Wipeout 64 Review - Possibly the worst I've seen.

[Dan Locke]

If anybody wants to see the video that started this thread, it's here.

Not that you'd want to, but I thought that it should be posted for completeness's sake.

There used to be a billion angry comments, but the buttwipes who made the video deleted them.

[G'Kyl]

OneAVGNFan, I wholeheartedly disagree. I think you're right about some issues that can't be overlooked. However, I always considered WO64 sort of a sidekick to 2097, and as such it does very well to hold its own.

Why no tournament in the game?

Correct. But for some reason I never quite missed the less then spectacular tournaments from 1, 2097 or 3.

The graphics sucked because 1. it made the locations look bland

That's what the guy in the video says - and I couldn't disagree more. I think those gritty environments are awesome. They might lack some of the signature scenes from 2097, but they still look great.

and 2. it was outdated by WO3 coming out the same year. So why couldnt the game had graphics from WO3?

Technical reasons? Because it was a conversion of the 2097 engine? Because Sony didn't do it? Because it wasn't a parallel WO3 development as such? Because the N64 couldn't do WO3 graphics? Oh, and lastly: Because it wasn't outdated. I mean, seriously, WO64 was as far from outdated as they got!

Those graphics are awesome on the PSone/Saturn, but it doesn't look natural on the 64.

What are you saying? What's "natural"? And why does it HAVE to look natural?

Why couldn't the game have more original levels instead of mirrored remakes?

For veterans that's indeed a bummer. But even I (2097 is my favorite installation) didn't recognize the recycling until someone mentioned it here. I still find the tracks are unique from their blueprints. It feels great racing them - what more can you ask?

P.S: I found a Video Game Vault on ScrewAttack on this game. Don't know if anyone else saw it or has it.

Good thing you posted the video in the "worst review I've seen" thread, because I think it's a strong competitor for the title! Honestly, saying that WO64 lacks in playability - as compared to F-Zero - I mean what the heck?!? It basically plays as awesome as 2097, which is among the games the review praises. Plus, challenges are kind of fun. So, alright, no tourneys. But why neglect what else is there? Come on, this guy even claims you can't decipher the weapon icons!

I'm not saying this as a fact, I really don't, but the review SOUNDS like it came from an F-Zero fanboy who tries to protect his favorite video game system against the WipEout "intrusion".

Ben

[Lance]

Re: 'Why couldn't it have..xxxx?' Money, except, partly, for 'why not the WO3 tracks in WO64'? In that case, there are the additional reasons that WO64 is a port, and WO3 was an entirely new game done by a different studio, Studio Leeds.

[Lance]

Ben, that is quite the quotefest. For the last several months, I've been seeing excessive quotation more and more by many of our members. The forums are becoming less readable and often overly formal. Would everyone who sees this message please read my modpost >
http://wipeoutzone.com/forum/showpos...1&postcount=31
unless you've already done so, of course.

[Tomahawk]

This review really seems like it was done by some F-Zero fanboy who has nothing else to do than tear a good (maybe not fantastic, but at least good) videogame from the WipEout series to shreads. Interestingly enough the audience of the site gives the game a 9.2 out of 11 rating. I'd say the audience has a much better taste than this stinkin' F-Zero fanboy.

[OneAVGNFan]

I like WO64. The game, as I meant to say, has not aged well compared to the other Wo games.
I have the game, but don't play as much as Fusion or HD (only other WO games I have). It does feel like a port though (I do have to give credit to the replyers).
But honestly, I think the graphics doesn't feel natural on the 64.
Good game, but could have been better for a port.

In short, the game is qualified to play on from time to time.

[JABBERJAW]

Most people here consider fusion to be the lowpoint of the series. Also, in 64's defense, the pitch control is far superior to HD and fusion. It matters considerably more than both of those games. And the float physics is almost exactly like xl. My only two gripes with that game was single lap time trials (horrible), and the weapon distribution system (also crap)

[Dan Locke]

To be frank, I never really liked Wipeout 64's physics. The handling feels like a bad hybrid between F-Zero X's and Wipeout XL's.

Then there are the ridiculous "alien" environments (strange, considering that the game is supposedly set on Earth like the others), but I won't go into that.

[JABBERJAW]

Try using a wheel, it's very smooth and not twitchy at all, just like xl. fzero turns on a dime unless you turn to fast and slide out. It is actually a little more floaty than xl, kinda in between xl and 2097. I am sure it is a direct port, so the physics should feel almost exactly like xl. I agree the environments do not look as good as xl, but that is because of the n64's blurrovision.

[Super8er]

I remember quite liking Wipeout64. I recall actually being somewhat impressed with it when I first bought it. I was always into the 'tech specs' of game consoles so I assumed that a cart version of Wipeout would be just terrible. After all, we're talking about a cartridge that can hold, at most, just under 1/10th what a CD-ROM could hold at the time. Then I saw just how much 'Wipeout' Psygnosis managed to cram into that little cart and was fairly blown away.

True, there were a lot of sacrifices, and I could understand polygon count and texture resolution being compromises... but it was strange that the controls seemed a little... off. I adjusted to them, and maybe it was just that a N64 controller responded differently than a PS controller, but I found the controls and slightly tweaked physics frustrating.

I think I was just glad that any Wipeout game was out there... it brought the Wipeout name to a possibly new audience and kept the name out there until the next one came out.

It was nice having almost no load time...

[Dexito2097]

Wipeout is great on the Playstation.
But for the N64 I will have to put my money on F-Zero

F-Zero was designed for the N64 hardware ( that includes the controller ) while WipeOut 64 looks like a crappy version ( was it done or just distributed by Midway ? ) of the original Wipeout.

However... It's music is great.

=)

I almost forgot.

check out this review by none other than Screw Attack's Stuttering Craig
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/vi...ewattack/47072