This Amiga port of WipEout 2097 was released when the sequel Wipe3Out was already available on other platforms. It is based on the PC release, not the PlayStation version, so it comes with nine audio tracks which were produced by Cold Storage. Dec 31, 1999 Wipeout 2097 is a Racing game, developed and published by Blittersoft, which was released in 1999.
![2097 2097](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125631371/582384310.jpg)
.: 5 March 1998 Amiga (WarpOS) 1999 Mac OS 2002 Mode(s), Wipeout 2097 (stylised wipE'out'2 097; released as Wipeout XL in North America) is a futuristic developed and published. It is the second installment released in the and is the direct sequel of the released the previous year.
It was originally released in 1996 for the and, and in 1997 for the. It was later ported by Digital Images to the in 1999 and by Coderus to in 2002. Whereas the original game introduced the F3600 racing league in 2052, Wipeout 2097 is set over four decades later and introduces the player to the much faster, more competitive, and more dangerous F5000 AG racing league.
The game introduced a new damage interface and new weapons and tracks. The Sega Saturn version supported analogue control by using its 3D Control Pad, whereas the PlayStation version supported analogue control only through using the optional twist controller.
The game received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the game for its dramatic improvements to the controls, graphics, and gameplay of the original Wipeout. Ranked the game as the 13th best PlayStation game of all time in 2002. Gameplay from the Sega Saturn version Gameplay does not differ much from the previous title.
Aside from the different circuits and new weapons, the fundamental aspects were kept. Pilots race each other or computer-controlled A.I. Opponents to finish in the highest position possible.
Though the crafts move at very high straight-line speeds, Wipeout takes its inspiration from Formula 1 breakthroughs by aspiring for even greater turning speeds. Using the Formula 1 parallel, rather than using aerodynamics to increase wheel grip by down-force for faster turning speeds, Wipeout uses a fictionalised method of air braking for ever greater turning force. Just moving a craft left or right alone is very responsive, but by applying an air-brake in the direction of movement, players zip around very tight turns at near top speed, including those greater than 90 degrees. By applying an air-brake, the turn starts out gradually but as it continues, change in direction increases sharply. Where necessary, the player may also use dual air-brakes for rapid deceleration, typically used if the pilot has flown off the racing line in tight corners and needs to steady. The player can also take on damage from enemy fire and be blown up, but the ship can be 'recharged' to health at the in exchange for a precious few seconds of the race. Aside from the usual tactical aspects of racing, Wipeout 2097 (unlike its predecessor) offered the chance to eliminate other drivers from the competition by destroying their craft with weapons.
Each craft has a shield energy quota, and when this quota reaches zero—either from damage sustained from weapon attacks, or impact from other craft or the edges of the circuit—the craft blows up. The craft also blows up if the time limit is reached, though this only applies to human players. The biggest weapon introduced in 2097 was the Quake Disruptor, which has been a series hallmark ever since. This weapon causes a quake to whip up the track, sending opponent craft into the air and smashing back down. The aim of the game remains the same from its predecessor: complete increasingly difficult challenges to move on to the next race. The difficulty level is changed by increasing the top speed of the craft, through four different classes (Vector, Venom, Rapier, and Phantom). The number of laps needed to complete a race also increased with each new class.
Victory in the challenge modes is the game's ultimate accomplishment. These modes are similar to a championship where players have to race every track to become champion; however, rather than tallying up points, Challenge mode takes a very single player-centric approach by only allowing progress to the next track by coming in first on the current track. Players can lose the mode by losing all three lives, which are lost by finishing a race in worse than third position.
By winning all the races, the player is crowned champion and given access to faster modes, new tracks and ultimately the Piranha craft. Development As with the, Wipeout 2097 was developed by Liverpudlian developer and the promotional art was designed by -based. The development cycle ran for seven months. To cater for the increase in Wipeout players, an easier learning curve was introduced whilst keeping the difficulty at the top end for the experienced gamers.
The game was originally intended as a tracks add-on for the original Wipeout. No sequel had been planned, but Andy Satterthwaite (who worked on the version of the original) was asked by Psygnosis to apply for the role 'internal producer'. He did, and during the interview, asked to do a sequel to Wipeout, but instead ended up developing extra tracks.
The add-on was titled Wipeout 2097 because Psygnosis did not want to give the impression that it was a full sequel. In the United States, it went by the name of Wipeout XL because it was felt that American players would not understand the concept of the game being set a century in the future. The American title was originally to be Wipeout XS (for 'Excess'), but it was pointed out that XS could also stand for 'extra small'. Satterthwaite ended up with a team of two coders (two of whom were new), six artists, and Nick Burcombe. The game's look was influenced by Japanese culture because the team had worked with The Designers Republic.
