Not quite sure why this is in the HD thread rather than a more general subforum, nor have I played Pulse, but I'll play...

Not going to list my age

Games in series I've played more than a few minutes' worth:
WipEout 3 SE
WipEout Pure
WipEout HD
WipEout 2048

#1-HD
My first real WipEout. While very different to how I remembered previous games way back on the PS1, it was easy to get into and had naturally good handling which, upon further familiarisation, opened new opportunities in gameplay. I think it has great progression in this regard, and it's incredibly rewarding. For people not used to the series, I think it can offer a great and unique snapshot of what WipEout can possibly achieve in terms of gameplay.

The gameplay is not perfect however, IMO there are slight flaws regarding collision physics and also some issues regarding the general AG nature of the racing. I also think some of the gamemodes on offer work against the potential gameplay, such as single race, eliminator, and others which could be considered a waste of time as they simply go in a completely different direction than what I see the prime draw of WipEout (the gameplay/handling), such as Detonator.

#2-Pure
Haven't completed it, but unlocked up to Rapier before I got 2048. If I had to sum the gameplay up into one word, I'd say it's "lethargic". It can be very slow to get going, the handling is slow, even the AI is slow . That said, it's not bad, it has a certain groove to it that is appreciable.

I think HD took the BR half of the equation on offer in Pure and dialled up the intensity and streamlined the controls to something very different, more accessible, and deeper.

#3-2048
After HD's gameplay achievements, 2048 I feel took a step in a different direction for no good reason. While a handheld is not the place where you're going to surpass HD's subtleties, 2048 seemed to be a haphazardly strewn together mix of HD's directness and a hark back to "slideyness" as part of the game's metaphoric "return to roots" alluded to in the game's title.

While playable, I think it's an exercise in frustration as you are required to constantly fight the ship and avoid serious track issues such as invisible walls, malfunctioning magstrips, and wipespread dodgy collision detection.

Gone is HD's depth: the capabilities of what you could do in a ship are slashed or made much harder to execute, granted in part due to the Vita's controls, but also due to the new gameplay model; such as sideshifting being drastically altered, new physics in general, and even track design - at times it seems as though the tracks are just a half-way attempt at being a BR playground or a speed circuit. That progression seen in HD just doesn't seem possible in 2048- it's not about finding new things, it's about memorising the more basic but harder to handle abilities you already have.

I just don't see what 2048 has to offer for fans of HD. IMO, it's a black sheep that should be conceptually abandoned for potential future games in the series.

I'm not saying 2048 is entirely without merit - just that all of its good qualities were better realised in other games in the series already.