Wipeout Fusion

Fusion received positive reviews upon release, with particular praise being directed at its techno soundtrack, but its graphics and track design received mixed responses from critics.

• Developer — Studio Liverpool • Designer — Colin Berry • Series — Wipeout • Platforms — PlayStation 2 • Engine — Kinetica • Released — 8 February 200218 June 2002 • Genre — Racing • Modes — Single-player, multiplayer • Title — Wipeout Fusion

• Illustration — Clockwise from top left, the interface displays the player's current position, number of laps, speedometer, shield strength, and lap time. Wipeout Fusion is a racing game which is set in 2160 and revolves around players competing in the F9000 anti-gravity racing league. Players control anti-gravity ships owned by large racing corporations (collectively referred to as "teams"). Overall, the game contains 45 race tracks, 32 ship models, and 26 weapons. There are eight teams in Wipeout Fusion, each having a lead pilot and second pilot – players can choose which pilot and team they want to use before a race. Each ship has its characteristics; depending on the team selected, a ship will vary in terms of speed, acceleration, manoeuvrability, shield strength, weapon power, and mass. The game has four race modes. Arcade mode involves a standard single race, in which the player must race against opponents and finish first to earn a gold medal; securing second or third place will reward the player with a silver or bronze medal, respectively. The AG League contains ten tournaments; each tournament has 3 to 7 races with sixteen competitors. Money is awarded at the end of each tournament as a result of time, damage, and skill bonuses. Players can use money to upgrade the appearance and performance of their ships. The other two race modes are "Zone" mode, which revolves around survival as the player's ship automatically accelerates to extreme speeds, and time trial mode, where the player may record their best lap times. In addition, the game features a variety of weapons which can be utilized to destroy other opponents or for self-defence. Offensive weapons include rockets, plasma bolts, missiles, and grenades, whilst defensive weapons range from deployable mines to energy shields. Every ship is also equipped with a standard energy shield which will protect the player from damage caused by collisions or weapon fire. If a shield runs out, the ship will explode and the player in question will be eliminated from the race.

The game was developed by Studio Liverpool (formerly known as Psygnosis prior to 2001). After the success of Wipeout 2097, the studio wanted to aim their next game at an "older, savvier crowd". Shortly after the release of Wipeout Fusion, chief designer Colin Berry said in a retrospective interview that he became disillusioned with the way the Wipeout franchise was trying to emulate games such as Nintendo's F-Zero GX. Wipeout Fusion was announced to be published in North America by Bam! Entertainment in March 2002, after a delay in receiving the publishing licence by Sony's American division. The game was ultimately released in Europe on 8 February 2002, and in North America later on 18 June.