Ridge Racer 7

"Rent game first before buying"

I got this game based on the reviews posted on this sight and ones I have read elsewhere. Let me tell you, that the current version of this game is a step in the wrong direction. The game had great promise and is based off of a successful series, but failed to live up to the expectations.

Game Play- 5 out of 10

For those who are familiar with the game, you understand the controls. For those who are not familiar, the controls are different than other games. Now let us discuss the racing aspect. The main part of racing is the ability to drift through the corners. Although this is simple to learn, it is impossible to master. Not to mention, game play has shown me that the cpu cars do not slow down nearly as fast as you do and they are accelerating faster out of the drift. Then there is the fact your car is inherently faster than the cpu cars, thus you are able to catch them after the start. No real advantage to upgrading your vehicles until you can't win a race. Then there is the upgrade section. This section is pretty bland and I expected much more from a next gen game. Then there is also the issue when your car hits a wall. In other games, you bounce off the wall, but in this game you continue hitting the wall for a while. Finally, there is the soundtrack. I can not speak much to this as I turn off most game music and listen to my own.

Graphics - 7 out of 10

The graphics are nice, but there is nothing that makes them stand out from PS2 gran turismo 4. For a next gen system, I expected the graphics to be good, but they could have been better.

Replay - 1 out of 10

If you enjoy racing games, then you will replay the game otherwise there is no reason to replay the game. Nothing changes.

Conclusion:

I would have to say that this game is a big disappointment. The game play repeats, just with different tracks. The drifting is ok, but mechanics need to be improved. The upgrading of cars is a major factor that one needs in a game like this. This game just does not cut the cake in that area. I feel that this is a major set back for the franchise and there are numerous items that need to be corrected in the next version. My advise is to go and rent game first before deciding to buy it.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 03/28/07