Digital Foundry Retro Discussion [2021]

I hate to say it but I never got onto Wipeout. I was really hyped for it and just found the controls/feel unpleasant. I didn't play an analogue control sequel until the PSP version. Enjoyed that a bit more. Perhaps because of the small screen it never had that really crazy speed of GX. As I remember it anyway. All a bit hazy these days! Obviously I'm missing several Wipeout titles I might have enjoyed more than the first.

On weapons, I've always liked that FZero doesn't have them. On the harder/faster levels just racing is enough for my brain, thanks!

 

You mean the original? I would say that Wipeout has more hardcore elements thus is less approachable. So I can understand why for some it can seem unpleasant.
At the beginning the game feels like it will punish you for mistakes. The original especially was very unforgiving. But once you get the hung of if it is satisfying. The physics was just perfect especially for its time.
The series has different speed classes which unlock as you progress. So it gets faster and faster.


I think the atmosphere and soundtrack of the first will always be unmatchable

 

Yep. Your enthusiasm certainly make me want to give it another go. Probably not going to happen but it's now on my backlog of things to play.

 

I d say the nostalgia and experiencing it at the right time contribute hugely in my enthusiasm. It was revolutionary.
This game was the one that have defined what next generation meant in the mid 90s, more than any other title. Apart from being a game that have set new standards in sound, gameplay and visuals, the whole package extended beyond gaming.
I would say that it was a game that broke the 4th wall in its own special way because it wasnt simply a game. It was an experience that represented a cultural shift to new technology in music, gaming and overall entertainment, a new 90s cult.
It was an extension of the mid 90s.
Wipeout was a symbol.

 

Fully agree! I remember when i first saw psx on some expo. There was a stand with wipeout running i grabed a pad started race and beautiful track Future sound of london "landmass" blasted in speaker i was amazed.
This was something else, i never saw anything like that. I never experienced anything like that! I realised this is something new, gaming was never like this before, it wasnt that "cool". It introduced new genres of music to people, it felt so mature and completely different. Even the ads were something else.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8427/7840533268_91ced29186_b.jpg

"It was an experience that represented a cultural shift to new technology in music, gaming and overall entertainment, a new 90s cult."
I couldnt say it better.


gives me chills everytime i hear it

 

I just want the shambler to look like he's supposed to.

Messij is a personal favorite. The licensed soundtrack on the Playstation release is great, but I always loved the in house Cold Storage soundtrack also. Also... Just remembered I don't own Wipeout XL for Saturn... Checked ebay... Should have bought that when it was $20.

 

If you want a modern take on wipeout
Antigraviator

 

Closest I got to a Wipe Out-style game was Bullfrog's Hi-Octane for the 3D Blaster VLB. Neat at the time, but nothing revolutionary. But then again I'm not much of a racing fan either.

Tommy McClain

 

great game at the time, yes. I played the PC version and fell for it. However I didnt have the money to buy it, but F-Zero like games are always soooo appealing to me.

F-Zero X is also a game that got me hooked. I could never get into serious pro players stuff while playing it though, like using that black vehicle -kind of an altered version of Captain Falcon- or that red one, using tricks like hitting the walls to win crazy speed. I never had the N64 and played it through emulation. One of my favourite games of the system along with Ridge Racer 64 -gameplay perfection too- and Diddy Kong Racing (another game with almost perfect gameplay mechanics, beaten it several times)........

As for F-Zero GX I purchased the GC solely for that game back in 2004. Much like F-Zero X I really liked it very much, but never got into the super hardcore stuff, things like snaking were too much for my gaming skills. Since I had the original GC and the original game I played it via emulation on different machines.

 

that one is in my wishlist, it was on sale like a week ago in Fanatical, but I didnt buy it yet.

That being said, I'd wholeheartedly recommend Redout Enhanced Edition.

This is the game played on FSR Quality (1706x960 resolution):

 

I believe these two havent been posted?



The European lunch explains how important Wipeout was for the territory.

Also these two articles from Eurogamer are pretty brilliant

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-03-22-wipeout-the-rise-and-fall-of-sony-studio-liverpool
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2014-20-years-of-playstation-the-making-of-wipeout

 

purchased the game today at Instant-gaming for almost 8€

Buy Antigraviator Steam (instant-gaming.com)

I am currently playing Redout more than any other game. In some tracks I am like the 11000th best player in the world. Looking at some records, gosh. I wonder how they can pull it out. But I dont care.

What I care the most about is the fun of getting a gold medal on every event. Tough but soooo fun.

 

I've played Antigraviator. It's more similar to Wipeout than it is to F-Zero.

To be honest, I was very hyped after watching the videos.

After playing the game, I gotta say that the vehicles feel like a shoebox. Additionally, they feel as if they have no weight, and the vehicles have so much grip, as if you were playing a mobile game.

In that sense, after many hours of playing Redout, I keep playing that game not only because of the similarities with F-Zero, but also 'cos it feels like the vehicles have weight and realistic physics, and every vehicle has some kind of "personality". It's not a classic like F-Zero but a great game nonetheless. (my best place in the leaderboards is 2000th somehting btw)

 

by sheer chance searching for world records of Redout Enhanced Edition, I found out that the game is on sale at Instant-gaming. 2,50€ . For such a game, that's a steal.

Buy Redout Enhanced Edition Steam (instant-gaming.com)

It is a really good game. It runs very well on a humble GTX 1060 3GB -60fps even at 1440p-, it has HDR -full screen, it's broken in windowed mode-., split screen and stuff like that.

Music is Wipeout like -it even has a song featuring bagpipes-, and gameplay is a mix of Wipeout and F-Zero.

it has a Very Positive rating on Steam's reviews. -one is mine, 4 years ago, when the game was launched and I purchased it-

Darn, that's fast! (Class 3) I am used to Class 2 vehicles (there are 4 classes)



Digital Foundry has a video on it, too, the first two minutes are basically a review of the game, with which I agree:

 

for those looking for a game like F-Zero, from time to time I read lists and new launches of games in the genre, and I remember that Formula Fusion was one of those games, but later changed the name to Pacer.

From what I've seen in videos and stuff, it's more akin to Wipeout than F-Zero.

It has that feeling of driving the vehicle higher in the air and very similar art design in comparison to Wipeout. It also got weapons. Never got into using weapons much, which imho is the main differentiator factor of Wipeout compared to F-Zero.



A nice video on F-Zero like games: (wouldnt recommend Grip Combat Racing though). He doesnt mention Pacer, but the game was released a few months ago and the video is from april 2020.



Xenon Racer is another game with a great sense of speed and relatively fun. I have it, it's like the typical 90s racer (sports cars) but it is not as half as good as Redout.

 

Redout has some really good song. My favourite is this one. Doesnt this song remind you he best Nintendo classic music, like Rainbow Road or the music of the ending of some Nintendo's games?

I set the video to start at 60 seconds in.

 

On instant gaming there is another futuristic racer Distance only £2.82 (£19.99 on steam)


ps: Nitronic Rush - free game mentioned in the above review is here :
http://nitronic-rush.com/download-game/

 

had bought redout on PS4 because they promised a PSVR update, but it never came out sadly.

 

dunno why... Maybe hard implementation? Framerate issues or too low fps.. Was it meant for the PS5 it might be different.

thanks for the suggestions. Distance seems more interesting to me. I am going to purchase Pacer. I want to play a game like Wipeout, Redout is more akin to F-Zero. F-Zero is my favourite series of the genre, but Wipeout is a very close second.

On a different note....some great stuff, like Super Mario World native wide and so on, on a superb 120Hz OLED TVs with a response time as good as a CRT.