R:Racing Evolution

So, I'm at Namco's booth at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2001
and I see teaser logos for Tekken4, The Next Chapter in Soul Calibur,
and this Red 'R' logo with a Dodge Viper power sliding across the
white screen. Finally, the Ridge Racer team is going to use licensed
cars. I can't help but get excited about power sliding with real
cars. Or maybe even a realistic approach to racing. Either way,
it's got to be good if it's coming from Namco.

Two and half years later, and R:Racing Evolution is shipped... Only
to fishtail into what has to be the worse driving/racing title to
ever be released by Namco. One of my favorite cars to drive these
days is the Honda S2000. Every since the unveiling of it in concept
form to CG models of it appearing in the intro of Tekken Tag
Tournament (JP version), to the gameplay of the sports car in Gran
Turismo. I know how to drive the S2000. I've been playing driving
games since Ridge Racer and Daytona USA. I understand how arcade
games play. I understand how Simulation games play, such as Ferrari
F355 Challenge, which to date, is the hardest game to master, yet I
can come in first place if a few mistakes. What makes R:Racing so
bad, is that it does not show warning up curves like Ferrari F355
Challenge does. It's funny that they both have the same tracks
available, but Sega offers more road signs of how many meters left to
the start of the turn. R:Racing has no warning signs, just the HUD
map, which I would much rather have turned off, but can see the flat
road. But that's not the problem. And good driver knows that they
must remember the track, is the horrible fishtailing physics that the
programmers placed on the car(s). It's like driving a Viper on loose
sand. This is the Honda S2000 I'm driving. After learning to
counter steer throughout the lap(which doesn't work too well in this
game), I loose it within a double 90 degree U-turn which places my
front end facing the inner wall with my tail sticking out ahead. I'm
in a bind. Why, because there is no reverse! What is this crap? I
have to quit the race. I'm not a quiter. The graphics I find to be
ported over textures designed for the memory starving PlayStation 2,
which look to blocky for an Xbox game. The car models are good and
most of the tracks are done well, but the textures on the road are
just too basic. Not your typical Ridge Racer style graphics that
keep you coming back for eye-candy. The eye-candy seems to be within
the CG cutscenes with the racing chics, that I find less attractive
compared to the previous Ridge Racer gals. But that's not any reason
to judge the game on, however, they don't even seem to help keep this
game in my system. The music is typical Namco flavored techno/jazz
with some nice beats, but nothing that would make me want to import a
sound track. Sounds are very basic and really kinda annoying when it
comes to the engine sounds. They just sound so fake. I would have a
hard time believing anyone if they told me that the development team
had the engine sounds recorded straight from any of the cars. They
are just not up to the quality of today's standards for racing
games. The best highlight from this title has to be the cameras
within the real-time replays. The helicopter view is well simulated
with fairly good propeller sound effects. Camera setup by the wall
is very nicely done as it has the unsteady hand motion and increases
with vibration with every passing car. Gives it more of a TV
presentation view. But I just can't get past the fact that it plays
so badly. Beyond that, the game is too easy for veterans of racing
games. You can draft in this title and they encourage you too with
life meters above the cars. The annoying pit crew member trys to
hype you up during the race to put the pressure on the other
drivers. But their AI is not that good compared to Gran Turismo for
them to even put up a block. I just drive right around them or cut
under them within a curve. Defeats the whole purpose of the life
meters. I am so disappointed with Namco for dragging this game out
the door and putting out their worse driving title in the history of
the company. I was looking forward to power sliding in some real
cars - the Ridge Racer way. Old school still rocks. Tell your new
employees to go back and play your older titles and do some
research. Either make a really fun arcade like gameplay, or make a
true simulation game. Don't go half-and-half, cause that equals to
crap.

If you don't know what game I'm talking about, please visit:
http://www.hypecouncil.net/racing/go.php?v=r for more information.
Give it a try and let me know what you think. Am I off my rocker?
Is this game really not that bad? Did I miss the point of the
gameplay concept? Go check that link and see for yourself what the
scoop is.