After a solid run on consoles, Wipeout rushes to the portable gaming market. No doubt the visuals will 'wow' any onlooker but as a game, how does it fare with its console brethren? In a way, Wipeout Pure feels just as good as any console version. But, it does little to improve upon or add to what one can experience on a console. Still, Pure's first attempt on a portable will easily impress anyone.
One thing that I noticed the very instance I started to play Pure is that that the controls take a bit of getting used to if you're more comfortable with an analog stick than a d-pad. The PSP's analog nub does not work as well as the d-pad does for control. The d-pad definitely works better and fortunately, works very well to control your ship. The controls do not fault the gameplay; the control layout was actually well thought-out.
The gameplay mechanics are definitely just as fast and furious as they have ever been. While a few more tracks and vehicles would have been nice, the amount that is included is ample. There are plenty of power-ups and racing is just as important attacking your opponents. In every race, speed and survival are what count. Taking a hit will slow you down and taking too many hits will lead you to dead. The single player modes consist of the traditional time trails, story modes, and more others which are nothing special or new. Story mode feels a bit unbalanced in difficulty though. In some of the later races the AI is extremely bothersome, constantly appearing to target the player. One interesting addition is the Zone Mode, in which your vehicle goes around a track while your speed goes increases. Your objective is to survive and it's not as easy as it sounds but it is actually very fun.
With a respectable amount features to unlock and plenty of races, Pure lasts for a decent amount of time. Wireless multiplayer can be a pretty good distraction if you get some friends and PSPs with copies of Wipeout Pure together. SCEE also promised that downloadable content would be available in the future (better upgrade to a larger memory stick) so that leaves Wipeout Pure owners something to look forward to.
Graphically, Wipeout Pure is amazing. Thanks to the PSP's large, bright, and vivid screen, the tracks look superb and sense of speed is wonderful. The game runs perfectly smooth; even with heavy action on screen, the framerate is never lacking. From the tracks to the vehicles, the visuals look futuristic and the design of everything looks nice. Pure is easily one of the PSP's best looking games showing what the portable is capable of.
The soundtrack does a nice job of setting the mood for a racing game. The music mostly sounds like a fusion of rock and techno, which turns out to be rather fitting for the futuristic setting. The sound effects are nice and the sound through the PSP's built-in speakers or a pair of headphones is good, but not great. The sound quality is definitely a weak point of Pure, but the music (which sounds clear) makes up for it.
It's hard to recommend Pure as a must buy title for the PSP unless you love arcade style racing games or have never played a Wipeout game before. Make no mistake, Pure is a good game in all key areas and looks fantastic. But the experience isn't much difference from the console outings. Still, Wipeout Pure has plenty of visual flair and good gameplay to make it enjoyable on the go.
Final word: An enjoyable addition to the Wipeout series and it's one of the best PSP launch tiles.
-Vinny
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