Track One: Messij

The first Wipeout game, developed by Liverpool-based studio Psygnosis with a team headed by lead designer Nick Burcombe and artist Jim Bowers, was a trailblazer when it unleashed upon the scene in mid-1995. More specifically, this period is right when the PS1 unveiled itself, with the game’s launch being day-and-date in PAL regions and only two months after for Americans, to prominently exhibit what Sony’s latest 3D console was capable of. Stunning art/color direction and pristine modeling with aplomb, alongside other showings such as its different yet similar approach of the racing scene at the time thanks to influences from titles like Jim Bowers' own Matrix Marauders, Michael Powell's Powerdrome, and of course Tadashi Sugiyama & Hideki Konno’s Super Mario Kart; Sheffield’s Designers Republic-aided art decos and other projected adverts such as an infamous magazine page concerning DJ Sara Cox; a helping hand under a CGI quasi-promo showcase found in the cult film Hackers; and being yet another stepping stone for the bustling, increasingly reaching techno music from Europe/Midwest America largely composed in-house by Tim “CoLD SToRAGE” Wright, was one of several sparks to drum up and lure consumers onto the new kid in town, even after ports to other systems such as Windows, Saturn, uh Windows, again, and oh hey it’s on the web too, all coupled by unearthed development turmoils from the past and the now. It’s not quite the must play racing title amongst its contemporaries, its contents rather meek with physics to grow inure unto and obstacles to endure over, but its credit is fully earned while still delivering some solid racing experience today.

Wipeout XL, or Wipeout 2097 for PAL peeps, came out about a year later and really amped it up: tighter controls alongside a more sensible “beginners to pros” outline of team selections, a fair bit more content for single or multi action, more licensed songs from heavy hitting artists such as The Prodigy, Future Sound Of London, and Chemical Brothers just to name but a few, and a much, much more potent and stronger line of courses to cruise and ram yourself into. If the first game was “merely” good, the second one’s just an all-out heavy hitter that’s able to stand toe-to-toe even today. Something something Wipeout 64 yadda yadda interesting idea to remix the prior entries with subpar execution blah blah not worth it and also F-Zero X came out much, much earlier. Close to a consolidation change into becoming Studio Liverpool at the turn of the millennium, we focus our eyes on the sublime, the third game now being handled from newish branch Leeds Studio where designer Wayne Imlach led production.

Track Two: Icaras

An immediate alteration at first blush is the change between XL’s charged, in-your-face presentation to a more minimalistic approach befitting the Y2K aesthetic that was taking off at the time. UI and icons sprinkled onto the raceways are much more low-key in their nature, a design philosophy artist Nicky Wescott has unveiled as intentional to befit that of a fashion statement. Tracks still harken to a colder feel, although this time it’s all set within a singular metropolis with different quadrants each track is regulated under, such as the docks of Porto Karo, the industrial-fueled Hi-Fumii, and the rooftop-run skyline under the moonlight courtesy of Manortop. It’s not just the UI, tracks, the boxart, or even being one of a handful of PS1 entries that support widescreen that forgoed the bombastic look of before, even the soundtrack has accommodated unto the stripped-back approach, now organized by rising DJ Sasha. Though the hardcore loops and big beat cold cuts have remained, it’s now living in coexistence amongst tracks that opt to delve into melodic trances and progressing more on the House side of electronica. It’s been expanded, yet never letting go of its marked influences. Truthfully, I can’t tell you whether or not this is an improvement from the sounds provided by XL. They aim for different appeal, and in both cases they hit the target with precise ease. Forced to pick, though, and I’m going with the trances.

In terms of the presentation’s other facets, this should be brought up in terms of the best looking and best sounding PS1 titles in the console’s history. I understand a lot of the heavy-lifting is due to its late release, but seriously, I adore how the team managed to utilize the minimalistic UI and aircraft designs with ambitious scale and detail. You got Mega Mall with its multi-level complexes and onlooking pedestrians as you go through a downward corkscrew and other opened facilities, Stanza Inter’s grey-splotted district juxtaposed by its yellow-lit tunnels with blues and reds pointing towards the buildings and adverts, the afternoon bliss of P-Mar Project with trees having their petals fall as you screech towards its four banks, there’s just so much put on display and making the most out of the hardware I’m shocked I haven’t seen anyone point it out before. That’s not even mentioning the harsh thumps on the walls, or the scrapes that occurs when just barely making it around the obstacles that lay before you, or the boosts and weapons hitting their mark, or even the sound of the menu being affected by where you’re currently at. Special points goes to the announcer lady, hearing her lowly hum ENGAGED, AUTO-PILOT, WARNING, PLASMA, and more is sweetly therapeutic.

