Fair
Namco tries something new with its Ridge Racer series. But how has injecting realistic gameplay into an arcade racer affected the finished product? Read on and find out! Read Review
Namco's new racing title for next generation consoles GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, takes a decidedly different approach to the company's former arcade style racing games. Realistic racing simulation is the name of the game in R: Racing Evolutions, where players can customize fully licensed cars, and race in eleven fictional and real-life tracks. Four main game modes include Time Attack, Arcade Mode, Vs Mode, and the new story driven Racing Life Mode. Compete in eight different race types such as Circuit, Rally and Drag racing. Put the pressure on competing drivers with the innovative new Interactive Driver AI System, which uses a pressure gauge to recreate the battle of nerves on the racetrack.
For almost a decade, Namco's Ridge Racer series has been known as a seminal example of arcade racing at its best. Recently, however, the subgenre has become significantly less popular and racing simulations have taken over. More robust, feature-heavy titles such as those in the Gran Turismo series have been selling better and better while great arcade racers are becoming harder and harder to find. This holiday season though, is marked by a timely, although unexpected, inversion of this trend. Need for Speed Underground and, more importantly, Project Gotham Racing 2 have both brought exciting innovations and tons of great gameplay to table. So, in many ways Namco's latest title, R: Racing Evolution, which drops the standard arcade racing formula from the Ridge Racer series and attempts to blend many elements from both arcade racers and simulations, is puzzling and underwhelming, even if it remains entertaining. Read More »
In a departure from its ten-year-old racing franchise, Namco has been retooling its driving pedigree and is set to bring R: Racing Evolution to homes across the States this December, after an extensive tune-up, 200-point inspection, then a drive to the garage to start all over again. Yes, although Namco is famous for the Ridge Racer series where fake cars and physics added up to improbably awesome gameplay (popular until Gran Turismo came along), it's ditched this formula in favor of an all-new, all-realistic racing plan. Read More »
Also known as: Ridge Racer: Racing Evolution (spin-off concept title), R: Racing
Release Region: United States
Release Date: December 9, 2003
Publisher: Namco
T for Teen Mild Language, Suggestive Themes1 DVD
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R: Racing Evolution at IGN
R: Racing Evolution at GameSpy
R: Racing Evolution at GameStats
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