Wipeout XL

 PlayStation
  • Publisher: SCEE
  • Release Date: Sep 30, 1996
  • Also On: PC
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 57 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 46 out of 57
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 57
  3. Negative: 3 out of 57
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. RayS.
    Jan 18, 2010
    10
    Quite simply, the best racing game ever made, IMHO. This game is in my top 3 favorite games of all time list, and I've yet to see anything top it. Easily the best of the Wipeout series as well, of course. The difficulty ramps up quickly, and unlocking everything is a true "pat yourself on the back" accomplishment. The soundtrack is also my favorite licensed soundtrack of all time. If Quite simply, the best racing game ever made, IMHO. This game is in my top 3 favorite games of all time list, and I've yet to see anything top it. Easily the best of the Wipeout series as well, of course. The difficulty ramps up quickly, and unlocking everything is a true "pat yourself on the back" accomplishment. The soundtrack is also my favorite licensed soundtrack of all time. If you like electronic music in the least, the soundtrack is a who's who of 90's electronic artists. Featuring Underworld, Prodigy, Future Sound of London, Chemical Brothers, Fluke, and Photek among others. An amazing collection of tracks from quite a few of the very best electronic acts of the 90s. This is also the FASTEST racing game that I can ever recall playing. The sense of speed is jaw dropping on the highest difficulty. It's so fast, that combining the speed with the checkerboard like patterns on some of the tracks, here's a warning: this WILL make you motion sick if you get motion sick easily. Otherwise, I cannot think of one thing wrong with this game. The supreme racing game for the PS1, and my favorite racer of all time. Oh and having a NegCon and learning how to use it right is an added bonus!… Expand
  2. CrunchyS.
    Apr 11, 2006
    10
    The best, purest Wipeout of the series. There is nothing more satisfying than blasting towards a corner at full speed, only to negotiate it with pinpoint skill with masterful use of the airbrakes. Looks good for a PS1 game but, in my opinion, Wipeout 3 looks marginally better. In a different way, of course. This Wipeout is purer than Wipeout Pure. Wipeout Fusion is NOT better than this. The best, purest Wipeout of the series. There is nothing more satisfying than blasting towards a corner at full speed, only to negotiate it with pinpoint skill with masterful use of the airbrakes. Looks good for a PS1 game but, in my opinion, Wipeout 3 looks marginally better. In a different way, of course. This Wipeout is purer than Wipeout Pure. Wipeout Fusion is NOT better than this. [Anonymous] knows nothing!… Expand
  3. StringerB.
    Dec 9, 2002
    10
    I would not hesitate to call this the best racing game on the Playstation. PERIOD. Amazing graphics, killer sountrack, profound sense of speed, and just a hell of a lot of fun. I agree with the critics above who say that the unforgiving degree of difficulty in the first game has been leveled, and more user friendly. But I guarantee you: once you unlock ever track (on Rapier, of course) I would not hesitate to call this the best racing game on the Playstation. PERIOD. Amazing graphics, killer sountrack, profound sense of speed, and just a hell of a lot of fun. I agree with the critics above who say that the unforgiving degree of difficulty in the first game has been leveled, and more user friendly. But I guarantee you: once you unlock ever track (on Rapier, of course) and score a gold medal on every track, you'll feel an amazing sense of accomplishment. It ain't easy. This game is also vastly superior to WipeEout 3, and Fusion. Get your hands on this one quickly!!… Expand
  4. AlexL.
    Jun 13, 2005
    10
    I love this game!
  5. JJW199
    Aug 26, 2020
    10
    Wipeout XL (Wipeout 2097) is outstanding including build-in soundtracks and really enjoy it
  6. storygamer
    Mar 24, 2021
    9
    Wipeout XL has everything a futuristic racing game needs. Beautiful and hypnotic levels, cool arcadish gameplay, easy controls and a fantastic soundtrack. There is so much great content hidden in this jewel, that you can spend hundreds of hours speeding the wonderful tracks. An absolute classic!
  7. RTCWFAN
    May 5, 2023
    9
    This game is a hell of a ride. It's unplayable on modern TVs but with an old one, you get one of the best racing games in history. Overall rating: 9.3.
  8. hyrts
    Jun 4, 2022
    8
    I'm revisiting some old gems here on metacritic. Wipeout is a futuristic game from the past. You could really feel the speed.
  9. Yojimbo2015
    Jun 18, 2023
    10
    AKA Wipeout 2097, improved graphics and handling, more weapons with the ability to kill or be killed by the competition and more forgiving collision detection makes for an excellent sequel that ticked all the right boxes. But once again, the later tracks are too tricky, making qualifying for the league mode - which for my money is the real meat of the game - unnecessarily difficult.AKA Wipeout 2097, improved graphics and handling, more weapons with the ability to kill or be killed by the competition and more forgiving collision detection makes for an excellent sequel that ticked all the right boxes. But once again, the later tracks are too tricky, making qualifying for the league mode - which for my money is the real meat of the game - unnecessarily difficult. Otherwise, it's pretty much the perfect futuristic racer.… Expand
  10. VRH15
    May 21, 2023
    9
    Wipeout XL, or Wipeout 2097 in Europe, is one of the best games on the original Playstation and one of the best in the Anti Gravity racing genre.

