 Preview By: Jared Black |
Developer: | Namco Bandai |
| Publisher: | Namco Bandai | |
| Genre: | Racing | |
| ESRB: | Everyone | |
| # Of Players: | 1-4 (2-14 online) | |
| Online Play: | Yes | |
| Accessories: | PlayStation Network (online play, worldwide leaderboards), Hard Drive (5GB install), HDTV (480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p) | |
| Estimated Release: | 11/17/2006 |
I’ll admit it; I have a soft spot in my heart for the Ridge Racer series. Even though the quality of the series has fluctuated through the years, you’ve always been able to count on the series to at least deliver some decent arcade drift racing. The latest game in the series, Ridge Racer 6, was another solid drift racing experience, although it didn’t quite match up to the other racing games available at the launch of the Xbox 360.
That game’s problems weren’t necessarily with the game itself; rather, the rest of the genre had simply passed it by. Essentially, it had a distinctly last-gen feel (which other launch titles, such as Gun, also suffered from) with simplistic gameplay that didn’t match up with the competition’s more advanced offerings and a lack of variety in its career mode. Fortunately Namco Bandai seems to have recognized this, and looks set to deliver a more evolved outing with Ridge Racer 7 in hopes of restoring the series to its former glory.
Right off the bat, this game looks set to expand on the simplistic drift-based gameplay found in previous installments. Naturally you’ll still be drifting through turns at speeds you couldn’t possibly maintain in real life (that’s what makes it fun of course), but you’ll be doing so in a much more complex environment. The most obvious way gameplay has changed is that this game will utilize the Sixaxis controller, with Ridge Racer 7 utilizing the controller’s Wii-like motion sensing abilities to steer and control the camera. Without hands-on time its hard to say how this will work out, although it appears to be a natural fit given virtually every racer on the PS3 and Wii is doing the same basic thing. More importantly, it’s evidence that the development team is intent on making sure it delivers a true next-gen experience.
Also central to this focus on variety in gameplay is the game’s new customization mode, which allows gamers to assemble up to 200,000 different custom car combinations, building their perfect machine from the ground up. Obviously this will play an important role in how your car responds on the course, adding the sort of depth normally found in most simulation racers, and theoretically far beyond anything previous installments in the series have attempted. In fact, Namco promises that the end result will be a game suited to any driving style, hardcore or casual.
Some of those customization options include exterior changes, those that improve engine performance, modifications to optimize handling, and variable nitrous adjustments. Exterior parts include things like body kits, colors, decals, and wheels, and will be a must-have for gamers wanting to look good online. Performance enhancing customization options include tune-ups and various upgrades, while handling options will include adjusting tires and suspension to alter the way a car drifts. The variable nitrous customization is perhaps the most interesting way to customize (to me anyway), as it will allow players to strengthen normal or ultimate charges, increase the number of nitrous tanks, select automatic or reverse charge, and even toggle it on or off altogether at any time.
Posted: 2006-10-27 18:08:35 PST