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WipEout Fusion

EMAILPRINTps2

WipEout Fusion
83
8.0 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 21 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 28 votes
Read user comments
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Game Info

Publisher: SCEE / BAM! Entertainment

Developer: Studio Liverpool

Genre(s): Racing

Players: 2

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: February 8, 2002

Summary

It's WipEout time again, with the fourth instalment of the critically acclaimed series exploding onto PlayStation 2. Once again you must push your reactions and abilities to the limit in order to leave your rivals in the dust. With 45 futuristic race circuits to negotiate, WipEout Fusion will have you corkscrewing, jumping, barrel-rolling and looping like never before. Other enhancements include the addition of the Endurance and Zone modes, superior AI and the option to customise craft handling to match each course. [Sony Europe]

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Play Magazine

A much deeper and more immersive racer. WipEout fusion less an exercise in memorization and precision than 3...A triumph, as expected. [June 2002, p.52]

95

GameZone

Every single aspect -- the controls, the gameplay, the graphics, etc. -- has been improved 110%. You may not notice all of the improvements at first, but the game will suck you in immediately.

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91

TotalPlayStation

The most accessible, fastest, most potent version of the series. It’s arguably the best of the four games that make up the series, but nobody can deny that’s easily the prettiest.

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91

GameNow

If you've never played this series before, Fusion will have you searching the bargain bins for the original PSone titles. [June 2002, p.62]

90

TotalGames.net

The response of each craft, no matter how demanding, feels gloriously authentic and exudes the same order of weighty behaviour which so successfully separates A-Spec from GT2.

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90

IGN

There is so much to do and so many different ways to play that you will get at months of playing out of this game.

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90

GamePro

Although it doesn't break much new ground and the series' vibe has become more mainstream with age, Wipeout Fusion is simply an excellent, action packed racing game. [July 2002, p.73]

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90

Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

It was worth the wait; this is every bit the Wipeout you've been waiting for. [June 2002, p.100]

85

GameSpy

It is in many ways the best of the bunch, but somewhere along the line it has lost that cool edge that made the series so legendary.

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85

GamerWeb Sony

Fast gameplay and tons of features turn what could be an ordinary churned out sequel into a new benchmark for anti-gravity racers.

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85

Electronic Gaming Monthly

Fusion's control, graphics and tracks are so spot-on that once mastered, weaving through the curves at supersonic speeds becomes second-nature. [June 2002, p.112]

80

PSX Nation

Fast, slick, pretty and still fun despite only being related to the original “WipeOut” series by name, “Fusion” is as good as off-line futuristic racing can feel and play on the PS2 right now.

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80

Maxim Online

Taking hairpin turns and navigating loop-the-loops at 500 mph is Wipeout’s equivalent of a boring straightaway.

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80

GamePen

This is without a doubt the single best looking and playing hovercraft racing game on any next generation platform.

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73

Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

We've happily sat for ages playing around on Arcade mode and vamping our ship up to obscene speeds but, when the chips are down in the League and the autopilot flies you straight into a series of mines, it's all you can do not to chew off your own face.

73

GameSpot

A serviceable futuristic racing game that is perhaps a bit too similar to previous installments in the series.

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70

Yahoo! Games

There's no next generation oomph that sneaks up and slaps you on the face like that little bald orange man from the old Tango drink ads, no real sense of feeling justified for making that step up from 32- to 128-bit.

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70

PSM Magazine

The adrenaline-pumping thrill, sensory bombardment, and frantic combat have been cranked up for PS2. [June 2002, p.34]

70

Total Video Games

Wipeout fans will find something to like about the latest instalment, it’s everything that Wipeout was, however that may in part be a cause of the problem, we’ve seen it all before and done it.

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65

Game Informer

I'm not saying the game is outdated, I just don't think a new console makes it much more compelling. [June 2002, p.79]

60

All Game Guide

While Wipeout Fusion does not stray too far from the formula created by the original, the small pieces it does alter often detract from what made the previous titles so great.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.0 (out of 10) based on 28 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Gus gave it a7:
This game is okay. the racing is fun and most of the weapons are cool (except the photon cannon) I HATE the music. Its like a really bland rip off of prodigy from the wipeout xl game. Also sometimes I'm really annoyed at a track instead of looking forward to doing it again.

Alex gave it an 8:
A good game with furious speed!

Adrick R. gave it a 4:
While I will agree this is a good looking game while racing. It is filled with bugs and crappy load screens that aren't even entertaining. The music is pure class b trance garbage. Also the game centers WAY too much on the poorly designed weapons. I also notice no one mentioning the extremely poor two player mode which is such a let down. The game continued to slow down every time we played a track that had even the slightest bit of advanced graphics. All in all this had the potential to be the next Wipeout XL and did not even come close! I wish the original designers would step in and show these yahoos how to really make a hover racing game. Maybe we can glimmer some hope from the new HSX:hypersonic extreme series.

Frazer B. gave it a 10:
Ive not played a better two player game.. Superb. Soundtrack finishes it off a beauty!

John N. gave it a 10:
I normally despise racing games but this is actually fun unlike A-Spec.

Dabble N. gave it a 10:
Played for 6 hours straight.

Steven J. gave it a 4:
I'll agree with Will C. and Cait S. about what they said about this game. However, I will not be as forgiving. The music is crap and it lost its dark industrial feel completely. I too like both these guys was thinking "Pod Racer rip-off". The biggest problem I have is bugs. The game seems to be full of them. It has locked up on me countless times. The disc is brand new and is free of dirt or fingerprints...so its not that. I mean, I see all these reviews and no one has mentioned this problem. Maybe I have a bad copy of the game or something. Earlier tonight I was TRYING to play this game and it decided to screw up real bad. The shield warning came on at 90% (???) and the ship was STUCK on autopilot. After watching the game play itself for 6 laps or so I got disgusted and shut off the PSX2 when I could not get back control. It seems everyday I play it it locks on me. Yet I keep trying to play it. It is not a bad game...I just wish it had better music and wasn't warmed over "Star Wars Revenge Racer". Anyone else have this problem?

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