WipEout Pulse

CCCP^

What the ****? I feel like I've just walked from under a rock. There's a new WipEout game, Pulse, for the Playstation 2, used to be on the PSP? Why can't I find anything official on the web about this? I just bought it brand new in the shop and I'm playing a bit of it now, seems alright so far. Has anyone else seen this?

Ostrom

CCCP^ wrote: »

What the ****? I feel like I've just walked from under a rock. There's a new WipEout game, Pulse, for the Playstation 2, used to be on the PSP? Why can't I find anything official on the web about this? I just bought it brand new in the shop and I'm playing a bit of it now, seems alright so far. Has anyone else seen this?

Is it a straight port?

giggsy664

Yes. Sony announced this ages ago. It's a PSP to PS2 port. I was surprised when I heard this 2 months ago

giggsy664

efla wrote: »

Is it a straight port?

Most likely not. They have 3 extra buttons on PS2; R2, L2 and R3.

CCCP^

Been playing this since I got home from work, it's good. There's nothing radically new about it but for hardcore WipEout fans, it goes back to the old style of movement like in the older PSone era games. Graphically it looks nice, some interesting tracks so far but nothing really out there yet. Now, back to play some more..

Wertz

Another WO fan also living under said rock...been toying with the idea of buying a ps3 just for WO HD (have already bought a PSP in the past for WO pure)...had no idea pulse was out for ps2. I never bought it for PSP (the small screen isn't the best for WO IMO) but would defo get it for ps2.
Thanks for the heads up OP.
Oh and well done sony for your outstanding PR on this launch...

[edit] Reviews seem to be non-existant online...all I can find is PSP reviews...

CCCP^

Wertz wrote: »

Another WO fan also living under said rock...been toying with the idea of buying a ps3 just for WO HD (have already bought a PSP in the past for WO pure)...had no idea pulse was out for ps2. I never bought it for PSP (the small screen isn't the best for WO IMO) but would defo get it for ps2.
Thanks for the heads up OP.
Oh and well done sony for your outstanding PR on this launch...

[edit] Reviews seem to be non-existant online...all I can find is PSP reviews...

I can't believe there isn't a word about it online. I mean yeah it's a port but as a WO fan it's something you would have to check out. I wonder if other PSP games are going to be ported over to the PS2? The should atleast think about making some device that would let you play your PSP games on a PS2, sort of like a Gameboy Player for the GBA/Gamecube.

The best thing so far about the game is it seems to have corrected or sidestepped alot of the mistakes that made WO Fusion crappy, there's no more lag when alot of action occurs and the steering is much smoother.

Wertz

The forums over at wipeoutzone.com have a few good threads with reviews, thoughts and comparisons to the PSP version. Seems that this is a limited EU release for certain countries including Ireland, where PS2 game sales are still relatively healthy. It's a pure port, the only difference being no online/MP...they seem to have even managed to port over some bugs from the handheld version
I'm going to have a look for this later in the local gameshops...it'll tide me over till the PS3 eventually gets bought.

Seems Jax and Daxter has also been ported to PS2...I expect this may become a trend among certain games which may not have done as well as they should have due to low ownership of PSP V PS2 ownership.

As for fusion? Not even a WO game in my estimation...it was the reason I bought a PS2 (anyone seeing a trend here?) and whilst it was graphically impressive at the time, it couldn't hold a candle to 2097 or Wip3out, the racing element was dumbed down, too much emaphasis on weapons and ultimately nowhere near rewarding as the PS1 games.
WO pure did manage to get some of that early magic back into the gameplay though....not played HD yet, but reviews say it's carried on where Pure left off.

CCCP^

Fusion was the first game I really played with WipEout, I had a few goes of older games back in the day but never sat down and tried to seriously play it. I quite like Fusion, it looked great graphically with seem very nice effects and I liked the emphasis on battle, but then I went and played 2097 and the N64 version and I noticed a difference, I could see how many long-time fans would feel let down by Fusion but it got me into the series in a big way.

Had a look at WipeoutZone myself, seems like a cool website. I think the PS2 still has some mileage in it, atleast another year, I think releasing ports from the PSP wouldn't do it any harm, and it could be a nice way for companies who made poor sales on one system recoup their losses on another.

