i think it makes sense to spin one off from the us psp launch thread -- as far as i'm concerned the us psp launch is wipeout pure.
i've quickly played through the first couple tournaments in venom class (it lets you skip the shit-slow vector class, thoughtfully). in many respects it's sublime. the handling is sublime. the crafts feel like physical objects. they float weightily (which only sounds paradoxical if you haven't played a good wipeout game). they swing precariously around corners (and "swing" is just the word). the tracks are beautifully modulated, with narrow chicanes opening into big banked curves. between the handling and the course design, it has the details and dynamics of a really good car racer. which has always been wipeout's particular genius.
gorgeous too. it's drawn in swoony pastels straight out of wipeout 3, and trackside objects often converge in long vistas that bely their low poly construction. i gave up on electronic music categories years ago, but i'll risk saying that the soundtrack is coherently acid-housey, marked by spare composition and warm analog synths. the visuals and sound collude beautifully. it belongs in a set with ridge racers and lumines. it almost feels like the psp game.
here's what lets it down: the framerate. either it's sub-30 a lot of the time or i've forgotten what a 30 fps racing game looks like. it looks bad. the sense of motion is never quite satisfying, and you often come out of firefights feeling like your psp has taken more damage than your craft. it's just not as perfectly shocking and complete as ridge racers. and framerate is the difference. i hate to end on that buzzkilling note, but i want to get back to the game. more impressions later.
i've quickly played through the first couple tournaments in venom class (it lets you skip the shit-slow vector class, thoughtfully). in many respects it's sublime. the handling is sublime. the crafts feel like physical objects. they float weightily (which only sounds paradoxical if you haven't played a good wipeout game). they swing precariously around corners (and "swing" is just the word). the tracks are beautifully modulated, with narrow chicanes opening into big banked curves. between the handling and the course design, it has the details and dynamics of a really good car racer. which has always been wipeout's particular genius.
gorgeous too. it's drawn in swoony pastels straight out of wipeout 3, and trackside objects often converge in long vistas that bely their low poly construction. i gave up on electronic music categories years ago, but i'll risk saying that the soundtrack is coherently acid-housey, marked by spare composition and warm analog synths. the visuals and sound collude beautifully. it belongs in a set with ridge racers and lumines. it almost feels like the psp game.
here's what lets it down: the framerate. either it's sub-30 a lot of the time or i've forgotten what a 30 fps racing game looks like. it looks bad. the sense of motion is never quite satisfying, and you often come out of firefights feeling like your psp has taken more damage than your craft. it's just not as perfectly shocking and complete as ridge racers. and framerate is the difference. i hate to end on that buzzkilling note, but i want to get back to the game. more impressions later.