Nicky Westcott was the lead artist, and her team built on the original vehicle designs. She also worked with the designers and coders on the tracks. Custom tools were created in to develop the tracks, which were tweaked and the team played each other's tracks to obtain feedback.
During the process, Satterthwaite realised that he could do more than the tracks add-on he was tasked with producing. Work on the tracks began in January 1996, and the plan was to select eight tracks out of twenty designed and built in a month. Their 'skinning' was expected to be complete by June, with the game anticipated for release in October. Despite the work involved, Satterthwaite had three uninvolved coders. The collision code from the original Wipeout was also completely overhauled. Burcombe wanted to improve on the original's ship handling and introduce a new weapon, which led to new power-up ideas. Westcott said that it was a collaboration between the areas because of the strict deadline.
The gameplay change that had the most interest was what happened to ships that hit track edges. That ships stopped immediately in the original game was considered too harsh. It was desired that ships scraped the edges instead, and this took longer than expected to develop. Ghost vehicles were only featured in the European version because had a patent on them from in the United States. The team wanted to make it possible to win races in any ship, and a challenge was to make them all feel different and to still have their worth.
Months of work rebalancing the was undertaken to ensure all vehicle and track settings were a challenge. Sony wanted a feature, which proved difficult due to syncing issues and the frame rate differences between. Much extra content, such as harder tracks and a prototype ship, was added because, according to Westcott, the team were both enthusiastic and stressed, and described their development as 'a period of great energy and immense exhaustion at the same time'. An entire United Kingdom nightclub tour was initiated in conjunction with energy drink, which was featured prominently throughout the game before the drink actually gained popularity in the American market. The game was first unveiled in the form of a demo at the May 1996.
Wipeout 2097 was released in 1996 and sold around a million copies. Ports for the, and PC were later released. As with the original Wipeout, the Saturn port was developed. Music New music was mostly recorded from Psygnosis's in-house music team, for versions released outside the PlayStation. The songs of the PlayStation, Sega Saturn and the Windows and Mac versions could also be listened to by inserting the CD into a CD player (and skipping the first track).
The soundtrack was also released as an, though with a different artist and track listing. Track listing PlayStation version No. Title Writer(s) Performer Length 1. 'Landmass' Garry Cobain, Brian Dougans The Future Sound of London 4:29 3. 'V Six' Fluke Fluke 5:19 5. 'Dust up Beats' Ed Simons, Tom Rowlands 6:07 6. ' Ed Simons, Tom Rowlands The Chemical Brothers 4:41 7.
'The Third Sequence' Rupert Parkes 4:48 8. 'Tin There (Underworld Edit)', Rick Smith 6:08 9. 'Canada' 6:14 11. 'Body in Motion' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 5:14 Track listing Saturn version No.
Title Writer(s) Performer Length 1. 'Kinkong' 4:31 2. 'Plasticity' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 3:55 3. 'Messij Xtnd' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 9:22 4. 'Body In Motion' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 5:15 5. 'Canada' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 6:13 6. 'Tenation' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 2:42 7.
'Surgeon' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 4:06 8. 'Body Plus' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 9:22 9. 'Hakapik Murder' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 4:08 10. 'Messij Received' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 4:18 Track listing Mac version No. Title Writer(s) Performer Length 1.
'Body In Motion' 5:15 2. 'Canada' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 6:13 3. 'Hakapik Murder' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 4:08 4. 'Plasticity' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 3:55 5. 'Messij Received' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 4:18 6. 'Surgeon' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 4:06 7.
'Tenation' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 2:42 8. 'Messij Xtnd' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 9:22 9. 'Kinkong' Tim Wright CoLD SToRAGE 4:31 Reception Reception Aggregate score Aggregator Score 94.75% Review scores Publication Score 8/10 8.5/10 (PS) 7.1/10 (PC) 9/10 (PS) 92% (SAT) Air Hendrix scored the PlayStation version a perfect 5 out of 5 in every category (FunFactor, control, sound, and graphics) in, citing 'across-the-board innovations' over the already excellent original WipeOut. He particularly remarked that the controls are much more refined, fairer, and easier to master, and that the frame rate and graphical effects are much more impressive. Tom Ham of also commented on the control improvements and approved of the new ability to destroy opponents. Additionally praising the elaborate backgrounds, detailed sound effects, and more aggressive A.I., he deemed it 'a must buy.'
Said that it had topped the original in terms of music, number of simultaneous racers, A.I., weapons, and graphics, and concluded, 'It's games like this that make you proud to be a PlayStation owner.' In 1996, ranked Wipeout 2097 as the 32nd top game of all time for how 'playing linked Wipeout comes close to gaming at its very best', noting that the game could have been a for PlayStation. Gave both the PlayStation and Sega Saturn versions a score of 8 out of 10, with similar remarks of its improved graphics and its gameplay. Editors awarded Wipeout 2097 Best Music of 1996 and a runner-up (behind ) for Best Graphics. In 1997, named it the fifth top PlayStation game yet.