Wertz

I got good value from fusion (and I paid about £60 in old money for it) and it had some merits; zone mode, track reversal, graphics (when they weren't lagging)...but as before the pure racing element to the series was put to one side and long term playability suffered on the back of this. I still dig out 2097 from time to time...the piranha level is seriously addictive (and not a weapon in sight) and a test of skill and reaction time that is unrivalled in other games.

I had a look in a few game shops earlier...quite a while since I looked at the PS2 section....a lot of stores seem to have very low stock of PS2 titles and nowhere had a copy of Pulse. I'll try again monday and if it's still no joy I'll grab it online someplace.

Retr0gamer

Zone mode was the only good thing to come out of Fusion. Wipeout 2097, Wipeout 64 and Wip3out were so much better. I'd love to see them on PSN although I'd like even more to see the PC port of 2097. I had it with my first 3D card (a power VR, old school!) and it looked gorgeous at 1600x1200 and all the 3D card effects. Just put the PS1 soundtrack in there.

CCCP^

Lag was the only unforgiveable thing about Fusion. If I was on a PC which didn't have a good enough gfx card I would understand but on a console that kind of lag is bull****. Thankfully Pulse doesn't seem to get any slowdown or lag so far but it does have bugs.

Wertz, I picked up my copy in Gamestop on St. Stephen's Green, Dublin they had one other copy there but you might get it much cheaper online.

Wertz

Thanks for the tip...Dublin's not an option really and I'm back to work in the morning so I'm just going to get it from amazon along with a few other things, should have it for next weekend.
I did see the psp version yesterday going cheap, but like I say the screen is too small and I'd probably have to update the firmware to play it; too attached to my v1.5 to do that...

Wertz

Finally got around to picking this up on thursday, after amazon refused to ship it here (even though they'd ship a 22" LCD :rolleyes: ). Had a hunt around in the local gameshops in Dundalk...no joy, so I ended up getting it in Newry.

Anyways, first impressions...it's definitely Wipeout...the twitchiness and difficulty is there in the craft control...track design (of those I've seen) is excellent...a track that may be easy on white is rendered difficult on black (reversing it) and vice versa.
It puts me in mind of a cross between Fusion and Pure.
Ships are plentiful and cater to all classes and pilot styles...currently running an EG-X (have only progrssed to 3rd grid) but Icaras is where I'll be headed.
Music as ever is spuerb...I'll even forgive their inclusion of Mason's Exceeder, as it does actually suit the game.
Weapons and the their system of use...hmm...not sure on some aspects of this. Icons appear on screen along with audible warnings of incoming fire or traps ahead, but the icons/text are tiny. Some weapons can throw you into the barriers and more or less destroy any hope of a race win...that being said, they are supremely effective in the hands of the player .
Graphics...hmmm...I wasn't sure at first...it was like sony had turned my HD plasma into a PSP screen. Res is low, textures and bloom don't look anything nearly as good as it does on the PSP screen. But they're approaching the quality of Fusion...and there's no slowdown. Besides I think we're all spoiled by HD graphics these days.

So, positive so far...now for the bad points...as mentioned, this is a direct port from the psp.
I think (but am not positive) that this is the reason for the appallingly long load times (40-45 seconds) and the travesty that is having to load a track/race/time trial EVERY SINGLE TIME.
Like FFS 12 years back, the devs figured out how to allow you to repeat a track/race over and over from wihtin the memory without the need for a reload...I coud live with the reload if the load times were shorter...there's nothing as infuriating as being on the tougher tracks/classes and getting continually blown up or beaten and having to wait another minute to replay...that was one of the joys of the PSX versions; instant replay.
that's not my only bugbear...right after the race, you have to wait on loyalty points to save and then an autosave (adding a further 10 seconds) and when that all ends the menu defaults to "Return to top level" meaning that any impatience sends you back to the menu instead oif repeating the race. It's little things like this that subtract from a great game...things that were probably workable on the PSP don't transfer well tot he PS2.
Another little niggle was the controller...I was racing for over an hour before I realised that they'd moved the airbrakes from the L2/R2 to the L1/R1 ...took a bit of getting used to but it's fine now. I do like the sideshift that we've already seen in Pure.

All in all, although I've only had it a couple of days, it's definitely true to the series. All the niggles wouldn't stop me from buying it again...although I do have to wonder if the devs for these games actually play them, judging by the simple flaws that remain in the finished game. Off for another session now.
I reckon by the time I finish this, it'll be time to finally buy a PS3 for WOHD.