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Review: Ridge Racer: Unbounded

What constitutes a Ridge Racer game? Is it the car physics – the feeling that your car is firmly attached to the road allowing you to drift effortlessly around corners? Is it Reiko Nagase, the (mostly) ever-present mascot? Is it the fact that it’s just fast, basic arcade-style racing? Or is it something else?

Bugbear Entertainment, the developers of this latest in the series, didn’t appear take this into consideration, as Unbounded is arguably not a Ridge Racer game. Part Burnout, part FlatOut, part Split Second, part Blur – the game is trying to redefine itself and I hope it was a decision that will not be repeated. True, the desire to evolve Ridge Racer into something new is a respectable one; however, it all comes down to execution…

Unbounded is an arcade racer set in the fictional “Shatter Bay” – there is apparently an accompanying storyline (one that DOESN’T involve Reiko), but it made absolutely no impact on me as a player. Not simply a straight-out racer, Bugbear has introduced some new modes to play through.

Of the new modes, Domination and Frag Attack both place a focus on destruction, much like Burnout (and Split Second, as players can also destroy parts of the environment for short cuts and additional destruction bonuses). Here, players must build up their boost bar by performing jumps and drifting around corners – only then will they have the “power” to destroy other cars and obstacles.  However, this power can fizzle out before actually hitting a target, leaving the player to crash and burn. How is it that a car can destroy opponents and targets at any speed when using this power, but not when hitting the same targets at very high speed without the power? Similarly, it’s beyond frustrating to be destroyed by an opponent because you slightly nudged them when they decided to use THEIR power… Sigh.

Shindo Racing mode really shows what Unbounded could have been if it was just a pure racing game. With a firm focus on racing and drifting, these races are probably the best part – in some ways, it even feels like a Ridge Racer game should.  The game also includes a points-based drift mode, as well as an interesting take on the Time Attack mode, whereby players must traverse a stunt track by completing huge jumps and navigating obstacles. While difficult and not overly original, it’s fun for what it is.

However, what seems like a potentially great series refresh is let down by frustrating mechanics. While in previous Ridge Racer titles, players could slide around corners with relative ease, Unbounded forces players to get drifting RIGHT. While many racing titles consider oversteer and understeer as important factors, it’s never been a focus of Ridge Racer titles – at least, it’s never been so sensitive. Completing any mode can come down to getting your drift perfectly right on every turn – one slip up can cost you. For a racing game, that’s extremely frustrating. I found myself repeating round after round just to achieve a pass.

Equally frustrating is the reliance on points for progression.  In later stages, it feels completely unbalanced – for example, I scored three stars (basically “first”) on every stage of a later area, but could not unlock the next one because I needed an additional 2000 points. If I achieve three stars across the board, I should advance by default – I do NOT wish to replay these stages again (some of which I had already repeated several times) just to get a better score. Arbitrary numbers are pointless.

Besides these frustrations, the game is GORGEOUS. In terms of presentation, Bugbear has hit the nail on the head. In-game notifications show in large font across the environment–not unlike Splinter Cell: Conviction–and this really works to let you know how you are going without getting in the way. The metro design suits Ridge Racer, and the cars and cities have that Ridge Racer feel – if a little sterile and samey (many courses and cars look identical with a different splash of paint, so to speak). The Tron-like streak that follows your car when you hit your boost really adds to the tension, and the music selection is a suitable mix of electronic beats (including Skrillex, the latest ‘best thing’) – but nothing stands out in my opinion.

It should also be mentioned that there is a very well implemented track editor – it’s extremely easy to use, and I found myself building and sharing an admittedly simple but lush-looking track in under 5 minutes. Perfect for the create-and-share crowd.

Don’t get me wrong – I had fun.  When I wasn’t losing control of the car or crashing into the limits of the occasionally poorly designed courses (or perhaps I was at fault?), I did enjoy myself. But there are just so many little frustrations that compounded to make my overall experience somewhat flawed. Bugbear has tried to make something new and different here, and I commend their effort, but in the end I feel they strayed too far from what makes a Ridge Racer game.


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About the author

Greg Newbegin

Proud father of two, and a lover of games. Retro collector, writer, and fan of all things Japanese. I love all gaming machines equally.