Saturday, April 14, 2012

Didn't Fill My Need For Speed

Gameplay - 7/10
Storyline - 4/10
Graphics - 7/10
Game Score : 18/30

So having played Ridge Racer on the PSP back in the day upon hearing about this game being developed I was a happy man looking forward to see what they could do years later with more technology available. As with most things in life however, once you start expecting things you are usually disappointed. I mean like seriously who would see this and not think its an awesome game?



See what I mean? All in all the game looks pretty nice I must admit in that regard they did well but fell horribly short on the story-line and multiplayer aspect of the game. If I had to describe this racing game in comparison to any others I would say it is like the love child of Split Second and Burnout.  Ridge Racer Unbounded is a racing video game for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Part of the long-running Ridge Racer franchise, the game is published by Namco Bandai Games and developed by Bugbear Entertainment. Unbounded is the first game in the series (not including R: Racing Evolution) to receive a "Teen" rating by the ESRB.




Even though the game seems like a worthwhile investment its lacks the motivation of a good story to keep you wanting to play more. While the game sports excellent graphics and a driving response that is nothing short of superb (outside of drifting mind you) I found myself not wanting to continue playing from lack of motivation. Yeah the point based unlock rewards system in the game is a nice and welcome touch but its just not enough. In my quest for a deeper reason to play this game I ventured into the other features of the game such as the online racing world and sad to say it was also not compelling enough to keep me playing.


New features in the game include a mode to design your own city and race events and then take it online to share with the world. Honestly I feel this is where most of the game development and emphasis went cause the other modes seem lacking in comparison. Whoever the target audience is that this mode appeals to, it will keep them occupied for hours on end and hopefully distract them from the other areas that needed more polish and focus. A power meter has been added as well doubling as a boost meter in certain other race events as well; this is used to activate a speed boost as well as do damage to close by players or destroying environmental objects to find and create shortcuts. Many fans of the series feel that this strays from the core mechanics of the series that the know and love; seemingly borrowing these game mechanics from games like Split Second and Burnout. Feel free to check it out if your looking for a driving game to pass some time with but I wouldn't recommend spending money to buy this unless its used or on sale...




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