Better late than never as they say, here are the first 10 minutes of Ridge Racer 6, a launch title in the US and Japan and available since a few weeks in Europe.
Seeing a Ridge Racer game being announced and released on a Microsoft console was a very big surprise, and even though Namco certainly could have put some more effort in the graphics RR6 is still a very fun game.
I remember thinking (and writing) that Ridge Racer 6 looked a lot like the PSP version, only in higher resolution. Well I still mostly think it's true, especially since very few of the 360 graphical capabilities besides the "basic" pushing of lots of polygons with highish resolution textures are used. It's certainly not a bad looking game, especially at a silky smooth 60 fps, but it won't be remembered as a game that pushed the 360 GPU to the maximum of its capabilities.
The gameplay is as good as the Ridge Racer games have ever been. Some people might regret that the nitrous boost is an addition that kinda killed the pure arcade gameplay of the series, but it certainly doesn't feel out of place either. The IA is as good (or bad) as anyone could except in such a game, meaning you'd better make sure you are not in its way.
The biggest addition for this Ridge Racer 6 is the online play, and for a first try Namco certainly managed to make the Ridge Racer experience work very well. The interface is clean and functional, and the lag hasn't been much of an issue in the few races I've played.
All in all this Ridge Racer 6 is a good game, that certainly could and should have looked better, but still a must have for all fans of arcade racers.
All comments (33)
Did you get to try it online? what's your impression
nice video.
Im saving for GR:AW and Oblivion.
Jammy: Online is very nice, I've played a few games with japanese gamers and it was actually very playable.
It looks SLOW, I sped it up to 2X and it looked maybe a little too fast but more in line with what I expected. I don't even want to get into how awful the handling looks, I swear you actually had some decent amount of control in the other Ridge Racer games but this seems to be close to slot-car racing with ridiculous drifting.
I think that's more or less it Blim? You do get faster cars?
The drifting system and whole racing physics also look a little ridiculous to me. But then again, I never played a Ridge Racer game, so I guess I'm not the target audience.
The speed of the cars is in the first 10 minutes at 200 km/h, later in the game at 300 km/h and more. Then its very fast!!! :)
Later in the game you can unlock new commentator voices, all three voices are completely different.
Ridge Racer 6 goes better and better with the time you play it.
Gruß,
Max
Not for everyone, I guess.
Personally, I think that style of game can become extremely addictive; perfecting your drifts while avoiding speed hindering obstacles... pulling into first and holding it.
It looks SLOW, I sped it up to 2X and it looked maybe a little too fast but more in line with what I expected. I don't even want to get into how awful the handling looks, I swear you actually had some decent amount of control in the other Ridge Racer games but this seems to be close to slot-car racing with ridiculous drifting.
And as for the handling, it takes an expert driver to control that 'drifty' car once your speed clocks for around 500. Heh the Americans and Europeans in this game are no match for the Japanese.
Could be several things, but usually it happens when the videochip or memory is overheating.. It could also be corrupt drivers or memory.. I had a simular problem with BF2 on my PC aswell (didn't happen in other games, just BF2).. When I turned on AA in that I got artifacts like that.. I tried everything, other drivers etc, even reinstalling Windows, but nothing helped.. Eventually when I replaced the 6800GT videocard for another of the simular type the problem was gone, so it most likely was an issue with that one videocard..
Ridge Racer 6 Intro Movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y3FcgWv0DM&search=...
Ridge Racer 6: Online Races Class 4 Category
Island Circle (9 Player Race)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llWM4gJV3CA
Airport Lap (12 Player Race)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCCS__Z47lY
Surfside Resort (8 Player Race)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCd2VJihb4U
Rave City Riverfront R (13 Player Race)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYWXa7yJwhs
Global Time Attack (Special Category) - PacMan Car driven by XBL Japan: Paccet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4SP0KgBU3U
Check out how much different winning is in RR6 with the Rave City Riverfront R race. Here every car has an equal chance at winning. There are no super cars that win all the time. Check out the PacMan car which belongs to the Special class. The Special class have the fastest cars in the game! The PacMan car while it looks cute is very difficult to handle and its boosting/drifting style is very different from other cars. Each car in RR6 has a certain way of driving, the fun comes in discovering how our chosen car actuall works.
