Wipeout HD
Encyclopedia
Wipeout HD, trademarked and stylised as WipEout HD, is the eighth title in the Wipeout
racing video game
series, developed by Sony Liverpool
for the PlayStation 3
console
. The game marks the Wipeout franchise's debut on PlayStation 3 and was available exclusively as a downloadable title from the PlayStation Store
; it is now available on Blu-ray disc packaged with the Fury expansion as of 16 December 2009. While the game borrows its tracks and teams from the PlayStation Portable
games Wipeout Pure
and Wipeout Pulse
, the content has been upgraded for the game to render up to 1080p and at 60 frames per second
with a Dolby 5.1 surround soundtrack.
The game was released on 25 September 2008 in EU
and US
territories, and in Japan
on 29 October 2008. Wipeout HD and its expansion (Wipeout HD Fury) were released on Blu-ray on 16 October 2009 in the UK. Wipeout HD, along with its "Fury" expansion pack, was also chosen as a free PS3 offering as part of Sony's "Welcome Back" program due to the PlayStation Network outage
.
Gameplay is largely similar to that of previous Wipeout titles. The player pilots an anti-gravity
craft, selected from one of several teams and, depending on the game mode, competes using speed and weaponry in an attempt to beat the competition.
There are five main race types in Wipeout HD: Single Race, Tournament, Speed Lap, Time Trial, and Zone mode. Single Race is a straight-forward start-to-finish race against seven other competitors, while Tournament is a series of consecutive races won by having the highest aggregate score. In the Speed Lap and Time Trial modes, the player races alone in an attempt to beat the clock. Finally, the unique Zone mode, first introduced in Wipeout Fusion
, automates the player's acceleration control, progressively moving the craft at higher speeds. As the player's craft automatically passes through higher "zones", or categories of speed, the player must continue to navigate the course until their energy runs out and the ship explodes. The audio/visual atmosphere during Zone mode differs greatly from regular play. The environments are stripped of texture and are replaced by simple colour palettes that change as the player reaches new zones. Graphic equalizers appear on the race course and in the surrounding scenery, displaying waveforms for the currently playing audio track.
Each race type can be found in the single-player Campaign mode, which is a series of 87 different race scenarios. As the player progresses from easier events to harder ones, tracks and teams are unlocked for use in the separate Racebox mode, in which players can play one-off arcade-style races, either in single-player or two player split-screen modes. Whereas gameplay settings in Campaign mode are predetermined, they are completely customizable to the player in Racebox mode.
In addition to offline play, Wipeout HD offers an eight-player online mode. A lobby system allows players to search for and join either Single Races or Tournament races. Should a player's ship explode in an online race, the player's craft will reappear on the track moments later (as opposed to forcing the player to drop out of the race as in offline play). Voice chat is also supported.
A new introduction to the series is the Pilot Assist feature. Intended for players who are new to the series, it is a passive auto-piloting feature that assists players by nudging them away from the edges of the track or from the walls, though its effects at higher speed settings are less desirable. Wipeout HD allows players to control their craft by using the motion-sensitive features of the Sixaxis
controller. Motion control comes in two variants; pitch and steering, or pitch only. The former allows the craft to be totally controlled by moving the controller, while the latter only allows the nose of the craft to be raised or lowered by motion control with the steering either controlled by analog stick
or D-pad
.
Also, carried on from Wipeout Pulse
, is Photo Mode, which allows the player to take screenshots of the game and save them to the PlayStation 3 hard drive as full 1920x1080 resolution images. These photos can be manipulated before being saved, with editing functions for exposure, saturation, lens focus, depth of field and motion blur parameters. Accessed under the Photo folder in the XrossMediaBar
, these images can then be transferred to PC, used as wallpaper, sent to friends, and so on.
