My impressions of Ridge Racer: Unbounded so far.

[Ram8113]

All right, everybody here knows FO3 is an absolute abomination of a Flatout game. Heck, isn't even a good arcade racing game. After watching previews of RR:UB it was quickly made clear that this game was the next best thing for us FO fans. So here is my mini review after having beaten half the game and played a bit of multiplayer.

(For the record, this is my first ever Ridge Racer game. Also worthy of note: I consider FO:UC to be the best racing game ever made)
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GRAPHICS

As a FO game:

Everything you'd expect from Bugbear. Simply put the game is beautiful and the FPS stays silky smooth even on my mid range PC. I'd say I have the game running on max settings but... there really are almost no graphical settings in this game. The ONLY things you can adjust are screen resolution and texture filtering. Bottom line: The cars look like FO cars, the game is pretty, and there is lots going on with the physics.

9/10

As a racing game in general:

The graphics are pretty run of the mill. They're certainly not the best out there but they do the job. The steady frame rate is more than I can say for Blur, recent NFS games, or F1. The lack of graphical options is a major minus.

8.5/10
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CARS AND CAR PHYSICS

As a FO game:

These cars handle almost nothing like FO cars. They are light weight, floaty, and VERY fragile. There isn't the slightest feeling of realism. They are also substantially faster.

Also, car collisions have next to no effect. You can't spin people out, roll them over or anything like that. You can blow them up but only with lucky seemingly random hits or with easy to get nitro which instant kills anybody.

6.5/10

As a racing game in general:

Typical arcade fare. Not challenging to drive. It's easy to pull off huge drifts and blaze around corners as well as catch huge air. It does have it's issues though. The handling can be a bit inconsistent at times. Perfect drifts will suddenly go awry for apparently no reason and with absolutely no warning. This isn't common but it's not rare either. Overall, handling is very average for an arcade racer.

Also, the cars in each class feel almost exactly the same.

7.5/10
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TRACK DESIGN AND VARIETY

As a FO game:

Well, if you're looking for Flatout 4 (or whatever # we'd be on if this was the next FO) style tracks this is the absolute wrong game. It's worth pointing out again that I've only played half the districts at this point. But every district has felt exactly... the same... as the last. Also, shortcuts aren't nearly as fun, creative, or dangerous. Or even effective for that matter.

All tracks seem to be on flat, open city roads. Next to no choke points, few hair pins, and almost no sense of danger when approaching a tight turn at high speeds.

The tracks do have lots of physics objects on them but not only does it feel like fewer than FO:UC but the physics objects do NOTHING to the game play except fly around and look cool when hit. Not a single physics object that I've hit has slowed me down or altered my course.

4/10

As a racing game in general:

This games tracks feel like your standard NFS fair: One giant, pretty city. You've got your skyscrapers, your slums, your construction sites, your sports stadiums, ect. Nothing new. Nothing original.

7/10
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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

As a FO game:

These guys don't act like FO drivers at all. They don't have there own driving personalities and avatars (like Jack Benton, Sally Taylor, ect). They also don't really interact with each other very much on the track. They do go for hits (mostly when using nitro) but the lack of collision physics makes it so that more often than not, nothing happens. I have yet to see a three or more car pile up which were practically common in the FO series.

Also, the rubberband AI is pretty darn bad. I know FO had rubberband AI but it actually served to make the game more fun and keep the collisions coming. The AI in this is very cheap. If your racing perfect and crash, you lose 5 or 6 spots because they were all right behind you the entire time. Good luck catching up though because they don't slow down that much at all.

The lack of driver personality is the biggest killer here though. I loved hating Jack Benton and avoiding Frank Malcov at all costs (knowing he'd just crash).

3/10

As a racing game in general:

Again, standard fair. Rubber band AI is meant to keep the races close and exciting but more often than not just makes things frustrating.

6.5/10
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MULTIPLAYER

I've only played a few multiplayer matches but haven't had any issues. So far the lobbies are pretty much empty. No lag to report though, at least yet.

The biggest issue is only being able to race 8 people online whereas you can race 12 offline.

8/10
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GAME MODES

As a FO game:

One BIG issue: No stunts. Another issue: No destruction derby. But you can race other cars!!

1/10

As a racing game in general:

You get more here than most arcade racing games. You've got your standard race. Then you've got frag events, drift events, and the track editor.

