In contrast, Tom Bramwell from Eurogamer considered that Wipeout Fusion's only improvement from its predecessors was its improved graphics engine. [16]
Critics praised the game's techno soundtrack and recognized that it was an important part of the Wipeout series. Sanchez opined that the soundtrack from the previous Wipeout games—as well as Wipeout Fusion—are "good enough" to buy separately. Sanchez also commended the game's sound effects and music, stating that both aspects are "dead on for a member of the Wipeout family". [2] Bedigan enjoyed the soundtrack, saying that every song was "addictive" and "suits the game's 'extreme' feel". [18] Kauderer thought that the game had an exceptional soundtrack, stating that since the use of licensed music in Wipeout 2097, the franchise had "changed the face of the industry forever", although he opined that Wipeout Fusion had lost "that cool edge". [17] Davis praised the "hard hitting" techno soundtrack; saying that it was a type of music "you'd want to listen to even when you weren't playing the game". [10] Bramwell, on the other hand, criticized the game's choice of music, stating that the soundtrack feels "like a practical joke" and admitted to muting the music. [16] A reviewer from Edge lauded the soundtrack, describing it as "excellent, trance-inducing", but also said that the gameplay "has failed to keep up with the times". [13]
Mario Kart: Double Dash is a 2003 kart racing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the fourth main entry in the Mario Kart series. Similar to previous titles, Double Dash challenges Mario series player characters to race against each other on 16 Mario-themed tracks. The game introduced a number of gameplay features, such as having two riders per kart.
Wipeout is a series of futuristic anti-gravity racing video games developed by Studio Liverpool.
Wipeout 2097 is a racing video game developed and published by Psygnosis. It is the second installment released in the Wipeout series and the direct sequel of the original game released the previous year. It was originally released in 1996 for the PlayStation, and in 1997 for Microsoft Windows and the Sega Saturn. It was later ported by Digital Images to the Amiga in 1999 and by Coderus to Mac OS in 2002.
Wipeout 64 is a 1998 futuristic racing game developed by Psygnosis and published by Midway for the Nintendo 64. It is the third game in the Wipeout series and remains the only one published on a Nintendo console. At the time of the game's release, developer Psygnosis had been owned for five years by Sony Computer Entertainment, for whose hardware all subsequent Wipeout games have been released exclusively.
Wipeout Pure is a futuristic racing video game developed by Studio Liverpool and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Portable. It was released in 2005 on 24 March for North America, on 7 April in Japan and on September 1 in Europe. In North America and Europe, it was a launch title for the platform.
Psygnosis Limited was a British video game developer and publisher headquartered at Wavertree Technology Park in Liverpool. Founded in 1984 by Ian Hetherington, Jonathan Ellis, and David Lawson, the company initially became known for well-received games on the Atari ST and Amiga. In 1993, it became a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) and began developing games for the original PlayStation. It later became a part of SCE Worldwide Studios. The company was the oldest and second largest development house within SCE's European stable of developers, and became best known for franchises such as Lemmings, Wipeout, Formula One, and Colony Wars.
XGIII: Extreme G Racing, also known as Extreme-G 3, is a racing video game developed by Acclaim Studios Cheltenham and published by Acclaim Entertainment for PlayStation 2 and GameCube. The game is a sequel to Extreme-G 2, and was followed by XGRA: Extreme-G Racing Association.
Tim Wright, known professionally as Cold Storage, is a Welsh video game music composer most known for his work in video game soundtracks such as Shadow of the Beast II, Agony, Lemmings, Wipeout and Colony Wars.
Wipeout 3 is a futuristic racing video game developed by Psygnosis exclusively for the PlayStation. The title is the fourth game in the Wipeout series, and was released in Europe and North America in September 1999. Players control anti-gravity ships and use weapons to force other contenders out of the race.
Wipeout is a racing video game developed and published by Psygnosis. It is the first game in the Wipeout series. It was originally released in 1995 for PlayStation and DOS, and in 1996 for Sega Saturn, being a launch title for the PlayStation in Europe. It was re-released as a downloadable game for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable via the PlayStation Network in 2007.
Quantum Redshift is a video game for the Xbox console, developed by Curly Monsters and published by Microsoft Game Studios in 2002. The game is a futuristic racing game with the addition of combat and character rivalries that influence competitive races. Quantum Redshift was conceived as a spiritual successor to the racing game Wipeout and was developed by several former Psygnosis staff who worked on the game. The game's publication faced challenges, as Curly Monsters staff voiced creative differences regarding packaging and marketing by Microsoft Game Studios. The game received mixed to average reviews from critics, with praise directed at the game's visual presentation and smooth framerate, and criticism towards the lack of distinctive and original features in its design and gameplay compared to its contemporaries. The game was commercially unsuccessful, leading to the discontinuation of a planned sequel and the dissolution of Curly Monsters in 2003.
Wipeout Pulse is a futuristic racing video game developed by Studio Liverpool and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Portable. It was released in December 2007 in Australia and Europe, and in February 2008 in North America. A PlayStation 2 port was released in Europe in June 2009. The game is the seventh installment of the Wipeout series and serves as a sequel to Wipeout Pure. It takes place in 2207 and revolves around players competing in the FX400 anti-gravity racing league.
Wipeout HD is a futuristic racing video game developed by Studio Liverpool and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the eighth installment of the Wipeout series and was first released on the PlayStation Network on 25 September 2008 in both Europe and North America, and on 29 October in Japan. A major expansion pack titled Wipeout HD Fury was released worldwide via the PlayStation Network worldwide on 23 July 2009. A retail version was later made available in Europe on 16 October. Both Wipeout HD and its HD Fury Expansion are playable in 3D when connected to a 3D TV.
Tube Slider is a 2003 racing video game developed by NDcube and published exclusively in North America by NEC Interchannel for the GameCube. A Japanese release was planned but canceled for unknown reasons. The game takes place on Earth in the middle of the 21st century, where a new sport based around tube sliding was born out of people's desire for speed and competition, after hydrogen-based energy replaced fossil fuels in motorsports. The player can choose between one of eight futuristic formula vehicles, each one varying in terms of performance, and race against computer-controlled opponents across ten tracks divided into three sessions.
Wipeout 2048 is a racing game in which players pilot anti-gravity ships around futuristic racetracks. It was developed by Studio Liverpool and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was a launch game for the Sony PlayStation Vita hand-held console, released worldwide in 2012. It is the ninth and latest instalment of the Wipeout series and the last game to be developed by Studio Liverpool before its closure in August 2012. As the title implies, Wipeout 2048 is a prequel to the first game in the series and is set in the years 2048, 2049, and 2050.
Firesprite is a British video game developer formed in 2012 by former members of Studio Liverpool based in Liverpool. In September 2021, Sony Interactive Entertainment acquired the company, making them a first-party developer for PlayStation Studios.
Pacer, originally titled Formula Fusion, is a futuristic racing game by R8 Games. The game was released for the Windows in May 2017. It was ported to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in October 2020.
Wipeout Omega Collection is a 2017 futuristic racing video game compilation co-developed by XDev, Clever Beans and Creative Vault Studios and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. It was first released in North America on June 6 2017 and in Europe a day later.
Antigraviator is an anti-gravity racing video game developed by Belgian developer Cybernetic Walrus and published by Iceberg Interactive on June 6, 2018, for Microsoft Windows. It was ported to PlayStation 4 on October 29, 2019, and to Xbox One on May 1, 2020.
Redout is a racing video game developed and published by Italian studio 34BigThings. It is inspired by racing games such as F-Zero, Wipeout, Rollcage, and POD as stated on the game page on Steam.