Wipeout HD features 38 Trophies, which range from the simple – such as merely using the Photo Mode – to the difficult, such as reaching the high-speed Zone 75 in Zone Mode. Twelve of the trophies are hidden, with no description on how to obtain them visible to the player, while the final of the thirty-eight trophies is a Platinum Trophy entitled "Transcendence", obtained when all other trophies have been collected (excluding additional content trophies).
Wipeout games. Six of the tracks (Anulpha Pass, Chenghou Project, Übermall, Sebenco Climb, Sol 2 and Vineta K) are from Wipeout Pure
, with the remaining two (Metropia and Moa Therma) from Wipeout Pulse
. All of these tracks are available to play in both forwards and reverse, akin to the "black" and "white" modes of Wipeout Pulse, and can also be played in Zone mode.
Twelve race teams are featured in Wipeout HD: FEISAR, AG Systems, Assegai, EG-X, Goteki 45, Piranha, Qirex, Triakis, Auricom, Harimau, Icaras, and Mirage. Their ship designs are inspired by those featured in Wipeout Pulse, with battered, dirty versions of the ships that served as inspiration available alongside the new models. Two unreleased race teams, Tigron Enterprises and Van-Uber Racing Developments, introduced in Wipeout Fusion, are seen as billboards.
worldwide on 23 July 2009. The pack consists of eight new tracks, 13 new ship models, and three new game modes: Eliminator, Zone Battle and Detonator. The add-on also includes a new 80-event campaign mode, a redesigned menu interface, several new Trophies and six new music tracks.
Like the tracks featured in the main game, those in Wipeout HD Fury are taken from the PlayStation Portable Wipeout games. Four of the new tracks included in the Fury pack are available to play in any mode and include accompanying "reverse" versions: The Amphiseum, Talon's Junction, and Tech De Ra from Wipeout Pulse, and Modesto Heights from Wipeout Pure. The remaining four tracks (Pro Tozo, Mallavol, Corridon 12 and Syncopia), which are all taken from Wipeout Pure, do not feature reverse versions and are playable only in the Zone, Zone Battle, and Detonator game types.
Wipeout HD was first officially announced during E3 2007, where it was explained that it would be a downloadable title, available on the PlayStation Network, that would feature high-definition versions of old tracks. Later in the year at the Tokyo Game Show
, Sony revealed to journalists that the game would be available before the end of 2007, and would include two further game modes that were ultimately not included for the final release: Elimination and Head 2 Head. However, a 2007 release was not forthcoming; development continued through 2008, and a shifting release date (initially believed to be Summer, 2008) was eventually finalised in the middle of September 2008, for release later that month.
The delay from the initial summer time frame was widely reported as being due to a technical issue in development. Explaining the problem, David Reeves, CEO of Sony Europe, remarked that it was "a specific technical problem with Wipeout that we have to solve", and that while he could not expand upon the point, "it is a really, really tricky technical problem that no region has been able to solve at the moment. [...] I think it will come out before the end of the year but it is something that was just very difficult to get to grips with". Reports soon emerged that the game had failed epilepsy
testing
, and that the game would have to be re-engineered before it could be released. These reports were addressed by an SCEE representative, who stated that the delay was due to numerous improvements and added features, which included the reverse tracks, four extra ships, two new heads-up displays
, the addition of two-player offline split screen mode, and Trophy support. Addressing the reports of health issues, they affirmed that they "take consumer safety very seriously and monitor it very carefully". A comparison video between the preview and final builds later showed greatly toned-down equalizer visuals in Zone Mode. The issues were confirmed when the game's director, Tony Buckley, spoke about the tests, saying that although he felt the tests were subjective and the exact issues "difficult to pinpoint", they took them seriously and that the game has "come out the other end alright, with a lot more content", despite their initial fears that the game would "look poorer as a result".
A new feature from update 1.4, called "badges" which will promote players whenever they can finish the race in time or in first. Players will begin as a "Trainee" to the latest rank from reaching the highest badge. The host can set up configurations before the start of the race, such as toggling Pilot Assist On/Off, and even disable/enable Barrel Rolls.
