
Max out your air on jumps by holding Down. To keep from being passed, fire as soon as you have a rear lock with a missile. Always match the angle of the tracks as tightly as possible. The angle of your nose is crucial for tight steering on ascents and descents. Drop mines just as you pass an opponent. Skip the pit unless your shields are low or it makes a good shortcut around the regular track. Autopilots only disengage when your ship levels out, so use them on twisty sections that force them to last longer. This one's worth saving up to buy the first day it's out. The sheer joy of the absorbing racing and combat will glue you to the controller till dawn, and the depth of the gameplay promises many more similar nights. With such across-the-board innovations, XL is no mere sequel. The ships have been remodeled with a sweet new look, including the eye-catching engine flames, and the combat explodes with spectacular new effects like a quake dis-ruptor that buckles the track. Since the original game, the clarity and frame rate have been jacked through the roof, and that shows when you streak past lush rain forests and eerily decrepit train stations. The unearthly weapons effects, such as the electric sizzle of the shields and the fiery rocket explosions, complete the sweet sounds.Įven better, XL's gorgeous graphics rivet your attention to the screen.
Killer tunes by the likes of the Chemical Brothers and Prodigy maintain the intense pace, while the cool announcer updates you on the latest developments in a futuristic, computerlike voice. Psygnosis enlisted top techno talent to keep the soundtrack thumpin'. The fluid steering handles smoothly, and collisions along the side happen more fairly and less frequently. The original Wipeout troubled many gamers with its tough-to-master controls, so Psygnosis took pains to remedy that flaw in XL. There's time pressure as well-if you're late for the checkpoint, it's game over, man. The ships also bristle with new armaments like plasma bolts, autopilots, and thunder bombs.īut Wipeout pros will face more than just new tracks: All the ships now sport shields that take damage from firepower and collisions, and only a detour into the pit will keep you charged.
Placing first on all six tracks unlocks hidden modes and tracks, and all the original weapons show up to help you battle past the field of 12 racers. Wipeout XL's antigravity mayhem goes down in time trial races against the clock or in an exhibition-style Arcade mode. Wipeout XL redefines racing excitement with electrifying gameplay, smokin' graphics, and silky-smooth controls. Hold onto your helmets, race fans-one of the year's top games is rocketing toward your PlayStation.