Wipeout: Omega Collection – Short Review: PS4 VR Version
Spewout: Regurgitate Collection
The Omega collection throws together the most recent Wipeout games into one handy remastered package. Nice. Originally released on the 7th of June 2017 a free update has given us Virtual Reality across all modes. Normally they charge a fiver for the privilege, so this is a welcome surprise.
Whilst racing at 300 mph I often stop to look at the clouds.
Welcome to the descriptive part of the introduction. Everyone with the nost basic knowledge of a Wipeout can skip directly to the article … now!
HAH! I lied. Those arrogant readers, skipping over the introduction. Just who do they think they are? I’ll let you into a secret. Wipeout is a killer app for a certain type of person. Or for 20 minutes, depending on ya’ stomach. For a freebie this is one of the very best virtual experiences I’ve had on the ol’ PSVR. The speed and clarity is potent. It feels like it was custom designed for VR. It’s a 9 out of 10 from me. Now you don’t need to read the rest article*. Well done.
*How dare they skip over the actual article! Can you believe them? They have no idea what makes the game great. I could have been lying about the score!
Welcome to the real Description Corner: Now with added boring.
Wipeout is a futuristic anti-grav racing game that’s been around since the original Playstation. The game emphasises speed, weapons and a pumping electronic soundtrack. People tend to forget that the original game was very harsh, as hitting the sides really screwed up ya lap times. Thankfully the games are a little more forgiving now. Arcade racing fun for all the family. Yes. All the family. Even little Jimmy… but not Jonny, the rat-bastard.
I recall that the first-person mode had the potential to induce sickness. Happy times. Wait… How does that work with VR?
Bloody hell this is amazing!
None of these pictures really do the game justice.
For any long-standing Wipeout fans the prospect of jamming your face into a super-fast racer is terrifying. I mean, guaranteed vomit within 20 seconds, right?
Nope. Not at all. Shockingly the default comfort settings work a treat as my tummy didn’t complain at all.
Please note, everyone’s different and you might (definitely) still chuck up.
Brilliantly the default settings have you sitting in a stable, none-rotating cockpit, as the craft itself twists and turns. The shocking speed still hits you, but your body has a better chance of handling this until you decide to upgrade to a more unhealthy mindset. You see, you can put your head directly into the head of the pilot removing the safety of the nice stable cockpit. This could (should) put your guts into dismay, and affect your laptimes (and teeth enamel). The adventurous types will definitely get a kick out of something so absolutely thrilling. A basic race is converted to something very different when your heads being twisted off ya neck.
Oi Luv! Check out me sexy hovercraft.
Speaking of which, the view from the craft is pleasantly clear in VR. That clean aesthetic really pops in VR. Excellent lighting makes a huge difference and the immense speed, with the visually interesting, twisty-turny race-tracks, seem custom designed to get the full benefits of sitting in this world. The soundtrack is classic Wipeout. Drum and Bass inherently suits futurist racing. It works especially well when you’re in the zone. I will admit, this is a pretty anti-social game, so turn the volume up as much as you can.
Hey guys. Yep. Just having a lil’ race.
Should we talk about the game itself? You adhere to the standard format of obtaining a passing grade to unlock the next race. Things get faster, different events get unlock and you get to pick shiny new racers. Who needs career mode when you can jump right into the action with minimal fuss. This is the type of game were you want to drop in and out, quick. I’ve a soft spot for Zone Mode which gives you unlimited laps at ever increasing speeds. Soon your shield has withered away as unreasonable velocity guarantees you’ll need a new paint job. With each increase in speed comes a wholesale colour change from the garish, to the intense. Coupled with intense music and concentration, you’ll come away feeling like you’re a test pilot. With crippling heart palpitations.
See… I told you. Vibrant.
Wipeout has always been pretty simple. None of the additional modes feel tacked on or gimmicky and you come away admiring its purity. Racing is as fine as ever, racing with weapons is a tad more fun. Ignoring racing to focus on light murder is also fun. Even without VR, this is a fun game.
When I first started the game I had this weird feeling that all packages were not equal. Wipeout Fury (which was an addon pack to the original Wipeout HD) appeared to be technically inferior… a bit fuzzy… but a quick re-inspection shows that I have appeared to gone a bit mad. I’m happy to report it’s uniformly good. I know… I shouldn’t even be mentioning it… but this strange nagging feeling remains. Let’s drop it now.
No. The hands don’t move when you do. I know, I know, but you won’t notice it in a race.
Now with all this praise we do need to throw out the obvious warning. Not everyone can play it, and I’m not even talking about VR. Wipeout has always been fast and intense. Joey Jo Jo could only manage one race before her eyes twitched and she abandoned the headset. To be fair, she was one of the people that endured motion sickness with the original Wipeout. Speaking of which, Joey Jo Jo. Play us out with some soothing words.
“It’s much better when Wipeout is attached to your face.”
You can say that again.
One of the best free updates I’ve ever seen applied to any game. It helps that the original was already pretty damn great.
One of the most intense racers I’ve ever played. Nice one VR.