The Fury expansion pack also added the following additional music tracks:
On 14 October 2008, Tim Wright, also known as CoLD SToRAGE, who worked on the soundtrack for previous Wipeout games, released an unofficial six track album entitled Cold Storage HD, to complement the game.
aggregate score of 87 out of 100, based on 51 reviews, and an 88% aggregate score at Game Rankings
, based on 43 reviews.
Universal praise from reviews has been placed on the presentation and visuals of the game, with "sharp detail", "breathtaking lighting", and "strikingly artistic visuals that are gorgeous to see in motion"; Zone mode was also praised in this regard, being "nothing short of stunning" and ultimately creating an "immensely immersive experience". The audio and soundtrack were also well-received, being "perfectly put to practice".
In the 12th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards Finalists Wipeout HD achieved a nomination under 'Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design.'
The low price of the game was also cited as a positive factor.
Criticism mostly stems from the game's porting of tracks and vehicles, as well as soundtrack, directly from the previous two PlayStation Portable games, with "little new for fans of the series to sink their teeth into". Some disappointment was also expressed at the "slightly undercooked" online mode, and that some competitive modes, such as Eliminator, were not initially carried over from the PlayStation Portable versions (until the release of the Fury expansion packs).
Wipeout (video game series)
Wipeout is a series of futuristic anti-gravity racing games developed by SCE Studio Liverpool. The series is well-known for its fast-paced gameplay and high-quality 3D visual design, as well as its association with electronica and electronic dance music.-Gameplay:Wipeout is a racing series that...
racing video game
Racing game
A racing video game is a genre of video games, either in the first-person or third-person perspective, in which the player partakes in a racing competition with any type of land, air, or sea vehicles. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings...
series, developed by Sony Liverpool
SCE Studio Liverpool
SCE Studio Liverpool is a video game development house head-quartered at Wavertree Technology Park in Liverpool, England. It is part of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios. Founded in 1984 as Psygnosis, the company is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment and...
for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
. The game marks the Wipeout franchise's debut on PlayStation 3 and was available exclusively as a downloadable title from the PlayStation Store
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
; it is now available on Blu-ray disc packaged with the Fury expansion as of 16 December 2009. While the game borrows its tracks and teams from the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
games Wipeout Pure
Wipeout Pure
Wipeout Pure is a 2005 video game in the Wipeout series for the PlayStation Portable. The game was released simultaneously with the release of the PSP during its North American launch. The developers expressed a desire to return to the handling of Wipeout 2097 and to make various changes to the...
and Wipeout Pulse
Wipeout Pulse
Wipeout Pulse is a racing game for the Sony PlayStation Portable, sequel to Wipeout Pure. The game was officially announced on March 27, 2007 and was released on December 14, 2007 in Europe. A PlayStation 2 port was released on June 24, 2009 in Europe ....
, the content has been upgraded for the game to render up to 1080p and at 60 frames per second
Frame rate
Frame rate is the frequency at which an imaging device produces unique consecutive images called frames. The term applies equally well to computer graphics, video cameras, film cameras, and motion capture systems...
with a Dolby 5.1 surround soundtrack.
The game was released on 25 September 2008 in EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
territories, and in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on 29 October 2008. Wipeout HD and its expansion (Wipeout HD Fury) were released on Blu-ray on 16 October 2009 in the UK. Wipeout HD, along with its "Fury" expansion pack, was also chosen as a free PS3 offering as part of Sony's "Welcome Back" program due to the PlayStation Network outage
PlayStation Network outage
The PlayStation Network outage was the result of an "external intrusion" on Sony's PlayStation Network and Qriocity services, in which personal details from approximately 77 million accounts were stolen and prevented users of PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable consoles from playing online...
.
Gameplay
Anti-gravity
Anti-gravity is the idea of creating a place or object that is free from the force of gravity. It does not refer to the lack of weight under gravity experienced in free fall or orbit, or to balancing the force of gravity with some other force, such as electromagnetism or aerodynamic lift...
craft, selected from one of several teams and, depending on the game mode, competes using speed and weaponry in an attempt to beat the competition.
