Wave Race 64 set the benchmark for water effects when the Nintendo 64 released in 1997. Fast forward to 2002, and NST has updated and ‘re-imagined’ the franchise for the Gamecube, arguably setting the benchmark for the current generation of systems.
A slick, hip interface and rocking soundtrack are the first things to appear when you start WRBS, and that feeling is carried on through the rest of the game. Rippling water and stylish graphics adorn every available menu, making the front end a pleasure to navigate. This is your extremely cool introduction to Blue Storm, but how does it play?
Frustratingly Fun!
How can you change the gameplay of a racing game? Weapons aren’t appropriate for the semi-realistic arcade style of Blue Storm, so it uses the tried and true ‘lap’ formula that virtually every racing game in existence uses. The only major difference in Blue Storm is the control scheme, which takes a lot of patience to get accustomed to.
In theory, the controls are basic. The A button accelerates, the Control Stick turns, depending on pressure sensitivity, the L and R triggers are used to lean for tighter turns, crouching is done with the B button and makes you cut through waves and increase your speed, and the Z or X button is used for Turbo.
In practice, the controls are a nightmare…at first, anyway. When you begin playing WRBS, the controls may seem unresponsive, unintuitive, and frustrating, but if you persevere, you’ll find them to be the complete opposite. After a day or two, you’ll be cutting across elaborate shortcuts and impressing friends with difficult stunts.
The inclusion of a training mode is great for beginners, and I recommend this as your first stop on the menu screen when you start Blue Storm. It takes you through every aspect of the controls, complete with instructional movies and interactive demonstrations.
The ‘meat’ of the game is the Championship, in which you race against seven CPU characters. Depending on the difficulty of the circuit you choose, Normal, Hard or Expert, the artificial intelligence will react differently, and the track layout will change dramatically, effectively giving you over eighteen tracks. On the Normal circuit, you race over five tracks, and the CPU is generally passive. On the Expert circuit, you race over seven tracks, and the CPU is merciless. It will cut you off, it will smash into you, and it will play dirty to beat you to the finish line. It makes coming first a lot more satisfying, as you feel you’ve earned it.
You also have a standard Time Trial mode, in which you can save one ghost race to improve your times. A remote controlled helicopter represents the ghost, and its inclusion has helped me improve my times significantly.
Blue Storm’s Multiplayer is solid, if a little lacking in depth. It runs at a constant 30 frames per second with the sacrifice of reflections. It’s fun for a while, but doesn’t have lasting appeal.
Finally, you have the Stunt Mode. You are faced with modified versions of the main tracks with ramps for tricks and rings to race through, all in the pursuit of a high point score (and bragging rights, of course).
Ooh… Shiny!
The graphics in WRBS are a mixed bag. The main focus of the game is the water, and it is executed superbly through the use of a complex physics engine. Wave patterns are randomised; the surface is reflective and the surrounding scenery is warped accurately. Coral reefs and wildlife are refracted from the sea bottom realistically, a detailed particle system is utilised to send water spraying in all directions, and your jet ski leaves a foaming, rippling wake that interacts with the environment to heighten your playing experience.
The backgrounds are somewhat disappointing however, and are covered in low detail textures and ‘cardboard cut-out’ crowds. Luckily, your eyes rarely stray from the action on the water, so it’s a minor issue.
The weather effects are a highpoint of the game. A calm sunny level can suddenly turn foul when a storm rolls in on the third lap, or a course initially covered in rain can finish with a spectacular orange sunset complete with generic lens flare. Each race is a different experience, and that significantly increases the game’s replay value.
Crystal Clear
The audio of WRBS is remarkably good. The game is presented in Mono, Stereo, or 4.1 Surround sound, and the use of the rear channels in the latter is excellent. Waves crash behind you; rain engulfs you from all directions, and foghorns echo into the distance. Even though the game wasn’t encoded in Dolby Pro Logic II, it still sounds excellent when played through a compatible receiver.
Thankfully, the music is a far cry from the Japanese synth-pop from WR64. The use of redbook audio allows the use of real instruments, and the guitars of Southern Island are of particular note. There is no evidence of audio compression, and everything comes through with crystal clarity.
Transition
I recommend Wave Race: Blue Storm to fans of the racing genre. If you’re unsure whether it would make a worthy purchase, you owe it to yourself to rent it at very least; you may find yourself pleasantly surprised. Instead of just re-hashing Wave Race 64, NST has pulled out all the stops to deliver a polished and exceptionally fun racing game that is just as fun, if not more so, than it’s predecessor.
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