Trivia/Notes

The Saturn version features more tracks and game modes than the PSX and PC release.

Cheats & Codes

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Screenshots

Review

Hi-Octane is another one of those games you will find in your bargain bins and 99p eBay auctions, but despite it’s unjust reputation as a poor Wipeout clone (this game was developed first!) the game has allot to offer.

The post-apocalyptic cyber punk style of the game really appealed to me, and the environments in which it’s set, varying from wastelands to abandoned city streets, are extremely well done.

Unlike its contemporary rival Wipeout, Hi-Octane features a vast array of craft all differing significantly in design, many looking very familiar (one of which blatantly being the Back To The Future DeLorean)

Hi-Octane features only two weapons, but this really doesn’t take anything away from the gameplay, the default minigun has infinite ammunition but overheats forcing the player to wait for it to cool down before firing again. The Missiles are a much more effective weapon but limited and to be used sparingly.

One of the more obvious places where Hi-Octane falls down is in the graphics department, the environments are very well done but structures inside, or straddling the track are poorly textured and regularly feature distortion.

The vehicles are well modeled, but the total lack of texture mapping leaves most of them looking very simple, reminiscent of a 32X or even a MegaCD game!

This is another title I am fortunate enough to own on both console formats, and it becomes obvious playing both that this came from an era where EA were putting serious weight behind the Saturn and properly optimising games for the system.

The animation is surprisingly smoother than the PSX version, although more texture distortion is present in the Saturn release.

Despite it's graphical shortcomings, this cannot detract from what is a wholesome and entertaining gaming experience, although lacking the fast pace of Wipeout, there is far more emphasis on the battle aspect of the game in where lies the entertainment.

Hi- Octane is an entertaining and vastly underrated game, let down by poor attention to detail and an unfortunate launch schedule.

For some reason very few Saturn and Playstation owners warmed to this title back in the day, but it is in my humble opinion well worth revisiting.

Breakdown

Gameplay:

6/10

Smooth and entertaining but takes a while to get the hang of and 2 players to have 'real' fun.

Graphics:

3/10

Let down by poor and absent texture mapping, next to Wipeout HO looks like a real piece of crap.

Sound:

7/10

Pseudo futuristic but blatantly 90's dance/rave tunes, marvelous!

Longetivety:

3/10

Has me coming back again and again, but for very short periods of time.

An ideal no-brainer game for a quick thrash.

Originality:

8/10

As they were developed almost simultaneously I would speculate neither the Hi-Octane or Wipeout team had knowledge of each other's projects.

Overall:

 6/10