Track Three: High Fidelity

Purely on feel, all the anti-gravity crafts have been tweaked to perfection when compared to previous drivers, carefully balancing their heft as well as the ability to smoothly swerve around corners, heightening the sensation factor of going as fast as you possibly can before someone or something sends knocks your kilos off. Air drifting has been the slickest it’s been as well, always consistent with the amount of taps I bring to the shoulder buttons to narrowly shift weight before coming into contact with the rails and bumpers. Being able to obtain a faux-damage boost from hitting the wall in just the right angle never gets old, as is using the hyperthrust feature in exchange for lowered shield energy to speed by foes right when they least expect it, or gaining major air bonus in either legit manners or in attempted humor. Shifting the nose up or down for either a slow brake to prepare for ramp jumping and angling, or perhaps crashing on down back to the road and using downward slopes to get a bit of a rush. It also helps that the four starting teams with four unlockables coming out are tuned to such a degree that I have no doubt you’d be able to find a favorite somewhere here. Personally, I’m a Qirex, Icaras, and Pirhana (yes that’s how it’s spelt here) type of guy; just the right amount of weight for each needs with a lower-than-average shield count, all made up thanks to quick acceleration and record-high km/h. Getting all of this right takes some practice - you WILL continuously bump into walls and fuck up corners, trust me - but after time you’ll be zooming through those that gave you trouble with relative ease, and it’s always such a good comeback feeling.

While I mentioned the look of the courses, their layout is addictive and easily the best roster the series has dished out up to this point. I don’t think I’ve been so motivated to improve my time and find all sorts of little saves since I touched Jak X last year, which was already a damn good title on its own. I already mentioned most of them, but even my lesser favorites such as Terminal and Sampa Run have their own appeal in either look or adrenaline-pumping draw. And that’s just the main courses for general singles and challenge tourneys, there’s also the prototype ones to uncover that I plan on doing myself. There’s a lot on offer and honestly, I’m tempted to get them from this point forward, albeit on my off days and not as a continued manner.


Track Four: Xpander

The scale doesn’t stop there though, because after the initial launch it’s got two sorts of revisions. Of the two is the more popular Wipeout 3 Special Edition, released in 2000 only in PAL regions, containing minor stat and visual tweaks, AI bugfixes, streamlined menu navigation along with autosaving and autoloading, four-person multiplayer action with the Link Cable peripheral and the necessary two PS1 + two TV set combo, plus more courses, even containing three from the first game and five from XL. There is, however, an important info to share: aircraft physics have been significantly overhauled to be even faster and looser than before, and while it’s appreciated in making Vector class races dart by quicker, it becomes way more troublesome on Rapier where the Pirhana team vehicle reaches breakneck speed, requiring more practice and finesse before you can really handle it. This also means having to adapt the old tracks with W3SE’s vehicle physics, putting more time and effort on deck in order to hit those golds and attain a satisfying time trial clock. Not that it matters, though, since the track lineup for this mode is hit-and-miss; I rushing through Gare D’Europa, Talon’s Reach, and Odessa Keys is still just as compelling, and Sagarmatha feels even better to blitz over, but Altima VII, Arridos IV, and Terramax haven’t quite been accommodated with the new physics even on Venom class, with Phenitia Park being even worse off with its annoyingly sharp turns and tight roadways allowing for bumps against the opponents. It’s still doable, no doubt, but if you’re playing this for the first time, I suggest instead going through the initial PAL launch or NA versions, or as a personal recommendation and the version I spent the most time on when writing this review, the Japanese release. No, legit, released prior to SE but after the PAl and NA copies, it was the one that first introduced all the benefits SE sans the throwback courses and some visual tweaks, plus the physics is the perfect middle ground between float and heft instead of leaning towards one or the other, making it a smoother transition from XL and 64 for those that have been dipping in, or just the series in general for newcomers. No matter which iteration you settle on, though, I have no doubt you’ll be under its spell as one of the best racing titles you’ll ever get to experience.