In IGN's top 25 PlayStation games of all-time list it ranked 13th, noted for being often considered the PlayStation's best racing game of its time and was chosen ahead of others in the series because Wipeout 2097 was 'the one they preferred to keep coming back to'. It ranks as the third-best PlayStation game at with an average review score of 94.75 per cent from ten different sources. Rich Leadbetter of commented that the Saturn version, while not as good as the PlayStation original, is a much closer conversion than the Saturn port of the first Wipeout, particularly in terms of the fluidity, control, and sense of speed. He deemed it the second best racing game on the Saturn, exceeded only. Reviewed the PC version in GameSpot, assessing that 'The PC version's Direct3D support gives this new release a nice face-lift, while still keeping intact the fast action and stylized graphics that console players have come to know and love.' He said that the new soundtrack, while good, is a disappointment compared to the PlayStation version's techno tracks, but gave the game a strong recommendation.
Reviewed the PC version of the game, rating it four stars out of five, and stated that 'If you have a 3D accelerator of any sort, you owe it to yourself to pick up this game. Its nearly flawless gameplay, pumping soundtrack, and visual excellence mark it as a showcase title and all around good time.' References. ^ Wipeout 2097 manual.
^ Yin-Poole, Wesley. Retrieved 18 January 2015. ^ Edge staff writers (24 February 2013).
Archived from on 8 December 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
^ IGN staff writers (26 November 1996). Retrieved 22 August 2014.
'NG Alphas: Wipeout XL'. Cutlack, Gary (August 1997). Retrieved 25 November 2018.
Cohen, Peter. IDG Consumer. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
^ 'Wipeout 2'. ^ 'The Making Of: Wipeout 2097'. Retro Gamer Annual Volume 3. 'The Future Sound of Game Music'. December 1996. 'Psygnosis Own E3.'
Maximum: The Video Game Magazine. Leadbetter, Rich (July 1997). 'Wipeout 2097'.
Langshaw, Mark. Retrieved 18 January 2015. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
^ Edge staff (24 August 1995). Retrieved 22 August 2014. ^ Ham, Tom (1 December 1996). Retrieved 11 December 2017. ^ (26 August 1997).
CBS Interactive. Retrieved 22 August 2014. ^ Leadbetter, Rich (August 1997).
Retrieved November 25, 2018. 'ProReview: Wipeout XL'. November 1996. 'Top 100 Games of All-Time'. Next Generation. September 1996.
'The Best of '96'. Staff writers (September 1997). 'Top 25 PlayStation Games of All Time'. PlayStation: The Official Magazine. Vol. 1 no. 1.
IGN staff writers (22 January 2002). Retrieved 22 August 2014. September 1997.
Definitely one of the best futuristic racing games ever made, Wipeout XL not only once again cements Psygnosis' reputation as the powerhouse of action genre, but also introduces many novelties to the genre. The game takes place 97 years after the events of the original Wipeout, when improvements on Anti-Gravity Ballistic Racing technology have enabled sleeker and more maneuverable hovercrafts. You know the drill: blast down futuristic raceways, hit speed-up icons, pick up different weapons, and lay waste to whoever might stand in your way. But even if you've seen it all before, Wipeout XL is still a fun, incredibly addictive racer you'll want to play more than once.
While the original game's graphics are inferior to the better-selling Playstation version, Wipeout XL takes advantage of 3D accelerators to produce one of the best-looking games on the PC (although it probably doesn't support all modern 3D cards released after 1996). With all the graphic effects turned on, the game is simply breathtaking - with transparent vapor trails spewing from the sterns of opposing ships, subtle colored light-source shading, and bilinear filtering. DirectX mode for people like me who don't have a 3D card is still very pretty, although of course not on par with 3D accelerated mode. Graphics aside, it's the game that counts, and here Wipeout XL delivers plenty of satisfying destructive mayhem. The game is much more difficult and realistic than Wipeout.
Whereas you can easily blow up your opponents in the original game with a well-placed missile or two, this time around all vehicles sustain damage first before they spectacularly explode. The selection of weapons has been expanded, and ranges from proximity mines to track-shredding earthquake bombs. If your energy is running low, just fly through one of the pit stops and you’ll be back in one piece.
You can even turn the weapons off altogether if you prefer more pure racing. The only bad thing you can level about this game is the disappointing lack of network play, so you can't blast your best friends on-line. Other than this obvious oversight, though, just about everything else in Wipeout XL makes it a great game that will hold your interest until the wee hours. Two thumbs up, way up!
Review By HOTUD.