9/10
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SOUND

As a FO game:

Again, nothing like past FO's. The decent music from  FO 2 and UC is replaced with generic techno and the cars are completely lacking any form of punch. Collisions sound average at best and crashing into stuff just doesn't sound as good as FO:UC.

7/10

As a racing game:

Sounds just like every other arcade racer out there. Thank GOD there's no announcer.

7.5/10
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MAP EDITOR

Well, I totally would have LOVED to review this seeing as to how it's a MAJOR reason I bought the game... but it won't launch for me!! Every time I try it crashes. Clearly though, it works for others because I've played some (pretty bad) online custom tracks. So for the sake of this review I'll just pretend it wasn't even included in the game.
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FINAL VERDICT

As a FO game:

As much as I wanted this to be a Flatout game, it just isn't and it clearly was never meant to be. There are no stunts, drivers don't go flying out of there windows, and the crashing and destruction is toned down BIG TIME. If this were FO 4 I'd be pretty darn disappointed.

6/10

As a racing game in general:

This is a fairly cool and fun arcade racer despite many shortcomings. The destruction is fun even if it has no real effect on the races. The driving does it's job and generally the action stays fun. The rubber band AI can be brutal but most races you'll win on the first try. I'm not in the least bit disappointed I bought this game.

8/10

[RVR72GV]

Hush, this is NOT a Flatout game NOR Ridge Racer. Do you want to expect "Everything released from Bugbear is literally Flatout". That's so stupid.

[Ram8113]

Hush, this is NOT a Flatout game NOR Ridge Racer. Do you want to expect "Everything released from Bugbear is literally Flatout". That's so stupid.

Of course I don't expect everything by Bugbear to be a Flatout game. That would be... well... stupid. Doesn't mean I don't WANT a new Flatout game by Bugbear seeing as to how the current owners of the franchise did an abysmal job.

Also, seeing as to how I posted this at "Flatoutjoint" that PROBABLY means we're all Flatout fans... which means we all want more Flatout games...

Of course I didn't expect RR to be the next Flatout game just with a new name. I expected the game to be RR but was HOPING that due to the fact that it's made by Bugbear that a bit of the Flatout formula would show up in the game. And after reading the Edge review, I actually was expecting the cars to handle like FO cars but with drifting added in.

You don't like my point of view, that's fine. I can live with that. You don't need to be an ass about it though.

[Purple44]

Here a review from Steam RRU forum in response to Ram8113 review I posted at Steam forum:

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?p=30069734#post30069734

There are some issues with your review.  Just a few....

Your AI analysis leaves alot to be desired. The fact that the AI makes mistakes, takes different racing lines, level of interaction.   

Not challenging to drive?  Drifting a perfect line especially during high speed is a real challenge   

No weight to cars? "Flatout" false (see what I did there) 

No sense of danger? Burnout level speed.  Not everything is destructible.  Your opinion though.  I would characterize the game as seat of your pants racing more so than games based in the same genre.

Typical Arcade fare?  Such a great confluence of ideas here.  Not sure what's typical here.

Originality?  Well it is a confluence of previously executed ideas.  Just because ideas have been executed before doesn't mean I can't take existing ideas and create something new.  Patents work this way. 

Why do you keep saying "As a Flatout Game"  Anything BugBear makes from here on out will be judged "As a Flatout Game"?

Perhaps we'll meet online.

Edit: In fact you can spin cars.  I did just that.  Granted you can't pull a pit maneuver whenever you want but spinning them is posisble under the right conditions.

As far as difficulty, it's a difficult game and does require a lot of skill.  Of course the game once mastered becomes somewhat easier but still no walk in the park.  I put the diffculty around PGR GOLD.  I see alot of frustrated people playing this and I see many who are dominating the districts (different from achieving 3 star goals so I believe that the difficulty is just right.

About your assessment of flat tracks.  If you understand the mechanics you would know that getting AIR gets you boost therefore AIR needs to be found through opening shortcuts.  This is where al lot of the destruction aspect comes into play so it all ties together.

Of your claim that the AI doesn't interact.  Serious question.  Are you really paying  attention to what goes on in front of you?  There's plenty of mayhem created by the AI and plenty of interaction.  Sh*t is flying everywhere, more so then any Flatout game, especially when you're at the back of the pack you can see this.  An AI will bust through building columns, get boost and perform a take down on another AI or you and become your rival.

Driver personality.  OK you right on this one.  There are no drivers named Bob or Sally and a text box telling you that Bob hates you however the game does have a rival system like Burnout.  You get taken down, then take down that rival and earn boost.  Funny that you're critical on the games originality but want personas like Sally.

In your summary you say that the destruction is fun but it has no effect on races.  The whole game is built on destruction and drifting becuase that's how you get to shortcuts which have more destructible objetcs and ramps which get you more boost.

My review is this. 

A brilliant masterfully executed visceral edge of your seat racer.

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[Ram8113]

Thank you purple for posting this on steam too I'll try responding to this here as much as I can now and if I have time I'll copy and past to the Steam forums.

Here a review from Steam RRU forum in response to Ram8113 review I posted at Steam forum:

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?p=30069734#post30069734

RAM8113: THANK YOU SYSGEN, FOR POSTING YOUR OPINIONS ON MY REVIEW. I DISAGREE WITH YOU IN SOME AREAS AND UNDERSTAND YOUR CRITICISM IN OTHERS.

There are some issues with your review.  Just a few....

Your AI analysis leaves alot to be desired. The fact that the AI makes mistakes, takes different racing lines, level of interaction. 

RAM8113s RESPONSE:

I HAVE YET TO SEE THE AI MAKE ANYTHING MORE THAN A MINOR MISTAKE. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY DON'T. THEY JUST DON'T DO SO NEARLY AS OFTEN AS IN FO:UC. ALSO, FROM EVERYTHING I'VE SEEN THE AI RACING LINE VERY RARELY DEVIATES FROM THE IDEAL LINE. AGAIN, I HAVE NOT YET BEATEN THE GAME BUT AM NEARLY THERE NOW.

Not challenging to drive?  Drifting a perfect line especially during high speed is a real challenge 

RAM8113s RESPONSE:

WHAT YOU SAY HERE IS TRUE. DRIFTING ISN'T DEAD EASY, IT'S JUST NOT HARD. NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING THOUGH. THE PENALTY FOR HITTING WALLS SHOULD BE GREATER THOUGH IMO. 

No weight to cars? "Flatout" false (see what I did there) 

RAM8113s RESPONSE:

I DO SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE HOWEVER, IF THIS WERE FLATOUT 4 I'D HAVE TO FLATOUT DISAGREE WITH YOU I CAN'T COMPARE THE CAR WEIGHT TO PREVIOUS RR GAMES BECAUSE I'VE NEVER PLAYED ONE.

No sense of danger? Burnout level speed.  Not everything is destructible.  Your opinion though.  I would characterize the game as seat of your pants racing more so than games based in the same genre.

RAM8113s RESPONSE:

I'LL DEFINITELY AGREE THAT THIS GAME IS FAR MORE EXCITING THAN MOST ARCADE RACES. I'D PUT IT ABOVE NFS BUT BELOW BURNOUT 3 AND 4. ON PAR WITH PARADISE AND MILES AHEAD OF PGR.

BUT IN THE FO GAMES THE AI CAN BE AS DANGEROUS AS THE TRACK. RR:UB CAR COMBAT FEELS CHEAP TO ME AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE THERE ARE ANY CORNERS I NEED TO WORK ON MASTERING.

Typical Arcade fare?  Such a great confluence of ideas here.  Not sure what's typical here.

RAM8113s RESPONSE:

LOL I DID A BAD JOB WITH THAT PART OF MY SEMI-REVIEW, DIDN'T I? I HOPE I CLEARED THAT UP A BIT ABOVE.

Originality?  Well it is a confluence of previously executed ideas.  Just because ideas have been executed before doesn't mean I can't take existing ideas and create something new.  Patents work this way. 

RAM8113s RESPONSE:

I AGREE COMPLETELY

Why do you keep saying "As a Flatout Game"  Anything BugBear makes from here on out will be judged "As a Flatout Game"?

