Genre: Racing
Developer: SCE Studio Liverpool
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

WipEout HD answers the question of "what could the Playstation 4 introduce that would help the quality of graphics greatly without ballooning game budgets even more than they already have been?": the power for every game to render natively at 1920x1080. WipEout HD's artistically sensational vision of futuristic racetracks is presented in almost impossible to believe clarity and resolution.

WipEout HD's sophisticated, beat-pounding soundtrack isn't the most catchy, the most melodic, or the most ambient. But what it does do is set a remarkable baseline for the game's frenetic-yet-calculated gameplay; it and the title's sound effects are interesting in and of themselves, yet manage to stay out of the way to just the right degree. Wonderful!

The track selection in the title is amongst the best ever assembled in a single racing game; each one is masterfully laid out, with great pacing and bountiful depth. The control scheme rewards skill to an exceptional degree, but the "player assist" feature makes the game accessible to virtually anyone.

WipEout HD is one of very few games where it's difficult to pick even a single fault with it. It is beautiful almost beyond belief, even if the inorganic setting might not appeal to everyone. It rewards skill but still manages to be fun for anyone, even for those who don't claim the genre as among their favorites. And the title's variety and quality of track designs is almost unparalleled.