Wipeout Omega Collection Review – Flawless 4K Racer

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Sony continues to push the boundaries when it comes to their most beloved franchises. We have seen some of our best titles from years past re-release as collections, or better yet, remakes. The Uncharted Collection, Ratchet and Clank, and now Wipeout Omega Collection, a package of classic games remastered into a spectacular collection of magnificent races and sounds.

Wipeout Omega Collection's beauty cannot be explained with its 4K, HDR, and 60FPS engine. The best way to describe it is to say that it feels like the way we were meant to play the game originally. 

The collection packs three titles into one game. We have the awesome Wipeout 2048, Wipeout HD, and Wipeout Fury. Now, if you remember, Wipeout 2048 released as a PS Vita game a while ago and really stood out among the handheld's library as one of the best racing experiences on the device. As for HD and Fury, both of these games released on the PS3 and were a big deal back in 2008 as the world of HD was still new to everyone. Fast forward a few years and we have the Omega Collection which you may think is a simple collection of games, but that is not the case. The game has aged beautifully and there is very little fault I could find with it.

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For the newcomers to the series, the Wipeout games have always had a set of mechanics to them that make the series stand out from the crowd. Futuristic space flying racing ships that hover above the ground and can fly as super-fast speeds. Tracks that reimagine real-world locations in a futuristic aspect, and explosions when the game lets you open fire on other ships. 

While the “collection” aspect of the game is true to a certain degree, Wipeout Omega Collection feels more like a seamless experience and its UI and menu system works well in collaborating everything from all past games into one solid title. There are the three main game modes that let you choose between 2048, HD and Fury, and then we have the Racebox mode that gives you the game's tracks and ships at your disposal to make any dream race or battle mode you could ever want.

It is when you enter a race or time trial that the game's true polish and beauty shines. With my 55-inch 4K HDR enabled TV in front of me, the game's gorgeous visuals came to life. Lighting that looked like something I had never seen before, and a resolution so crisp and clear that it made the 60FPS look like something out of this world.

Its visuals complement the fast pace of the game as your shiny metallic ship flies through the city with huge LED billboards reflecting oh so beautifully on the bonnet, and every frame is delivered in a smooth and pristine package. 

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The Wipeout HD and Fury portion of the game look great, but it is not until you load into the 2048 portion that you truly get to experience it all. There is almost a night and day difference between the two versions and everything from the racing to the visual enhancements take a turn for the better. Not that the HD portion looks bad, don't get me wrong, but there is a reason why 2048 is on the list first when you start the game, and there is a reason why the 2048 portion of the game is double the size of the HD and Fury pack. It is faster, tracks are bigger, ships are more detailed, and the overall experience is just bigger and better.

Wipeout Omega Collection plays like any other arcade racer. You race each stage be it a time trial or a race against other A.I, and try to get gold or the best time on the track. The better you do, the more you will unlock. New ships and races become available during each playthrough, with difficulty increasing across each league you participate in. 2048 by far is much harder and relentless than HD and Fury, and I suffered some severe rage at times on the game. Trials are quicker, A.I are smarter, and the game's pace runs at almost double the speed. 

The package has over two dozen tracks, close to on hundreds ships, and let us not forget the soundtrack that will resonate with any drum and base fan from the 90s and even now. Tracks like Addiktion – Shake It, and Airwolf – Talking Bass. The soundtrack will have your neighbours complaining, trust me I had some complaints.

It is all here and better than ever. I played on the PS4 Pro and it was yet again another visual experience that you cannot put a price on. Wipeout Omega Collection is a superb package of everything we love from the series that takes a step in a new glorious direction by making use of some rather captivating visual tech. You do not want to let this one by. 

Take a look at the game in action below, in full 4K for your viewing pleasure.