There seems to have been some major controversy -- bordering on a
religious war -- regarding the game "Hi Octane".  Well, I picked up a
copy just to try it out (it's from Bullfrog, after all), and it looks
like I'm going to keep it -- I'm having fun!

I would argue, BTW, that this game's biggest flaw is that Wipeout
exists.  

Things I like:

-- It's easier to control, so far, than Wipeout.  I can actually do
the controls!  I've been getting better with Wipeout, but frankly I
need the "Hi Octane" therapy.  You see, I've been feeling a sense of
inadequacy because I have been having waaaaay too much trouble with
Wipeout.  I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I just sat there wondering
what I was doing wrong.  

-- It's more forgiving, so far, than Wipeout.  I've actually won races
(let me say that again -- I've actually won races!) where I didn't get
a super-fast start.  I've run into the sides, and still managed to
pull ahead.

-- Despite the above two, it's not super easy for me.  I imagine that
someone that has mastered Wipeout would have no challenge here.  But,
for me, Mr. Racing-game-klutz, Hi Octane has, so far, a good challenge
level.  In a month, I might feel differently, but by then maybe I'll
be past my Wipeout-envy.

-- Graphics are nice.  I guess this would have been more spectacular
on a PC, but it's not bad.  Oh, before you crucify me, I don't mean
the PC would do it better.  What I mean is that we don't generally
have graphics of this quality on the PC, so we'd be more likely to go
"wow!"  On the Playstation, however, this level of graphics is a
dime-a-dozen.  

-- I like the ability to turn off the opponents.  

-- Shooting opponents is fun, but I don't feel like it's distracting
me from the racing part.  So far, I feel like it's enhancing the game.

Things that aren't so great:

-- This thing really needs a track with a major "dip".  You remember
the first time you saw Wipeout, and that major drop in Altima?
Everyone who sees that seems to go "whoa!"

-- Turn off skies by default.  They make things choppy, and gives us
the blue-sky-but-the-track-is-foggy phenomenon.  With skies turned
off, things move smoothly (I don't understand why: the skies don't
look _that_ impressive), and it looks like a generally overcast/foggy
day.  

-- Some not-nice bugs.  It didn't take too long for me to go off the
track and find myself in a place where I couldn't get out.  Only
happened once, though.

-- We're big boys: we won't go screaming at the sight of pop-up!
Really!  No need for the fog!

-- This is a Bullfrog game.  When I think of good Bullfrog games, I
think of people walking around.  I want that here: innocent people
walking around, so I can hit them!

Two things I'm wondering if anyone else has seen:

(1) Is it my imagination or is this game quiet?  My other PSX games
seem so much louder than this.  

(2) I noticed, esp. with the menus, that it appears that the right
side and the lower part of the screen go off the edge of the TV
screen.  This had me very concerned -- could it be that all these
years, we've been watching TV with part of the picture off?  Nope,
regular TV looks fine.  So, maybe it's a Playstation thing?  Nope, I
haven't noticed a problem like this in any of my other Playstation
games.  Just this one.  Anyone else noticed anything like this?