RAM8113s RESPONSE:

I KEEP SAYING THAT BECAUSE I'M FAIRLY CERTAIN THE FO SERIES IS NOW DEAD. I'VE BEEN DYING FOR A SEQUEL AND THE TRAILERS AND SOME REVIEWS LED BE TO BELIEVE THIS GAME WOULD HAVE SOME OF FOs SPIRIT JUST MIXED IN WITH AN RR GAME. OF COURSE, IF BUGBEAR MAKES ANOTHER RACING GAME (WHICH i'M SURE THEY WILL) AND IT LOOKS NOTHING LIKE A FO GAME, THEN I'LL JUDGE IT AS WHATEVER IT IS. I'M REALLY JUST SAD TO SEE FO GO.

Perhaps we'll meet online.

Edit: In fact you can spin cars.  I did just that.  Granted you can't pull a pit maneuver whenever you want but spinning them is posisble under the right conditions.

RAM8113s RESPONSE:

I'VE ALSO MANAGED TO DO THIS NOW A FEW TIMES. JUST NOT AS MUCH AS FO.

As far as difficulty, it's a difficult game and does require a lot of skill.  Of course the game once mastered becomes somewhat easier but still no walk in the park.  I put the diffculty around PGR GOLD.  I see alot of frustrated people playing this and I see many who are dominating the districts (different from achieving 3 star goals so I believe that the difficulty is just right.

About your assessment of flat tracks.  If you understand the mechanics you would know that getting AIR gets you boost therefore AIR needs to be found through opening shortcuts.  This is where al lot of the destruction aspect comes into play so it all ties together.

RAM8113s RESPONSE:

I DON'T MEAN GETTING AIR. I MEAN DRIVING UP AND DOWN HILLS. I KNOW THIS ISN'T SAN FRANSISCO BUT SOME NON-JUMPS VERTICALLITTY WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE.

Of your claim that the AI doesn't interact.  Serious question.  Are you really paying  attention to what goes on in front of you?  There's plenty of mayhem created by the AI and plenty of interaction.  Sh*t is flying everywhere, more so then any Flatout game, especially when you're at the back of the pack you can see this.  An AI will bust through building columns, get boost and perform a take down on another AI or you and become your rival.

RAM8113s RESPONSE:

COMPARED TO MOST RACERS, YES, THERE IS A LOT GOING ON. BUT NOT NEARLY AS MUCH AS FO:UC IN WHICH I'VE LOGGED AN INSANE AMOUNT OF RACES. NOTHING I'VE SEEN INTERACTION WISE OR DESTRUCTION WISE IN RR HAS COME CLOSE TO FO:UC FROM WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED.

Driver personality.  OK you right on this one.  There are no drivers named Bob or Sally and a text box telling you that Bob hates you however the game does have a rival system like Burnout.  You get taken down, then take down that rival and earn boost.  Funny that you're critical on the games originality but want personas like Sally.

RAM8113s RESPONSE:

HERE I'M REFERRING TO THE WAY THE CHARACTERS ACTUALLY DRIVE. FRANK MALCOV, SALLY TAYLOR, AND JACK BENTON ALL HAVE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DRIVING STYLES MEANING YOU HAVE TO APPROACH EACH DRIVER DIFFERENTLY.

In your summary you say that the destruction is fun but it has no effect on races.  The whole game is built on destruction and drifting becuase that's how you get to shortcuts which have more destructible objetcs and ramps which get you more boost.

RAM8113s RESPONSE:

THE ISSUE I HAVE HERE ISN'T WITH THE AMOUNT OF THINGS BREAKING. MY ISSUE IS WITH THE LACK OF ANY EFFECT THESE OBJECTS HAVE ON YOUR CAR. YOU JUST DRIVE THROUGH THEM LIKE THEY WEREN'T EVEN THERE.

My review is this. 

A brilliant masterfully executed visceral edge of your seat racer.

RAM8113s RESPONSE:

UNDENIABLY A GREAT RACING GAME. I'M DEFINITELY HAVING A LOT OF FUN EVERY SECOND I'M PLAYING. I RECOMMEND IT TO ANYBODY WHO LIKES ARCADE RACERS. HOWEVER, IF FOR SOME REASON YOUR A DIE HARD FO FAN WHO ONLY PLAYS FO GAMES, THIS ISN'T FO. THIS IS RR.

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[Ram8113]

Hmm... I can't seem to log into steam. If you wouldn't mind, I'd appreciate if you'd repost this in that topic Purple. Thanks in advance.