It only took a couple weeks after release, but I’m now finally able to play wipEout HD on my PS3. The bug that caused the game to lock up should you have more than 50 friends has been fixed. Now that I’ve had time to spend with the game, I have to say I’m pretty impressed.

First off, the game is flat out beautiful, running at 1080p at 60 frames per second. The team at SCE Studio Liverpool took the engine that was developed for the PSP version and turned up the juice. A lot. Ships, tracks, and destruction look amazing. This is easily the fastest game you’ll be playing. In true wipEout fashion, the game features a great techno/electronic soundtrack that really fits the fast paced racing action. If that isn’t your thing, the built-in XMB music player will allow you to listen to whatever tracks you have stored on your hard drive.

The single player campaign allows you to go through various stages to earn medals and unlock other teams (different ships) and gain loyalty points to get new skins for those ships. There are plenty of events in the campaign, with races, Zone challenges, and Time Trials for you to complete. If you crave more AI racing, the Racebox allows you to run any event you choose (think of it as an Exhibition mode). Controls are fairly simple, as you accelerate with the X button and use the L2/R2 triggers for your left and right air brakes. Double tapping either trigger will cause your ship to slide over in that direction, which is very helpful in navigating tight situations. Motion controls are also available, but I found them a bit cumbersome given the fast turns you need to make on a quick and regular basis. In races, weapons are usually available for you to try and destroy other ships. Be careful, though, as the AI and other opponents will try to take you out as well.

One of the best parts about wipEout HD is the online play. You can participate in single race events or tournaments online with up to 8 friends or strangers around the world. I had no problem finding or connecting to any games and there was zero lag, something that is very important in a racer as fast as wipEout. I would have liked the ability to track online stats a little easier, though.

If you’ve ever played a wipEout game and liked it, pick this one up right away. If you’re new to series but like fast paced racing action, this one is definitely worth your money. There is a plethora of content that will easily keep you busy for quite a long time. My only real complaint is that the game can cause some havok with your head if you suffer any type of motion sickness from games. After playing for an hour or so, I had to leave the room and not look at the TV or computer for a while. If FPS or other games bother you, take heed. Otherwise, buy this one right away.

Overall: 9 out of 10

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