    The Good: The visual design is top notch, and in some ways are better than the original Wipeout. Each track and craft has their own distinct look to them and it's really cool to see. The soundtrack is also really great to listen. While the    Wipeout XL, or Wipeout 2097 in Europe, is one of the best games on the original Playstation and one of the best in the Anti Gravity racing genre.

    The Good: The visual design is top notch, and in some ways are better than the original Wipeout. Each track and craft has their own distinct look to them and it's really cool to see.
    The soundtrack is also really great to listen. While the first game's soundtrack is iconic, XL's soundtrack is also just as great. Choosing which one is better is more of personal preference than most.
    What XL improves massively upon the original game though is the handling and difficulty. Each craft in XL now handles much more responsively, helped by the fact that collisions are more forgiveable and there are more weapons to use at the track. The difficulty is also improved upon, in that there are no more tracks that can frustate any players in the game. Now, it is dependent on the player's skill to beat the game with their choice of craft. While it is still really hard, it is more fair than the previous game.
    The unlockables are also a treat. There is the usual bonus tracks, but there is also two new challenges to tackle through and a secret craft that is only achievable once all the challenges and races are completed. These content are really nice addition and spice things up a bit.

    The Bad: If I have to critique one aspect of the game, is that XL's content is a little sparse. Sure you get all new tracks, but the actual track count is barely more than the previous game. The teams are also the same as in the original game, though there is a secret fifth team once the game is completed. This can make the game feeling a little bit repetitive at the later stages of the game, but your mileage may vary.

    Verdict: Overall, Wipeout XL is a huge improvement over the original game and stands as one of the best games to have on the original Playstation. The lack of content is the only thing that is stopping this game from reaching a 10, because everything else in the game is just great. Definitely worth checking out for anyone that is a fan of Anti Gravity racing genre and racing in general.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PS1 Game of 1996
4
#4 Most Discussed PS1 Game of 1996
4
#4 Most Shared PS1 Game of 1996

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
93

Universal acclaim - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. TotalGames.net
    93
    Psygnosis has managed to improve WipeOut to such a degree that even those that hated the original will find WO2097 accessible and rewarding to play... WipeOut 2097 is a scorcher!
    Read full review
  2. Absolute Playstation
    93
    The best arcade racer of its type on any format. While it takes some time to master the controls, it is time very well spent as it reveals this game to be a true classic.
    Read full review
  3. IGN
    90
    The graphics are absolutely gorgeous, with some of the best light sourcing and effects ever. The control is smooth, the gameplay is fast, and the music is just awesome.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »