R: Racing Evolution

Namco are no strangers to the racing scene (when they're not busy refusing to localize the latest Tales game) so when they decided to bring us more high speed fun in the form of R:Racing then it is natural to expect great things.

This game appears to opt for a more arcade style of racing than the serious exterior would let on. There's no massive consequence for scraping along the barriers other than the expected drop in speed, powersliding around corners is highly encouraged in places and nothing is really stopping you from trying to bash rivals off the road in revenge for getting passed earlier. That isn't to say you can just keep the accelerator floored at all times though. Getting the car around the corners still requires good use of the brakes and approaching at the right speed to avoid hitting the grass/gravel/whatever else might be lining the trackside. However, it's a game that doesn't ruin races just because you overcooked that last turn and that is something...

THE GOOD:
The music was great. Its a fun game but not for serious gamers. My girlfriend enjoys it because it's easy and fun. Another thing I liked was the viberation effects on the pads which made the rally tracks much more realistic...but my wrist was in pain afterwards.

THE BAD:
Doesn't measure up to other racing games. It would be perfect for ages of 9-15...maybe females who don't usually play such games. Real life is about two girl racers.

SUMMARY:
You only have two choices of camera angle. Forget about fast forwarding or slow mo on the replay. The graphics where....uncomfortable...and confusing. The crowd, barriers, and other things added so much dilution that could do the race properly. Maybe that had to do with the lack of camera angles. If I knew what the game was like, I wouldn't have bought it.