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  • December 17, 2011

Ridge Racer

What could be isn't in this portable Ridge Racer, and what is should be in a better game.
Ridge Racer Game Cover
74%Game Brain Score
graphics, music
gameplay, story
75% User Score Based on 83 reviews
Critic Score 61%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

PlayStationPlaystation Vita
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Ridge Racer Game Cover

About

Ridge Racer is a single player and multiplayer racing game. It was developed by Xeen and was released on December 17, 2011. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

PS Vita installment in Namco's long-running racing series. The launch title for the platform offers single race, world tour, multiplayer and options.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Ridge Racer screenshot
Ridge Racer screenshot
Ridge Racer screenshot
Ridge Racer screenshot
Skip User Reviews

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 83 reviews
graphics23 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • Ridge Racer 7 features stunning graphics and runs at 1080p and 60 frames per second, providing a visually impressive racing experience.
  • The game offers a fun and engaging arcade-style racing experience with a focus on drifting mechanics and nitrous boosts, making it accessible for casual players.
  • Customization options for cars and the introduction of slipstreaming add depth to the gameplay, allowing players to enhance their racing strategies.
  • The AI can be frustratingly perfect, often recovering quickly from collisions, which can lead to a sense of unfairness in tight races.
  • Many players find the drifting mechanics difficult to master, leading to a steep learning curve that may deter newcomers to the series.
  • The game lacks a variety of tracks, with many courses feeling repetitive, which can diminish the overall racing experience.
  • graphics
    34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of Ridge Racer 7 are generally praised for their stunning visuals and high detail, especially considering it was a launch title for the PS3. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to showcase impressive graphical quality, with crisp textures and beautiful scenery, although some note that the graphics can feel primitive by modern standards. While the visuals are appealing, opinions vary on their effectiveness in enhancing the overall gameplay experience, with some players finding the graphics overshadowed by gameplay limitations.

    • “The graphics are simply stunning. What's really amazing is the fact that Ridge Racer 7 was a PS3 launch title, which means it came out in or around 2006, and it still would give most newer titles on the PS3 a run for their money.”
    • “Graphically, the game is superb, with highly detailed cars and beautiful scenery.”
    • “The visuals are crisp and clean and still look very good to this day thanks to their excellent design.”
    • “The graphics on the game are really bad.”
    • “For a PS3 game, the graphics are terrible.”
    • “Poor graphics and unconventional arcade driving = poor game.”
  • gameplay
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Ridge Racer 7 is centered around high-speed circuit racing with an emphasis on drift mechanics, offering a unique and exhilarating experience that requires time to master. While many players find the drift handling enjoyable and the game visually stunning, some criticize the gameplay as either exaggerated or lacking excitement, leading to mixed opinions on its overall engagement. Overall, it presents a distinct racing style that may not appeal to everyone, particularly those seeking a more straightforward racing experience.

    • “Developed and published by Namco Bandai Games, this seventh installment in the Ridge Racer series delivers heart-pounding action, drift mechanics, and a nitrous-fueled rush.”
    • “Gameplay: drift like a pro: the core gameplay revolves around high-speed circuit racing with a focus on drift handling.”
    • “I honestly have a great time with 'RR7' and enjoy it immensely. It is its own animal and there really is not another racing title to compare it to. It is very unique with its own style and driving mechanics that, to be fair, do take some time to get used to.”
    • “The in-game experience is very poor, and I felt that the gameplay was always either exaggerated or boring.”
    • “The graphics are great, the cars and tracks look awesome, but the gameplay is boring.”
    • “So gameplay is problematic.”
  • music
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is characterized by a techno and dance soundtrack that many players find engaging and fitting for the racing experience, though some feel the selection of tracks is limited. While opinions vary, with some players enjoying the high-energy beats and others finding the music less appealing, the option to turn it off is appreciated. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the game's atmosphere, but a broader variety of tracks could have improved the experience further.

    • “This game has a moving dance soundtrack that will have you wanting to move faster.”
    • “The music is just as fantastic with a high caliber dance soundtrack perfect for this type of game.”
    • “Ridge Racer 7 has realistic looking graphics, great music, fun controls (albeit with a moderate learning curve), and a good sense of speed.”
    • “Not enough tracks to play :( it could've been way better with the music though.”
    • “I wasn't personally fond of the music, but they do have an option to turn it off.”
    • “Pros: fast paced racing game; futuristic cars and nice graphics; drifting is fun cons: sound and music make your ears bleed; physics engine resembles the '90's; winning races is almost impossible overall this is a good buy for someone who likes to see how much the ps3 can do but the game experience is a bit letdown when you have titles like prostreet, dirt or even carbon.”
  • story
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is criticized for being overly lengthy and intrusive, detracting from the racing experience, with some players expressing a desire for a more engaging story mode reminiscent of previous titles like RRT4. Additionally, the lack of a compelling narrative compared to other racing games, such as the NFS series, leaves players feeling unsatisfied.

    • “The game has a very long storyline that adds depth to the experience, even if it can be frustrating when you're just wanting to race.”
    • “I miss the story mode from RRT4; as campy as it was, it provided a unique charm, especially since I'm not interested in online competition.”
    • “The game itself has a very long storyline, and it's kind of frustrating when you're just wanting to race and the characters on the screen won't go away.”
    • “I miss the story mode from RRT4; as campy as it was, especially since I'm not interested in online competition.”
    • “In addition, there is no story, unlike the NFS series.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players appreciate the ability to customize their vehicles for improved performance and handling, particularly highlighting the importance of nitrous boosts in enhancing gameplay.

    • “Tweak your ride to enhance performance, handling, and that all-important nitrous boost.”
    • “The optimization options are extensive, allowing for a truly personalized driving experience.”
    • “I love how I can fine-tune every aspect of my vehicle to match my racing style.”
    • “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, making it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”
    • “I experienced frequent frame drops and stuttering, which ruined the overall experience.”
    • “Despite having a powerful PC, the game still struggles with optimization, leading to long loading times and lag.”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users generally find the replayability of the game to be good, highlighting the impressive graphics and fluidity, which contribute to an enjoyable experience that encourages multiple playthroughs.

    • “The graphics are good, very good actually, and the replay value is high.”
    • “Very fluid graphics, best drift effects, and excellent replay value.”
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61%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews
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Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Ridge Racer is a racing game.

Ridge Racer is available on PlayStation and PlayStation Vita.

Ridge Racer was released on December 17, 2011.

Ridge Racer was developed by Xeen.

Ridge Racer has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its gameplay.

Ridge Racer is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Grid 2, Ridge Racer Unbounded, Super Woden GP 2, Inertial Drift, GRID Legends and others.