WipeOut: Omega Collection: PS4 Review

WipeOut: Omega Collection: PS4 Review

Platform: PS4

Released in 1995 and one of the defining titles of PlayStation's early era, WipeOut's futuristic racing and dance hall beats were utterly iconic.

Cruising around tracks, floating above the ground, and racing breakneck against other contenders (or thanks to the early use of split-screen against friends), the anti-grav racing game was nothing short of a major win for the console.

So, the Omega collection, complete with its polished look, pulls together the three different iterations of WipeOut (HD, 2048 and Fury) into one classy package that reminds you why it was so defining.

Smooth graphics and a polished look for the ships as well as the tracks means that the game looks like a new release rather than a simple remaster - and with 26 circuits, 49 ships and 9 modes, there's certainly no shortage of possibilities for entertainment here.

Gameplay wise, WipeOut is as punishing as it always was.

This is a game that relies on skill and wits as well as knowledge of where to pick the power ups and hit the speed-ramps during tracks to win. It's not a game that you can win on a whim and luck certainly doesn't play into WipeOut's MO. In fact, in its early stages before you unlock the better ships with XP and with progression, it's nothing short of utterly frustrating as you lose in the last second or fail to qualify as you don't have enough ship power to get you where you need to go.

IF the controls are slightly opposed to stopping you from getting crab hands (the X button is used for speed, rather than the easily more intuitive R2 pad on the controller), you soon get back to old habits when racing. In fact, even the controls have an element of nostalgia to them (though RSI may strike).

But along with the pulsing soundtrack from the likes of the Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy, WipeOut Omega Collection plays like it always has. AI increases the more into the game you get, and you really do need to have your wits about you to win.

The game looks good too, with the polish and deeper rendering of the tracks all coming together in a smooth mix that make for both a nostalgia blast and a recognition of what the PS4 is currently capable of. It would be great to see a new WipeOut game on the PS4, but this collection does a lot to scratch that itch, and demonstrates that when done properly and with care, a relaunch of an old title, complete with spit and polish, can be as sizzling as the latest AAA property.