Whiplash (video game)

This article is about the action game. For the racing game released as Whiplash in North America, see Fatal Racing. For other uses, see Whiplash (disambiguation).
Whiplash
US box art for PS2 version
Developer(s)Crystal Dynamics[a]
Publisher(s)Eidos Interactive
Director(s)Noah Hughes
Producer(s)Alex Jones
Programmer(s)Paul Taylor
Artist(s)Scott Anderson
Writer(s)Richard Gaubert
Composer(s)Kurt Harland[2]
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, Xbox
Release
  • NA: November 18, 2003
  • EU: March 5, 2004
Genre(s)Platform, action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Whiplash is a 2003 platform video game for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox where a long-tailed weasel named Spanx and a rabbit called Redmond find themselves chained to one another and follows their adventures as the pair endeavor to find a way out of the warehouse of the product testing corporation known as Genron, run by the animal-hating CEO Franklin D. Mann. The game is a 3D platformer, with Spanx being controlled by the player for the majority of the game, and Redmond used more in combat or as a means of traversing the world.[3]

The game was featured on the cover of PSE2.[citation needed] There was also some controversy over the game's depiction of animal cruelty.[4]

Gameplay

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The chain can be used in a variety of ways.

Although Redmond (the rabbit) and Spanx (the weasel) are two animals chained together, the gameplay is much like any other platformer. The player controls only Spanx, using Redmond as a weapon or tool as the situation requires. Spanx has most standard platforming abilities, while Redmond is completely indestructible as a result of cosmetics testing conducted upon him by Genron. Redmond can be hurled into security guards, jammed into machinery, and used as a grappling hook, among other uses. Redmond can also be inserted into special "Fusion Outlets" to be set on fire, frozen, electrified, inflated with helium, or drenched in radioactive waste.[3]

Defeating human enemies found in the levels allows special "Hypersnacks" to be looted that the team can eat to increase both animals' levels, which increases Spanx' health or Redmond's rage. The player is also rewarded for freeing the other animals trapped and caged by Genron.[3]

Many objects are breakable and are assigned a dollar amount; if the player completes the game with more than $6 million in damage, Genron will be bankrupted and special content will be unlocked.[3]

Development

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Spanx the Weasel first appeared in the game Mad Dash Racing in 2001. The music for Whiplash was composed by Kurt Harland of Information Society.[2] The music features a unique interactivity scheme: it responds to player input on the controller; the more input received through the controller buttons, the more the music does. The music also expands in response to successful hits of breakable objects and enemies.

Reception

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Whiplash received "average" reviews according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[23][22]

Before the game was released in the United Kingdom, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), the Research Defence Society, the chairman of the British House of Commons and the Police Federation of England and Wales were deeply shocked at the level of cartoonish cruelty in animal product testing, despite the whole premise of the game as being against this. They thought it condoned violence and made a joke of animal suffering, but Eidos claimed that it would raise positive awareness among children with this issue.[4]

Notes

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  1. ^ Additional work by Nixxes Software.[1]

References

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  1. ^ "Whiplash". www.nixxes.com. Utrecht, The Netherlands: Nixxes. Archived from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b Harland, Kurt. "Kurt Harland Larson - Audio director, Game audio". Soundlister.com. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Whiplash Instruction Manual (PS2 version). Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Interactive (published 5 February 2007). 2003. pp. 4–22. Archived from the original on 27 November 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2022 – via replacementdocs.com.
  4. ^ a b McComb, Richard; Mickleburgh, Renee (15 February 2004). "Free the animals, smash up the lab and chain-whip policemen - this is the latest video game for children". The Daily Telegraph. London, England. ISSN 0307-1235. OCLC 49632006. Archived from the original on 8 June 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Whiplash (PS2)". Edge. No. 134. Bath, England: Future Publishing. March 2004. p. 109. ISSN 1350-1593.
  6. ^ a b "Whiplash". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 174. Lombard, Illinois, USA: EGM Media (published 11 June 2021). January 2004. p. 128. ISSN 1058-918X. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  7. ^ Bramwell, Tom (8 March 2004) [updated 16 March 2004]. "Whiplash (PS2)". Eurogamer. Brighton, England. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  8. ^ Mason, Lisa (January 2004). "Whiplash (PS2)". Game Informer. No. 129. Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: GameStop. p. 134. ISSN 1067-6392. Archived from the original on 1 November 2005. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  9. ^ Zoss, Jeremy (January 2004). "Whiplash (Xbox)". Game Informer. No. 129. Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: GameStop. p. 151. ISSN 1067-6392. Archived from the original on 11 March 2007. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  10. ^ THED-PADDESTROYER (17 November 2003). "Review: Whiplash". GamePro. Oakland, California, USA: International Data Group. ISSN 1042-8658. Archived from the original on 18 October 2006. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  11. ^ a b Dodson, Joe (January 2004). "Whiplash Review". Game Revolution. Berkeley, California, USA. Archived from the original on 19 February 2004. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  12. ^ Davis, Ryan (26 November 2003). "Whiplash Review (PS2)". GameSpot. San Francisco, California, USA. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
  13. ^ Davis, Ryan (November 26, 2003). "Whiplash Review (Xbox)". GameSpot. San Francisco, California, USA. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
  14. ^ Freeman, Matthew (30 November 2003). "GameSpy: Whiplash (PS2)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  15. ^ Freeman, Matthew (November 30, 2003). "GameSpy: Whiplash (Xbox)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
  16. ^ Bedigian, Louis (December 2, 2003). "Whiplash - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 29 August 2008. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  17. ^ Zacarias, Eduardo (6 December 2003). "Whiplash - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 24 May 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  18. ^ a b Lewis, Ed (November 19, 2003). "Whiplash". IGN. San Francisco, California, USA. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  19. ^ Steinman, Gary (January 2004). "Whiplash". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. San Francisco, California, USA: Ziff Davis Media. p. 113. Archived from the original on 19 December 2003. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  20. ^ Lopez, Vincent (January 2004). "Whiplash". Official Xbox Magazine. No. 27. Future plc. p. 74. ISSN 1534-7850.
  21. ^ "Whiplash (PS2)". The Times. London, England. 10 April 2004. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  22. ^ a b "Whiplash for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. OCLC 911795326. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  23. ^ a b "Whiplash for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. OCLC 911795326. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
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