The original Wipeout was groundbreaking and racing fans praised it as the fastest, most adrenaline-pumping racing game around. I'm happy to say that, while this time we've seen it before, Wipeout Fusion retains the greatness of the original whilst making use of the power of PS2.

In case you've been locked in a cupboard for the last five years, Wipeout is a futuristic racing game where a variety of flying craft speed around twisting and looping tracks. The graphics have been upgraded considerably and are very detailed, colourful and (most importantly) smooth, there is no slowdown at all. The feeling of speed has been maintained and although when you have to brake around corners it can seem a little slow, get onto the straights and hit some turbo boosts and that feeling of extreme speed comes rushing in.

Winning a race doesn't just involve speed, it also requires some strategy as a range of weapons can be used by you and your opponents. These include rockets, homing missiles, mines, a proton cannon, flamethrower and more, including a very impressive quake weapon that sends a tidal wave of sonic energy ahead of your craft. There are also turbo, shield and autopilot power-ups to find, plus a range of super weapons that are unlocked as you play through the leagues in the game. These weapons are seriously lethal and can cripple your craft's shield energy levels. There is a shield regenerator pit stop at the beginning of the course that you can fly through to top up your shield - keep an eye on it because if it drops to zero then your craft explodes and the race is over.

There are eight teams to choose from, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, with the combination of each driver and racer varying the strengths of the vehicle, including acceleration, speed, braking and shield and weapon strengths. The racers definitely handle differently, but all of them handle well and are fairly easy to adjust to, once you have the hang of using the air brakes to get around corners. There are 42 courses to play through, all of which are well-designed and offer a serious challenge.

As if this wasn't all enough, there's a great range of game modes to play through. The main one is the AG League, where you play through a series of ten leagues, each consisting of three races. You must place first overall for each league to unlock the next one and as you progress, you unlock new crafts, drivers, weapons and game modes. Arcade mode gives a one-off race in the course of your choice and Time Trial mode is for setting time records, but Challenge and Zone are a little more unusual. In Zone mode the aim is to travel at extraordinary speeds, so if the main game isn't fast enough for you then this mode will more than satisfy! Challenge Mode takes each team through a series of six challenges that include racing for position, racing for a time record, surviving a number of laps, chasing a craft and eliminating a certain number of opponents. Add to this the multiplayer mode where you and a friend can compete split screen in Arcade, AG League or design your own league of seven races and you have a comprehensive range of extras to keep you coming back for more. There is also a comprehensive list of options and preferences to choose, including whether or not to have certain weapons or the turbo pads active in the game - so if you want it to be all about skill, you can switch off all the power-ups.

Before I reach the verdict, which by now you've probably guessed is going to be a good one, I have to take a moment to praise the truly awesome soundtrack. Nineteen pumping tracks from such artists as Future Sound of London and the Chemical Brothers, each of which is excellent. As a whole they make up the perfect soundtrack for a racer and even this is fully customisable! It is by far the best soundtrack of any racing game yet.

Wipeout Fusion is a very fast, addictive and impressive racing game with excellent graphics, fantastic tunes and enough tracks, modes and options to keep you playing for a long time. High-octane racing doesn't get much better than this.

Reviewed by Geoff Holland for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).