It’s a shame the IP more or less got treated as a B-grade hitter for Sony, ever since 3 received comparatively low sales likely from launching right at the end of the PS1’s lifespan, and Wipeout Fusion being treated with mixed reception from fans. There’s also the fact that Sony didn’t uh, really market it following those two entries. I certainly didn’t know this franchise continued on growing up, having missed out on the ACTUALLY RATHER POPULAR PSP titles Pure and Pulse, the digital-only (with a lone physical release in Europe) Wipeout HD which is a collection of the prior two on the PS3, and Wipeout 2048, the Vita title that I think is self-explanatory as to why that one didn’t do so hot. All of this, unfortunately, has culminated in the collapse of Studio Liverpool in 2012, throwing two shared ideas in the bin as well. Not helping was, from what I can look into, the dwindling spotlight on the arcade racing genre as a whole, with several franchises either becoming MIA like F-Zero, Project Gotham, and Outrun, or beginning to fade away like Ridge Racer, Burnout, and Midnight Club, with each new attempt to revitalize the genre being overlooked (I believe Blur would be a good example, quickly becoming a cult classic due to various factors). Admittedly, I’m just becoming a racing fan myself after all these years, so I’m still pretty green around the ears in some regard, but I also don’t think it’s all that wrong to note how sim-style open world laid racing titles have become for several years, especially with Forza and Gran Turismo hitting the charts as strongly as ever. To ease up on the bitterness, it’s not like I can really blame them for the shifting change of the landscape - especially since I have a couple of GT and Forza titles myself to chew on - and if nothing else, there was a bit of a miracle release made for the PS4: Wipeout Omega Collection, containing Wipeout HD, its DLC expansion Fury, and 2048. I’ve only lightly invested my time into this release, but it’s definitely an interesting release that I can’t wait to sink into down the line, especially in 1080p/60fps, even reaching up to 4K on the Pro… huh? A recent title came out and it’s for mobile devices? Nah man that can’t be right, you’re pullin my leg here! Next you’re gonna follow up by saying it’s some weird card management game with microtransactions and a rarity system, that sounds really dumb.

is it a faux pas to say that sports games used to be really fun and do well with the nerd crowd? sure, your older brother and all his friends loved tony hawk's pro skater, but there's an enduring audience of people who still talk about and play these games to an insanely technical degree. you don't see the same level of adoration and dedication for games like FIFA and whatever the fuck else franchise sports games there are that just exist for celebrity appearances. the biggest separation between sports games back then and sports games now is the eschewing of realism in favor of over-the-top antics. the decision to say that realism fails where style succeeds. and, if nothing else, SSX Tricky has stood the test of time and shown that it is the ur example of realism not mattering.

if anything, trying to emulate reality is what has likely stagnated the sports genre to the degree where sports games are now synonymous with cosplaying as the new york mets. there's no fun, no invigorating "larger than life" attitude. just. . . egotism. why would i want to play something like soccer in a conventional way when games like SSX Tricky show that creativity is just around the corner, just a little bit past grounding? you can see indie titles take advantage of not being beholden to realism and succeed as a result (i.e. rocket league, pyre, etc.). i don't think there's anything wrong with realism in sports games, but when it's the only thing we're given, i feel starved of nourishment.

if nothing else, playing this game feels like a thick, cold slushie on a warm summer day. it's a treat i allow myself once in a blue moon to remind myself that there are sweet things in this world, you just have to look for them.

I think this is genuinely the best campaign ever made for a fighting game. Does it have the best story? No. Does it have a lot of content and is fun and gets such a solid laugh due to the nature of the game? Yes. This game truly encapsulates the era it comes from before everybody realizing that they could license themselves for a shitton of money. With the amount of clothing brands, the lists of artists, and the plethora of music coming from said artists. The humor in this game is something else truly with me getting a lot of genuine laughs out of it. The depth of the combat is not something to downplay either with being able to mix 3 separate fight styles together and with an okay character creator to boot, there is a lot for you to explore. I truly think at the minimum this game is worth to play for the story alone. I'll reiterate truly the most fun I've ever had playing a campaign for any fighting game. You're not getting NRS story telling but you're getting a great game to play

Even though I greatly enjoyed my time with this game after a three-year wait, I still felt unsatisfied. I guess that's what I get for setting unreasonably high expectations.

I will say that they hit the nail on the head with the aesthetic and music! There's really good tracks like the main menu and the three Hideki Naganuma songs.

Even with the new mobility options that help you maintain your momentum, I still wish that the trick system was a little more technical than "Press X/Y/B in consecutive order while holding RT". All of the movement styles felt the same because of that.

If you like Jet Set Radio, you would like this, just don't set your bar too high.

Me when Mirage hires me to do war crimes: " FREE MONEY! 🤑🤑🤑 "

Me when Crest hires me to do war crimes: " FREE MONEY! 🤑🤑🤑 "

Me when Union hires me to do war crimes: " I'm a mercenary, but I'm still human. Today, I stand before you to express my deep concern about the devastating impacts of war and to advocate for a world that prioritizes peace and diplomacy.

