Ridge
Racer 7 for the Playstation 3 is one of the console's most impressive
launch titles. RR7 represents the pinnacle of arcade racing with a superb
mix of precise controls, beautiful courses, improved drift mechanics,
outstanding soundtrack and an impressive roster of gameplay modes. The
game offers everything players have come to expect from the series, from
its sleekly designed fantasy vehicles, clean course design and addictive
gameplay. The arcade racing is complimented by a deep online Grand Prix
mode, where you can enter tournaments, purchase additional vehicles and
download additional races online. RR7 is an impressive racing package
that's addictive and solidly entertaining.
For the most part, the developers at
Namco-Bandai have stuck to their guns with their enduring Ridge Racer
series. They've slowly added new features, more cars, nitrous, more
sophisticated graphics and better tracks, the essence of drift racing
mechanics has remained at core of its appeal for the past decade. What's
also cool is that the series is still very much a fantasy racer - none of
the vehicles in the game are licensed. Instead, everything in the game,
from manufacturers to vehicles is pretty much open-ended. This approach
makes their imaginative designs, creative lines and colorful appearance
stand out from other games, which show you the same vehicles again and
again. Ridge Racer 7 creates an entirely self-contained universe and its
atmosphere is a kind of hyper-reality with beautiful, modern cities, sleek
tracks making up the majority of the levels. The game's eye-pleasing
mascot, Reiko also makes a return this time around, and you always know,
by the twinkle in her eye, that this is Ridge Racer. This installment goes
outside the city limits for excursions into the countryside, airports and
wooded areas, but the series' sleek modern aesthetic still permeates the
look, feel and layout of every course. This modernism helps to explain why
the latest installment coincides with the launch of Sony's Playstation 3
and represents another impressive evolution for the series. It's another
symbolic rebirth for the series.
Despite
the emphasis and association many gamers have of RR with new hardware and
renewal, the basic structure and gameplay mechanics remains largely
unchanged from game to game. There are in fact, many similarities to RR7
last year's Ridge Racer 6 on the Xbox 360 in terms of some course and
vehicle overlap. This year's model adds several new courses, an enhanced
nitrous system and, most importantly, a much deeper online Grand Prix mode
that offers many more customization options. Most players should be
familiar with the Ridge Racer series' basics by now, and this game doesn't
stray too far from the successful formula. Ridge Racer 7 remains true to
its origins and this installment is all about speed and style,
specifically the appeal of drift racing - it's a deceptively simple
technique, but is quite beautiful and exciting when it's performed
correctly. Players use this to go around turns sideways then steer the
vehicle as they straighten out, and finally floor the accelerator as they
exit the turn. This elegant system is enhanced this time around with the
Nitrous system, which builds up as you perform drift moves successfully.
You can unleash this power-up at any time during the race, though for
maximum effectiveness, waiting until your vehicle is at or near its top
speed makes this an even better strategy. The controls themselves feel
very much in line with previous Ridge Racer titles, and the PS3's SixAxis
controller works just as well as the Dual Shock did for previous games.
You can choose between either the analog or digital pads, but either way,
the cars are responsive and silky smooth, and make the racing feel quite
intuitive and easy to play.
This
system was used in the last couple of games, but RR7 has upgraded the
Nitrous system to include various types depending on the race. These
include Basic and Standard Nitrous. Flex Nitrous, which allows you to use
it only when the button is pressed. There's also Quad nitrous which allows
for smaller cans and Long Nitrous, which allows only 2 cans, but they are
longer. Several modes also let you fill up multiple cans and chain them
together for a more powerful and longer speed boost. The nitrous system
has been expanded, which is cool enough, but RR7 also adds a completely
new and much welcome slipstream technique. Using this is somewhat tricky,
but it basically requires you to drift behind a car ahead of you, enter
their speed trails and use this to give yourself a quick boost which you
can use to quickly leap ahead of them. These two additions to the series
add some strategy to the racing, but the basic techniques of driving,
passing and blocking remain at the core of the series. The opponent AI is
fairly predictable, but the other racers can still put up quite a fight
during the later stages. They don't make as many mistakes as they did in
older games, leaving you little room for error. Each one seems a bit more
independent this time around and they'll make attempts to block you, which
makes overtaking them all the more satisfying. RR7's basic arcade modes
make a good place to start your journey, allowing you to get a feel for
the various courses and vehicles in the game. These allow you to jump
right in and play instantly. You can choose your car and course from the
selection of tracks and vehicles from all classes. This approach is fairly
traditional for the series, but its nice to see much of the game already
open before you hit the track. Those looking for something a bit deeper
will definitely find a lot to enjoy in the Ridge State Grand Prix mode.
