Graphics aside, it's the game that counts, and here Wipeout XL delivers plenty of satisfying destructive mayhem. DirectX mode for people like me who don't have a 3D card is still very pretty, although of course not on par with 3D accelerated mode. With all the graphic effects turned on, the game is simply breathtaking - with transparent vapor trails spewing from the sterns of opposing ships, subtle colored light-source shading, and bilinear filtering.

While the original game's graphics are inferior to the better-selling Playstation version, Wipeout XL takes advantage of 3D accelerators to produce one of the best-looking games on the PC (although it probably doesn't support all modern 3D cards released after 1996). But even if you've seen it all before, Wipeout XL is still a fun, incredibly addictive racer you'll want to play more than once. You know the drill: blast down futuristic raceways, hit speed-up icons, pick up different weapons, and lay waste to whoever might stand in your way.

The game takes place 97 years after the events of the original Wipeout, when improvements on Anti-Gravity Ballistic Racing technology have enabled sleeker and more maneuverable hovercrafts. Definitely one of the best futuristic racing games ever made, Wipeout XL not only once again cements Psygnosis' reputation as the powerhouse of action genre, but also introduces many novelties to the genre.

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