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Wipeout HD is a Playstation Network Exclusive. It is a futuristic racing game that takes place on different worlds across the galaxy, and where you get to play the driver battling your way to the top spot. The tracks will now feature loops and 90 degree turns to make racing even more chaotic. There are Mag Strips located in key areas on each track that allow your vehicle to be locked into the perfect line. New weapons, such as the Leach Bomb, accompany the already large arsenal at your disposal. Weapons are still accumulated in the old fashioned “grab the spinning question marked box” on each of the tracks. There will be seven race modes shipped with the game: Single Race, Tournament, Time Trial, Zone Mode, Speed Lap, Elimination and Head-2-Head.

Single Race is pretty self-explanatory, but this is the one where you race against other drivers in a quick one round exhibition. In Tournament you are pitted against the same seven drivers across multiple tracks. Each driver is put into point brackets corresponding to which spot they place in. Pending on the points, the person who has been doing the best consistently will be the winner. Time Trial is where you try to beat your best time on any of the tracks. Zone Mode is a speed challenge where you must go through each zone at the right speed/time/place to continue in the race. Speed Lap is where you have one lap to beat the track's record for fastest time. Elimination is where at the end of each lap, the person in last place gets eliminated. This continues until there is only one racer left on the track. Head-2-Head is where you and an AI opponent or online pal race 1v1 to see who is the best.

Eight player online is a huge feature this time around and will have all the single player modes and weapons included. There really isn’t much of a story to speak of, but a story is not something Wipeout fans have come to expect. Speed and chaos is the only two things you are going to get from this racer and that is by no means a bad thing. Grouping up with some buddies online for some hectic racing from players all around the world will certainly prove fun. There will be a community website with the game's launch where you register and you can track all your online fun there. Stat tracking and leaderboards are something fans have been asking for years and it’s good that the developers are listening to their audience.

1 Go!

Controlling your vehicle is much easier than the more recent PSP versions because of the absence of the “nub”. Analogs feel a lot smoother and comfortable to manoeuvring your vehicle. While the action is locked at a buttery 60fps, there is some noticeable screen tarring when corners are taken super fast or with multiple opponents. A minor complaint and something that later builds will surely fix. The Six axis is supported as another steering option if you are into that sort of thing. Multiple camera views are available to accommodate the new a seasoned racers alike.

The game sounds very good, particularly because it supports 5.1 audio. Explosions and engine noises sound very realistic along with the crunches of your vehicle hitting other racers or the barriers. The soundtrack is very techno heavy and comes off as a more European vibe which really suits the game. The Heads Up Display is also seeing some improvements with a new proximity meter that shows when enemy ships are near you. You will also be better warned when someone has a lock on you.

Final Lap

Wipeout HD seems to be the title Wipeout fans have been hoping for. It looks and plays better than ever, with a bunch of favourite maps from the past and new weapons to complement the old. With 60fps and full 1080p support, this one is nice to gander at. Tearing up the tracks on online tournaments with your friends is sure to give this game some legs. All the fast paced racing action you could want and Downloadable Content on the way, this one should rake in some substantial playtime.