Ridge Racer 7

Genre: Arcade racer
Platform: PS3

The gameplay here is relatively simple; it's a racing game. However it's not as easy to pick up and play on your first try as a game like Motorstorm for example. There is a particular technique that you'll need to get the hang of, which you'll improve on the more you play the game, called drifting. Drifting is achieved by directing your car into a turn and letting go of the accelerator. As the car begins to drift, you'll need to hit the accelerator again and use the directional buttons to adjust the angle of the vehicle as it drifts round the bend, preparing it for exit. Drifting builds up 'nitrous', which can then be used as a speed boost. Nitrous storage is divided into three capsules and can only be used after at least one capsule has been filled. Similarly, nitrous can only be deployed in certain amounts - either one capsule, two, or all three at a time, which adds a tactical element to the game.



All the different modes that you would expect from a racing game are present, including an online mode which works pretty well. The further you progress in the single player mode, which is structured around of a series of single races and mini tournaments and includes car modification, the more features are unlocked for the arcade mode, such as the option of unlimited nitrous. There are a decent number of tracks which can all be reversed, and some modified slightly, and also an offline two player splitscreen mode.

Visually the game can't be faulted. Despite being neither graphically ground breaking, or even remotely photo realistic, it's still one of the prettiest next gen games so far. Rich, colourful visuals, bright lights and reflections, shiny car models and smooth, futuristic environments all make for an aesthetically pleasing combination. One potential downside is the lack of car damage, which could have been a nice touch. Considering the game's arcade nature and general removal from reality however, it's more forgiveable than the bumper car collisions of Gran Turismo 5: Prologue. The also game runs remarkably smoothly and at 1080p resolution, any framerate blips are few and far between and have only occurred during a rare few extremely congested and high speed turns.


Not that I have anything against techno, but the music is pretty awful to be honest. It does however suit the vibe of the game, making it just about bearable. Ridge Racer 6 on the Xbox 360 has the advantage of custom soundtracks, whereby your own music can be used in place of the default in game music. Of course you could always just mute the in game music and play something through an iPod.

The major plus points here are addictive gameplay, smooth performance, and lush visuals. The negatives are terrible music and a lack of custom soundtracks, and no rumble patch as of yet.

In summary you should try this game; if you like how it plays, it's certainly worth owning. If not, you're probably an idiot.