There are five main race types in Wipeout HD: Single Race, Tournament, Speed Lap, Time Trial, and Zone mode. Single Race is a straight-forward start-to-finish race against seven other competitors, while Tournament is a series of consecutive races won by having the highest aggregate score. In the Speed Lap and Time Trial modes, the player races alone in an attempt to beat the clock. Finally, the unique Zone mode, first introduced in Wipeout Fusion
Wipeout Fusion
Wipeout Fusion is a 2002 racing video game that has been the only original release of the Wipeout series of racing games for PlayStation 2...
, automates the player's acceleration control, progressively moving the craft at higher speeds. As the player's craft automatically passes through higher "zones", or categories of speed, the player must continue to navigate the course until their energy runs out and the ship explodes. The audio/visual atmosphere during Zone mode differs greatly from regular play. The environments are stripped of texture and are replaced by simple colour palettes that change as the player reaches new zones. Graphic equalizers appear on the race course and in the surrounding scenery, displaying waveforms for the currently playing audio track.
Each race type can be found in the single-player Campaign mode, which is a series of 87 different race scenarios. As the player progresses from easier events to harder ones, tracks and teams are unlocked for use in the separate Racebox mode, in which players can play one-off arcade-style races, either in single-player or two player split-screen modes. Whereas gameplay settings in Campaign mode are predetermined, they are completely customizable to the player in Racebox mode.
In addition to offline play, Wipeout HD offers an eight-player online mode. A lobby system allows players to search for and join either Single Races or Tournament races. Should a player's ship explode in an online race, the player's craft will reappear on the track moments later (as opposed to forcing the player to drop out of the race as in offline play). Voice chat is also supported.
A new introduction to the series is the Pilot Assist feature. Intended for players who are new to the series, it is a passive auto-piloting feature that assists players by nudging them away from the edges of the track or from the walls, though its effects at higher speed settings are less desirable. Wipeout HD allows players to control their craft by using the motion-sensitive features of the Sixaxis
Sixaxis
The Sixaxis Wireless Controller was the official gamepad for the Sony PlayStation 3 from launch until 2008 when it was succeeded by the DualShock 3....
controller. Motion control comes in two variants; pitch and steering, or pitch only. The former allows the craft to be totally controlled by moving the controller, while the latter only allows the nose of the craft to be raised or lowered by motion control with the steering either controlled by analog stick
Analog stick
An analog stick, sometimes called a control stick or thumbstick, is an input device for a controller that is used for two-dimensional input. An analog stick is a variation of a joystick, consisting of a protrusion from the controller; input is based on the position of this protrusion in relation...
or D-pad
D-pad
A D-pad is a flat, usually thumb-operated directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern video game console gamepads, game controllers, on the remote control units of some television and DVD players, and smart phones...
.
Also, carried on from Wipeout Pulse
Wipeout Pulse
Wipeout Pulse is a racing game for the Sony PlayStation Portable, sequel to Wipeout Pure. The game was officially announced on March 27, 2007 and was released on December 14, 2007 in Europe. A PlayStation 2 port was released on June 24, 2009 in Europe ....
, is Photo Mode, which allows the player to take screenshots of the game and save them to the PlayStation 3 hard drive as full 1920x1080 resolution images. These photos can be manipulated before being saved, with editing functions for exposure, saturation, lens focus, depth of field and motion blur parameters. Accessed under the Photo folder in the XrossMediaBar
XrossMediaBar
The XrossMediaBar is a graphical user interface developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. The interface features icons that are spread horizontally across the screen. Navigation moves the icons, instead of a cursor. These icons are used as categories to organize the options available to the user...
, these images can then be transferred to PC, used as wallpaper, sent to friends, and so on.
