PlayStation 2

R:Racing Evolution

R: Racing Evolution is the latest in a long line of racing games developed by Namco. But this time around they’re offering something that fans of their previous efforts might not be expecting. This game attempts to blend the two arcade/simulation sub-genres into a single experience. Not quite MotoGP and not quite Ridge Racer, Evolution offers up the configuration and customization options that you’d expect to find in a simulation game and the pick-up-and-play friendliness of an arcade style racer. It’s a risky proposition to attempt to cater to fans of two separate styles of racing games, but Namco has found a pretty good balance here, even if the sum of its parts are considerably less exciting than the game as a whole.

Roughly a decade ago Namco gave us a game that was unlike most racing efforts of the time. We know you remember Ridge Racer. It wasn't just the clean graphical presentation that set the game apart from the other racers of the time -- yeah, that was nice -- but it wasn't what made the game. The hyper-addictive control mechanics that had us sliding our rides sideways long before Takumi would even drive the Toyota Trueno truly set the game apart. Namco wisely released Ridge Racer on the Sony PlayStation two years after its arcade debut. The rest is, well, history.

R attempts to deliver some simulation-styled thrills, but the driving physics and options simply aren't up to snuff when compared to other, better games. When it comes to racing games, much of Namco's recent focus has been on its popular motorcycle racing series for the PlayStation 2, MotoGP. But the company also has a history with racing of the four-wheeled variety with the seemingly dormant Ridge Racer series.

The latest racer from Namco, “R: Racing Evolution”, is not a sequel to the wonderful Ridge Racer series, nor does it have much to do with it other than Namco publishes both. R: RE differs in many ways to the legendary series not the least of which is the inclusion of real world cars, a new “pressure meter”, and an involved story driven mode. While the final Ridge Racer on the PS1 did feature a rudimentary story mode, this one, for better or worse, is a whole different animal altogether. The heart and soul of the game is the “Racing Life” mode where aforementioned story mode resides.

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.

Just when you thought it was safe to get back on the streets, Namco launches R: Racing Evolution on to the console racing scene. With recent spotlights on solid racing games like Project Gotham 2 and NFS: Underground, R has plenty of ground to cover to take the checkered flag. So does it have enough under the hood to win? Not exactly.

Here's a tricky one: What does Namco's R: Racing have in common with Hideo Kojima's whimsical Zone of the Enders PS2 shoot-'em-up? Anybody? You there at the back? No? The answer is that in both cases the actual game was far less interesting than a bundled trinket found elsewhere in the box. In ZOE's case, the accompanying Metal Gear Solid 2 demo was more than enough to rob us of £40. And in R: Racing's case, it's the Miyamoto-penned Pac-Man Vs. multiplayer game that dominates our thoughts whenever we peer at the shiny GameCube box perched atop the TV.

Men hur jag än försöker kommer jag inte undan besvikelsen. Namco har något speciellt att förvalta i sina Ridge Racer-spel, något de borde vara rädda om. Det är inte lätt att komma med något eget på dagens spelmarknad och när man har något så unikt som atmosfären i Ridge Racer är det onldigt att klä upp den i Gran Turismo-kostym och försöka lära den att sitta fint. Trots sina goda sidor har R:Racing inte riktigt något existensberättigande, utom möjligen på Gamecube där racingutbudet fortfarande är otroligt skralt. Det vi behöver är ett riktigt Ridge Racer som tar vid där Ridge Racer 4 slutade. Jag hoppas att cheferna på Namco själva kommer till den insikten snart.

There's abundant animated cleavage for the truly desperate. However, the heart of the game - the actual driving - is outclassed in every aspect. Don't bother.