Ridge Racer 6

"Most Underrated Launch Game"

Let me say before I begin. Ridge Racer 6 is an Arcade type racer based on "Drift Racing" not on realism or any real cars. Unfortunately in America that is what people hold against it, but I challenge you to give it a rental at least with an open mind. I have let 2 of my friends who also own a 360 try my copy, and they bought the game the same week. If you like racing in the least the game is pure fun.

Graphics: 7/10 :

The game looks very crisp, great colors and nitrous effects. The draw distance is one of the most impressive parts in this category. You will often be racing around an edge of a mountain and you can see what appears to be for miles and miles, with some houses, barns, trees, ect. far in the distance. In the long straight stretches the infamous fog is now gone, you can see the full stretch and beyond. But the graphics do fall a little short of some of the other launch titles, as far as textures, reflections and all the other minor eye candy goes, including PGR3, and is in no way pushing the Xbox 360. I agree with IGNs statement when they say "The graphics are just good enough to force you to grudgingly admit it couldn't of been done on the 1st Xbox"

Sound 9/10

The only thing that keeps this game from getting a perfect score in sound is the announcer. With a voice almost identical to Zac from DOA, and an uncanny amount of enthusiasm for no reason, soon you will find yourself turning on DOA just for a beat up Zac session. The worst part is the word Nitrous is in 9/10 of everything he says. Some Examples:

Whoa that's some crazy Nitrous!
Some one is using Nitrous to catch up!
Watch out Nitrous!
Niiiiitrouss

But the good part is you can turn him off in the options menu so not a big deal. The music however is amazing. If you have ever played the old Ridge Racers a lot of the same stuff. Some new stuff too, it really fits the game well. The underground night time level with lights everywhere will pump some fast rave sounding music, and some of the brighter ones will have a completely different sounding beat, you can also switch it to any song you want in the options menu including your burnt tracks.

Game Play 10/10

This is where the game truly shines. I will go through some of the basic elements of Ridge Racer in case anyone hasn't played the old ones. So if your a Ridge Racer Vet, just skip the first paragraph.

Ridge Racer is a fast paced racing game with a ton of super machines to chose from. The games main focus is on Drifting, when you perform a drift you are rewarded by getting your nitrous bar filled, the amount it fills depends on how well you drift and how long. You have three nitrous bars, when you fill up one you can use it if you right then if you wish, or you could let 2 or 3 (maximum) build up and use them all at the same time for even more speed and duration. The drift is performed by letting go of the gas for just a second right before the turn then cutting the wheel, the car will start to "drift sideways" then the skill part comes in with you straightening it out around the turn at blazing speeds. That very act of drifting is the heart and soul of Ridge Racer, and it is a blast.

Ok now with the basics out of the way there is a World X'plorer mode, that is where most of the offline time will likely be spent, it allows you to pick a few different routes to progress through the game, and you will start off with the slower Class 1 machines and work your way all the way up. Let me say beating this mode will take a LONG time. After playing the game for about 5 solid days of long play sessions, I am only about 18% through it. The AI will get a lot tougher as you go on as well, forcing you to acquire a strategy of when to use your nitrous on the laps, or when to start your drift on another particular corner, or if you should save up some Nitrous for a Double or Triple blast.

Then there is online play which also works very well. I often spend more time trying to beat the Japanese Racers times in Time Attack then actually racing. You can download other peoples ghosts from the leaderboard and go up against it in an actual race. This is a GREAT way to improve by actually watching the best and mimic them.

Summary

If you like the game play concept of Ridge Racer, then this game will last you a long time, it is a blast to play online and offline. The graphics could've been better, but are still very impressive, especially after playing the first Xbox. The racing is fast paced, tense and just pure fun. I challenge anyone who is trying to decide between PGR3 and NFS:MW to consider this and try it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/26/05