Wipeout HD features 38 Trophies, which range from the simple – such as merely using the Photo Mode – to the difficult, such as reaching the high-speed Zone 75 in Zone Mode. Twelve of the trophies are hidden, with no description on how to obtain them visible to the player, while the final of the thirty-eight trophies is a Platinum Trophy entitled "Transcendence", obtained when all other trophies have been collected (excluding additional content trophies).
Tracks and teams
There are eight available tracks in Wipeout HD, all of which are remastered versions of tracks from the two previous PlayStation PortablePlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
Wipeout games. Six of the tracks (Anulpha Pass, Chenghou Project, Übermall, Sebenco Climb, Sol 2 and Vineta K) are from Wipeout Pure
Wipeout Pure
Wipeout Pure is a 2005 video game in the Wipeout series for the PlayStation Portable. The game was released simultaneously with the release of the PSP during its North American launch. The developers expressed a desire to return to the handling of Wipeout 2097 and to make various changes to the...
, with the remaining two (Metropia and Moa Therma) from Wipeout Pulse
Wipeout Pulse
Wipeout Pulse is a racing game for the Sony PlayStation Portable, sequel to Wipeout Pure. The game was officially announced on March 27, 2007 and was released on December 14, 2007 in Europe. A PlayStation 2 port was released on June 24, 2009 in Europe ....
. All of these tracks are available to play in both forwards and reverse, akin to the "black" and "white" modes of Wipeout Pulse, and can also be played in Zone mode.
Twelve race teams are featured in Wipeout HD: FEISAR, AG Systems, Assegai, EG-X, Goteki 45, Piranha, Qirex, Triakis, Auricom, Harimau, Icaras, and Mirage. Their ship designs are inspired by those featured in Wipeout Pulse, with battered, dirty versions of the ships that served as inspiration available alongside the new models. Two unreleased race teams, Tigron Enterprises and Van-Uber Racing Developments, introduced in Wipeout Fusion, are seen as billboards.
Weapons
When the player drives over X-shaped item pads on tracks, they are given a random pickup that can either be activated so the player can receive its benefits, or 'absorbed' into the ship to restore hull energy. The rarer the pickup is, the more energy it will restore when absorbed, forcing the player to make quick decisions over whether item benefit or emergency repair is the current priority.Wipeout HD Fury
An expansion pack for Wipeout HD entitled Wipeout HD Fury was released on the PlayStation StorePlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
worldwide on 23 July 2009. The pack consists of eight new tracks, 13 new ship models, and three new game modes: Eliminator, Zone Battle and Detonator. The add-on also includes a new 80-event campaign mode, a redesigned menu interface, several new Trophies and six new music tracks.
Like the tracks featured in the main game, those in Wipeout HD Fury are taken from the PlayStation Portable Wipeout games. Four of the new tracks included in the Fury pack are available to play in any mode and include accompanying "reverse" versions: The Amphiseum, Talon's Junction, and Tech De Ra from Wipeout Pulse, and Modesto Heights from Wipeout Pure. The remaining four tracks (Pro Tozo, Mallavol, Corridon 12 and Syncopia), which are all taken from Wipeout Pure, do not feature reverse versions and are playable only in the Zone, Zone Battle, and Detonator game types.
Development
Tokyo Game Show
The , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc...
, Sony revealed to journalists that the game would be available before the end of 2007, and would include two further game modes that were ultimately not included for the final release: Elimination and Head 2 Head. However, a 2007 release was not forthcoming; development continued through 2008, and a shifting release date (initially believed to be Summer, 2008) was eventually finalised in the middle of September 2008, for release later that month.
The delay from the initial summer time frame was widely reported as being due to a technical issue in development. Explaining the problem, David Reeves, CEO of Sony Europe, remarked that it was "a specific technical problem with Wipeout that we have to solve", and that while he could not expand upon the point, "it is a really, really tricky technical problem that no region has been able to solve at the moment. [...] I think it will come out before the end of the year but it is something that was just very difficult to get to grips with". Reports soon emerged that the game had failed epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
testing
Harding Test
The HardingFPA Flash and Pattern Analyser is a software solution that is used to analyse video content for flashing and stationary patterns which may cause harm to those who suffer from photosensitive epilepsy. It is an implementation of the guidelines set by Ofcom in the UK...