War has long been a source of immense suffering, loss of life, and destruction. It tears apart families, communities, and nations, leaving behind scars that can last for generations. We must remember that there are no winners in war—only profound losses on all sides. The human, social, and economic costs of conflict are staggering. Lives are forever changed, dreams shattered, and futures stolen away. Innocent civilians, including women and children, bear the brunt of the violence, often caught in the crossfire with no means of escape. Let us not forget the toll war takes on our moral compass. It devalues human life, promotes hatred, and perpetuates cycles of revenge and suffering.

As a society, we must reject this path and instead embrace peaceful means of resolving conflicts. Peace is not a sign of weakness; it is a testament to our strength as human beings. It requires courage, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to dialogue, understanding, and negotiation. We must seek common ground, recognizing that our shared humanity far outweighs our differences. We should prioritize dialogue over confrontation, and diplomacy over militarization. By engaging in respectful and inclusive conversations, we can build bridges, foster understanding, and find peaceful solutions to even the most complex of conflicts.

In closing, I implore each and every one of you to embrace the power of peace. Let us be champions of diplomacy, advocates for justice, and voices of reason. Together, we can build a world where conflicts are resolved through dialogue, where peace prevails over war, and where the rights and dignity of every human being are upheld. "

Some surprisingly good mountainbiking and snowboarding controls pinned against the wall by progression systems designed to feel like a merchant is always sitting on your shoulder & peddling wares. The saying goes "you're never more than ten feet away from a drive-thru intercom". When the game shuts up & stops bombarding you with currencies/exp/bad dialogue it's actually a blast lol, wide mission variety and a world map that feels sufficiently frictive and challenging to explore apace. Rider's Republic makes navigating the range something of a Sisyphean task, keypoints connected thru hazy vertical infrastructure designed to jostle and jive. It's not Burnout Paradise levels of map density or flow but triple-a doesn't make games that lean or mean any more. If this wasn't such an industrialised player engagement mill I'd definitely see it further along, best in class downhill biking and some of these ski races hit those SSX notes.
The clarity of intent should be squarely on the thrill of riding, with the rewards being set dressing - but it holds so much back from the player that it feels like you're just grinding to earn the game's trust before it finally places u behind the bars of a new bike frame with +5 Stability and +2 Speed. Give me all the vehicles and unlock all the challenges on the world map from the get-go you cowards.

Tired of this nasty Fortnitepunk aesthetiq too man, the true measure of the wheelman's guile is their faceless peerless performance on the loam road, not the funny emote and neon bunny hat they bought @ the cash store. Every graphic designer on staff emptying their portfolios into a gumbo of oftentimes genuinely good illustrative work that just melds together all messy and mismatched. The soundtrack is kind of a secret bop though.... Chaka Khan blessed.

this is miles better than what we got with the lost and damned. for one, i actually care about multiple characters and like them, which i couldn't say about TLAD. it also helps that, in terms of mission variety and structure, this is one of the strongest GTA games. i think the addition of parachuting is great, the triathlons are fun (if a bit samey), and the ability to replay missions is something that i'm shocked isn't in more rockstar games. i have next to nothing bad to say about this DLC.

but there is one thing. this is a narrative about a gay man. and rockstar, being rockstar, has to amp up the homophobia. it wasn't enough that base GTA IV had its share of homophobia, but now we have to have a DLC almost dedicated to it. it's a shame, because i think tony prince is a decently written character and probably one of the best lgbt characters they've done. he has nuance and is an active participant in the narrative. it's a shame that so many other of the gay characters fall into the "closet case or effeminate flamer" stereotype that rockstar leans into. i literally cannot name a single gay character outside of tony that doesn't fit either of those categories and there's like. 5 named gay characters now. that's still bad to me. and like yeah, i get that making multiple characters call tony a faggot over and over again is an easy shorthand to demonstrate the struggles he's faced as a gay man + the immediate dislikability of the slur sayer in question, but it gets to be a bit much. we start out the DLC with luis' friends immediately being homophobic to him (one of them explicitly calls tony a fag in his very first scene), and we end with ray bulgarin shouting "I AM NOT A FUCKING FAGGOT!!!!". like okay. cool. did every character have to be this way? you can make a lgbt character without them immediately getting slurred or victimized, rockstar. it's not impossible.

either way. i had a good time with this game. i can't recommend it to anyone who hasn't built up the ability to compartmentalize homophobia as one of those things that just exists, but otherwise, it's a great DLC and a good cap GTA IV.

oh wait, i forgot one thing. SO TELL ME HOW LONG BEFORE YOU DROP THE BOMB, BEFORE YOU TURN IT UP, TURN IT UP, TURN IT UP, TURN IT UP