It is quite a feat that Japanese player, Paccet, was able to drive the Pacman car at all! I have yet to see another player use PacMan in the Global Time Attack Races!
I think that's more or less it Blim? You do get faster cars?
There are around 200+ offline races in this game. The further you progress the faster your cars get.
For those of you who have this be sure to check out the Online Races (weekends are the best since there are more Japanese players) and the Global Time Attack races.
I play more Global Time Attack races and put myself in the top 10 best racers in a certain map for a certain class but its very difficult since the Japanese totally dominate this game! They are one hell of a racers!
The drifting system and whole racing physics also look a little ridiculous to me. But then again, I never played a Ridge Racer game, so I guess I'm not the target audience.
And this game is NOT MEANT TO BE REALISTIC. The main thrust of the game is "style and grace"...looking good while driving at insane speeds.
Yes this game is not for everyone but to those people who enjoy arcade racers such as me, this game is certainly worth a shot. Btw if there are people here who got bored with PGR3, like me, check this game out!
I've had this game since December launch in Japan and I've never stopped playing it! For me this is the BEST launch title for the XBOX 360!
http://thirdworldgamer.blogspot.com/2006/01/ridge-...
Here's an experience I had which will never ever happen on PGR3:
http://thirdworldgamer.blogspot.com/2005/12/greate...
Races by some of the best Ridge Racer players in the world:
http://briefcase.yahoo.co.jp/bc/ybkdh858/lst?.dir=...
My previous racing experience is having completed both PGR2 and Forza. I've also played Burnout 3 Takedown, Outrun and Daytona USA. Despite my sim background, I found RR6 to offer a superior racing experience to PGR3 thus far.
I have both PGR3 and RR6, but I play RR6 more because it is simply more fun. I disagree with the notion that the gameplay in RR6 isn't deep...in fact, it is quite deep, you really have to master tricks like the ultimate charge and strategic boosting if you want to win. You don't use brakes and shifting, but you will have to time your boosts and the length of your drifting correctly if you want to gain the highest speed.
I disagree that this game is slow...try class 3, 4 and special class...and online racing is incredibly intense, even with handicaps (rubberband effect) off. 14 cars online, all at once, with no lag at 60 FPS, is simply unmatched by any other racing game out there, arcade style or simulation style.
I disagree that the graphics aren't impressive. If anything, Namco designed the tracks very very well, and they're more 'alive' than PGR3's tracks, which only really boast of pedestrians who step aside when you crash into the wall (what's the significance of that special effect anyway? Everyone will only try to see that once, and never want to see the spectators do it again....it would have been better if Bizarre spent that extra 360 power on putting the framerate at 60FPS). Graphically PGR3 wins because of its realism, but design-wise, RR6 wins hands down.
I've been playing this game for over 100+ hours and I'm still playing it...mostly for Global Time Attack (where I'm ranked #5 in the world in CL4 Rave City Riverfront R, with the SLOWEST car) and for unranked online racing.
****
Blim, if possible, post videos of online racing in this game (class 3, 4 and special)...TBH a video of the single player campaign in RR6 doesn't do the game justice, it doesn't show what the best feature of the game really is...which is nearly perfect online arcade style racing.
Jammy: Online is very nice, I've played a few games with japanese gamers and it was actually very playable.
-edit
I see scytherage agrees.
I think the number of people in this thread shows that the game is not as sucky as everyone thought it might have been.
Eventually I got to try online racing and that's where the game really becomes fun. IMHO it's as addicting as Halo2. It has this pick-up-and-play feel that never gets old.
I think that's more or less it Blim? You do get faster cars?