, and that the game would have to be re-engineered before it could be released. These reports were addressed by an SCEE representative, who stated that the delay was due to numerous improvements and added features, which included the reverse tracks, four extra ships, two new heads-up displays
HUD (computer gaming)
In video gaming, the HUD is the method by which information is visually relayed to the player as part of a game's user interface...
, the addition of two-player offline split screen mode, and Trophy support. Addressing the reports of health issues, they affirmed that they "take consumer safety very seriously and monitor it very carefully". A comparison video between the preview and final builds later showed greatly toned-down equalizer visuals in Zone Mode. The issues were confirmed when the game's director, Tony Buckley, spoke about the tests, saying that although he felt the tests were subjective and the exact issues "difficult to pinpoint", they took them seriously and that the game has "come out the other end alright, with a lot more content", despite their initial fears that the game would "look poorer as a result".
A new feature from update 1.4, called "badges" which will promote players whenever they can finish the race in time or in first. Players will begin as a "Trainee" to the latest rank from reaching the highest badge. The host can set up configurations before the start of the race, such as toggling Pilot Assist On/Off, and even disable/enable Barrel Rolls.
In-game advertising
The same update that was released alongside the Fury downloadable content introduced in-game advertisements from Double Fusion, found in the loading screens before a race. This move was met with criticism from gaming news outlets, particularly as the advertisements significantly extended the loading time between levels, almost doubling them; while the game content loads at the same speed, the advert must finish playing before the race can begin. The advert was removed soon afterwards, due to several complaints from players. As well as discussion surrounding the increase in load times, there has been consternation about advertising being retroactively added into a game that had already been paid for.Home support
On the official European PlayStation Blog it was confirmed by Studio Liverpool that they would be "looking into adding Home Game Launching" sometime in the future. The new Wipeout space contains the interior building of Metropia, which includes a robotic DJ located at the Sky Deck, two Wipeout Fury ships, such as the Feisar and the Icaras, an animated billboard for each of the Wipeout teams, and an arcade game known as Wipeout 2D. Wipeout furniture and ornaments are also available for purchase on PlayStation Home, which can be used to decorate a user's Home space.Music
The soundtrack comprises nine tracks, presented in Dolby 5.1 surround sound. The game also allows use of custom soundtracks, so that any music stored on the PlayStation 3 hard drive can be selected during gameplay for use in races.- Ed RushEd RushEd Rush is the recording name of Ben Settle; a prominent jungle/techstep/neurofunk DJ, who often produces tracks in collaboration with Optical. Hailing from west London, he came to prominence with the release of the track Bludclot Artattack in 1993...
, OpticalOptical (artist)Matt Quinn, better known as Optical, is a drum and bass producer and DJ from England.He is best known for his work with Ed Rush, fellow head of the Virus Recordings label, and as a pioneer of the techstep and neurofunk sound...
& MatrixMatrix (artist)Jamie Quinn, better known as Matrix, is a London based drum and bass producer and DJ.He started his musical career as one half of drum and bass duo Turbosound, who signed to DJ SS's F Project Records label, an offshoot of Formation Records....
: Frontline - MoveYa! & Steve Lavers: Chemical
- MIST: Smart Systems
- DJ Fresh: X-Project (100% Pure mix)
- MasonMason (DJ)Mason is the stage name of the Dutch music producer duo Iason Chronis and Coen Berrier . They had a number one on the UK Dance Chart in 2007 with their track Exceeder. Exceeder had originally been an instrumental and had received a vinyl only release in the UK in 2006...
: Exceeder - Special mix - Booka ShadeBooka ShadeBooka Shade is a German house duo. It is made up of Walter Merziger and Arno Kammermeier, described as veterans of the Frankfurt electronic music scene...
: Steady Rush - KraftwerkKraftwerkKraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
: Aerodynamik - Alex Gopher & Etienne de Crecy Mix - NoisiaNoisiaNoisia, stylized as NOISIΛ , is a Dutch Electronic music trio consisting of members Nik Roos, Martijn van Sonderen and Thijs de Vlieger from Groningen, The Netherlands. They now produce a wide variety of music including drum and bass, dubstep, breakbeat and house music...
: Seven Stitches - Stanton WarriorsStanton WarriorsStanton Warriors are the breakbeat duo Dominic Butler and Mark Yardley. They are a DJ and producer team. Originally from the West Country, the pair now play sets at nightclubs such as Fabric and Ciros in the UK, and travel the globe with international work in Europe, Canada, America and Australia...
: Tokyo
The Fury expansion pack also added the following additional music tracks:
- NoisiaNoisiaNoisia, stylized as NOISIΛ , is a Dutch Electronic music trio consisting of members Nik Roos, Martijn van Sonderen and Thijs de Vlieger from Groningen, The Netherlands. They now produce a wide variety of music including drum and bass, dubstep, breakbeat and house music...
: Machine Gun - Gingy: Swagger
- The Crystal MethodThe Crystal MethodThe Crystal Method is an American electronic music duo that was created in Los Angeles, California by Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland in the early 1990s. The Crystal Method's music has appeared in numerous TV shows, films, video games, and advertisements. The most prominent is the US television...
: Acetone - The Touch: Le Night Dominator
- Spector: Just Hiss
- Two Fingers: Marmite
On 14 October 2008, Tim Wright, also known as CoLD SToRAGE, who worked on the soundtrack for previous Wipeout games, released an unofficial six track album entitled Cold Storage HD, to complement the game.
Reception
Critical reception to Wipeout HD has been positive, with a MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
aggregate score of 87 out of 100, based on 51 reviews, and an 88% aggregate score at Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
, based on 43 reviews.
Universal praise from reviews has been placed on the presentation and visuals of the game, with "sharp detail", "breathtaking lighting", and "strikingly artistic visuals that are gorgeous to see in motion"; Zone mode was also praised in this regard, being "nothing short of stunning" and ultimately creating an "immensely immersive experience". The audio and soundtrack were also well-received, being "perfectly put to practice".
In the 12th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards Finalists Wipeout HD achieved a nomination under 'Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design.'
The low price of the game was also cited as a positive factor.
Criticism mostly stems from the game's porting of tracks and vehicles, as well as soundtrack, directly from the previous two PlayStation Portable games, with "little new for fans of the series to sink their teeth into". Some disappointment was also expressed at the "slightly undercooked" online mode, and that some competitive modes, such as Eliminator, were not initially carried over from the PlayStation Portable versions (until the release of the Fury expansion packs).
See also
- Wipeout (video game series)Wipeout (video game series)Wipeout is a series of futuristic anti-gravity racing games developed by SCE Studio Liverpool. The series is well-known for its fast-paced gameplay and high-quality 3D visual design, as well as its association with electronica and electronic dance music.-Gameplay:Wipeout is a racing series that...
- Wipeout PulseWipeout PulseWipeout Pulse is a racing game for the Sony PlayStation Portable, sequel to Wipeout Pure. The game was officially announced on March 27, 2007 and was released on December 14, 2007 in Europe. A PlayStation 2 port was released on June 24, 2009 in Europe ....
- Wipeout PureWipeout PureWipeout Pure is a 2005 video game in the Wipeout series for the PlayStation Portable. The game was released simultaneously with the release of the PSP during its North American launch. The developers expressed a desire to return to the handling of Wipeout 2097 and to make various changes to the...
- Wipeout 2048Wipeout 2048Wipeout 2048 is an upcoming racing game for the PlayStation Vita, and is the latest in the Wipeout series of anti-gravity racing games from Sony Computer Entertainment. It will be a launch title for the console.-Development:...