Ahh, Wipeout. wipE'out". Whatever. It seems like only yesterday we were smashing into walls and launching rockets wildly off target, all to the electronic beat of a 1990s nightclub. It was only a year after the release of that first game that players were treated to a sequel in the form of Wipeout 2097. WipEout 2097. wipE'out" 2ยบ97. Whatever.
It's much the same, only better, so it's time to engage the thrust like there's no tomorrow and swoop right in.
Fun Times
After a swishy intro, designed in part I'm sure by The Designers Republic, Wipeout 2097 gets underway with a menu of modes to select from.
There's no Championship mode of any kind, sadly, so you're stuck with single races, time trials and head to head races, with tracks, tucked away behind speed/difficulty classes. As sequels go, this is bare bones on the surface, but it's Wipeout through and through.
All new courses join an all-new playlist of electronica and techno music, that I sadly still can't hear when emulating, but where there is a will to listen to Wipeout music, there is a way to listen to Wipeout music, and listen to it you must.
Hurtling through cities, jungles and snowy mountains, you'll be able to equip new weaponry, including a series favourite (or maybe just a favourite of mine), the Quake, which unleashes a wave of energy in front of you which physically deforms the track and allows you to catch up on your opponents. I'd say it's a bit over the top in terms of breaking the immersion, but then we are flying anti-gravity combat racing ships, so what level of reality do we want to care that much about?
Also new is a pit lane that will recharge your energy, which is essentially your health and shields, and as that will get chipped away with every mine you race into, missile you attract and wall you crash into, you might need the pits every other lap or so. Luckily, races are still pretty nippy so you won't be having to limp home for a recharge.
You won't really be limping anywhere, as Wipeout 2097 is can get very fast, very quickly. The jump in speeds between the slowest and fastest classes is noticeable, but overall, compared to the original Wipeout, 2097 is a well-honed racer, that feels as fast as it looks.
Frustrations
That's part of what makes it utterly ridiculous in its difficulty, however. It is hard. Pulling off the perfect lap - even a decent lap - will take time and practice. Less so at the slower speed, sure, but even just a single step up the speed ladder will see you crash into wall after wall after wall.
While the game has been tweaked to not slow your craft down to a standstill when you clip the wall even slightly, any scrape and nudge against the track can write off your chances at a medal. To combat this, the airbrakes are responsive and allow you to glide around tight corners with some ease, but getting to grips with them also requires a fair bit of patience.
Final Word
When it pays off, however... ooh, does it feel great... To hit every speed pad, to blast all your opponents off the track - or out of your way at least. When Wipeout is slick and it goes your way, you feel like the greatest racer ever.
Unfortunately, it doesn't feel like that all too often in 2097. While the game is much improved, it still feels like the slight upgrade to Wipeout that it started off as, rather than a full sequel. While the tracks are more detailed, the draw distance is still glaringly obvious. While the weapons additions are neat, they still feel like you're not quite getting the most out of them unless you really work for good positioning, and have the luck to be in the right place at the right time.
I'd play this one over the original, easily, until I remembered why I no longer play Wipeout 2097 - while the first two tracks are alright, the third is a bit of a bitch and saps the fun out of it.
I said previously that you should play all the Wipeout games until I can narrow down which one you should really play. I think it's safe to say we Wipeout 2097 isn't a contender for winning that vote - but is still worth trying out.
Fun Facts
The title for American audiences was going to be Wipeout XS, as a shorthand for 'excess', until someone had the brains to think that it might be interpreted as 'extra small'. It was changed to Wipeout XL instead. WipEout XL. wipE'out" Xl. Whatever.
Wipeout 2097, developed by Psygnosis, first released in 1996.
Version played: PlayStation, 1996, via emulation and childhood memories.