Much like the World Tour mode in last
year's installment, the Grand Prix allows you to go deeper into the Ridge
Racer universe with a number of modes. You begin by looking at a map of
Ridge Nation, which displays the number of events available to you. The
first thing you need to do is enter a Manufacturer's Trial race where you
can earn the vehicles you'll need to continue by winning a single race.
Once this is completed, you move on to the Grand Prix mode, which is a
tournament where points are awarded at the end of a series of races. When
you finish these races, your score and rankings for that race are
displayed. Finish first and you'll also earn credits that you can spend in
the Machine Connection menu. Here, you can upgrade your car's engine,
tires and transmission, purchase additional Nitrous packs and customize
your machine's appearance with custom paint, decals and other options. As
you progress through the ranks, you'll earn additional vehicles and
credits which you can use to enter in harder races. Since your rivals are
also continuously updating their vehicles, you'll need to keep up as well.
In addition to these standard modes of play, you can also enter special
online events, see your rankings against other players, and compete in
online races against multiple opponents. Ridge Racer 7's Grand Prix mode
is surprisingly robust and adds a rich and intense layer of depth to the
arcade racing. It makes the stakes for each race feel higher, which adds
to the game's longevity.
Ridge
Racer 7's visuals are as slick and beautifully designed as you'd expect
them to be. From the neon-lit nocturnal streets of Rave City to the
gorgeous natural settings in the outlying areas, everything about the game
is as polished and beautiful as any title in the series to date. The car
models look really beautiful, and their chrome painted exteriors glisten
with light and reflection. Each car leaves a trail of light behind them
and this blurring effect only intensifies when you push the nitrous
button, where the entire screen blurs as well. From an aesthetic
standpoint, this title is probably the best looking Playstation 3 launch
title, and while it's somewhat comparable to the Xbox 360's version last
year, the graphics look cleaner, with a smoother faster frame rate. The
appearance is generally more polished on the Playstation 3. Since both
games share some similar courses, it's easy to see the difference, and the
PS3 generally outclasses the 360 by a noticeable margin. The interface and
menus are also cleaner in this year's edition, eschewing the glowing, and
annoying look of last year's RR6 for a simpler, easier to read style.
Ridge Racer 7's soundtrack features a somewhat predictable selection of
driving intense electronic music, ranging from standard-issue techno to
mellower electro, which compliments the game's style and racing
effectively. Ridge Racer 7's overall appearance, look and feel is highly
polished, beautiful, sleek and high-tech. It effectively shows off the
PS3's processing ability, and makes its mark almost effortlessly.
Ridge Racer 7's impressive visuals are
the most immediate thing you'll look at when you play the game, as they
should be. Underneath this techno sheen, you'll find the arcade-drifting
racing formula you've come to expect. Refined with an enhanced nitrous and
slipstream power-up feature, the same basic techniques apply here. The
controls are as intuitive as they've always been, and this installment
feels immediately familiar to any player with experience with the previous
games. Go a little deeper and you'll find plenty of depth in the Grand
Prix mode, which expands the formula with multiple races, challenge modes,
unlockable content and extensive vehicle customization that makes this one
of the most impressive installments in the series to date. RR7 doesn't
reinvent the franchise, but it improves on the already successful formula
to create an excellent balance between old elements and new twists. Ridge
Racer 7 once again delivers a solidly entertaining and exciting racing
experience, making it a must-purchase launch title for the Playstation
3. - Michael Palisano
Grade: B+
