Wipeout 2048 Review

The first Wipeout game made its debut in 1995 alongside the launch for the original PSOne console. Its innovative anti-gravity style approach to racing proved to be very popular that the game spawned many sequels. People were amazed back in 2004 when Wipeout was released on the original PSP. Now the series comes to the PS Vita with the release of Wipeout 2048.

Check out the HOTs and NOTs for our review of Wipeout 2048.

Hot

Gorgeous Graphics
If there’s anything about the Wipeout series, is that they are really good at showing off Sony’s new consoles. When the first Wipeout game was released, it was a taste for what is to come for the PSOne console. Likewise, the PSP version wowed onlookers as they were amazed at how the PSP could dish out PS2-like quality visuals on a handheld device.

Wipeout 2048 pretty much does the same thing for the PlayStation Vita. The futuristic setting and the anti gravity cars jump out of the screen with their bright lights and fast paced action. No matter how much chaos is happening on the screen at one time, the visuals still look great and I did not experience any lag as a result of this.

If you have never heard of Wipeout before, they’re like the pod-racers from Star Wars: Episode 1. Although Wipeout came first as the original game came out in 1995. Four years before Stars Wars: Episode 1 came out in cinemas.

Great Soundtrack
It wouldn’t be a Wipeout game without a cool sounding techo soundtrack. Wipeout 2048 is no different and includes some of the hottest acts from the dance genre today. Listening to the likes of deadmau5, The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy are just some of the great music you can look forward to listening to in Wipeout 2048. Although the PS Vita has the nifty feature of allowing you to play your own music too if techno music is not to your liking.

Fast Frantic Gameplay
Nothing much has changed in terms of gameplay in Wipeout 2048. Not that this is a bad thing as the fast paced racing in the Wipeout games have never been surpassed. Even Star War’s own pod-racing video game released on the N64 could not match the fun you can have while playing a Wipeout game.

Wipeout 2048 is just as enjoyable as its predecessors. You can still pick up many items on the track that can aid you during the race. My favorite has to be the homing missiles. Racers can also pick up shields and turbos as well. This keeps every race in Wipeout 2048 highly unpredictable.

Cross Platform Gameplay
Wipeout 2048 is just one of the few games available on the PS Vita that supports cross-platform gameplay. This means PS Vita owners can race against PS3 gamers who own a copy of Wipeout HD. Since the PS Vita just came out, there may not be as much owners of Wipeout 2048 to play with. This cross platform feature means you can always find someone to play online with as more people own Wipeout HD than Wipout 2048 right now.

Lengthy Single Player Campaign
Wipeout 2048 features a very robust and lengthy single player campaign. The first few races are good for beginners to get a hang of the fast style of gameplay this game represents. You don’t even have to come first in every race like you do in some games which is kind and thoughtful. The first few races you only need to come at least fifth in each race.

The A.I. gets progressively harder the more you progress into the game. This type of learning curve makes Wipeout 2048 so fun. As the more you play the game, the more you actually get better. At first, I was shocked about how hard the game was getting. After a few more hours of playing the game, I was able to get better and beat the harder A.I.

Racing for pole position isn’t the only type of game mode you can play in this game. There’s also a survival mode where you have to keep you vehicle intact for a certain amount of time. There’s also a fun mode where you have to destroy a certain amount of your opponents in a specific time given to you.

If you don’t play Wipeout 2048’s multiplayer features, there’s more than enough fun in the single player mode to keep you occupied for several hours anyway.

Not

Long Loading Times
If there’s anything that makes this game annoying, it’s the very long loading times. You can expect to wait at least 30 – 60 seconds to start each and every race in this game. This is quite a long time in this day and age and the game loads much slower than any other PS Vita game I’ve played to date…

More Of The Same
Although Wipeout 2048 is a great addition to the Wipeout series, it plays much like any other Wipeout game before it. Wipeout veterans won’t mind this although if you’ve never liked the Wipeout series or have become bored of them, it’s unlikely Wipeout 2048 offers anything new for you to enjoy.

Verdict

Editor's Choice AwardWipeout 2048 is a great new addition to the long running Wipeout franchise. The gameplay is fast and smooth and the graphics are one of the best to hit the PS Vita thus far. Gamers wanting to see something new in the franchise may not find it in Wipeout 2048 , although that does not make it a bad game. If you’re a Wipeout fan, you will instantly fall in love with Wipeout 2048.

[Editor’s Note: Wipeout 2048 was reviewed on the PlayStation Vita. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]