Game Review: Bishi Bashi Special

Game: Bishi Bashi Special
Console: Sony Playstation
Developer: Konami
Release Date: 7th July 2000

As a lover of minigame collections such as WarioWare, Tant R, Rhythm Heaven, and Project Rub, I had been waiting quite a while to get my hands on this particular title. I'd played the arcade cabinet "The Bishi Bashi" and beaten it in spectacular style, and needed even more of the madcap Japanese minigame collection that is Bishi Bashi Special. Contained on this disc are Super Bishi Bashi and Hyper Bishi Bashi, both featuring a large amount of minigames (some of which overlap between the games), single and two player party modes, and fast paced entertainment.

It's interesting to note that the first title in the Warioware series wasn't released until three years after this game, which features a few similar minigames and concept which is almost identical. With that said, the Warioware series managed to add a level of polish and consistency to its gameplay which Bishi Bashi Special lacks, though it's not at all difficult to pick up and play as a party game.

Most of the minigames are based on either; knowing the buttons of the playstation controller well and being able to match up the colour onscreen to a button press, pressing buttons as fast a possible, or movement. There are a few minigames which seem like duds, compared to the fun of the rest of the collection but overall there's an impressive amount of content and fun to be had. The off-the-wall style of the game as a whole also helps to entertain.

Playing with friends also improves the experience as any difficulty in playing the minigames will apply to all human players rather than giving players a handicap in single player mode, against the computer. Bishi Bashi special seems to be an important step in revitalising minigame collections as a genre with only Mario party being particularly consistent in the fifth generation era.

With bright cartoon style graphics to match the fast paced action in the games, and music to go alongside it all, Bishi Bashi Special almost encapsulates the spirit of minigame collections as a whole. The quirky tasks presented in the minigames almost definitely inspired those of Warioware, directly or indirectly, and subsequently many other minigame collections that've been released in the years inbetween.

Overall Bishi Bashi Special is a well presented game, which reminded me a little of Incredible Crisis, another excellent game which was a little less polished overall, with just as much Japanese madness. With a minigame collection, the important thing is that the games themselves play well and have a consistent, but varied feel, and this is achieved for sure.

Rating: 87/100
Grade: B

Rally Masterpost

Rally games have always been somewhat of a bittersweet experience for me; the delight and thrill of fast paced driving in tough conditions mixed with the difficulty and challenge of fast paced driving in tough conditions. From the first simple games to detailed and complex simulations, rally games have progressed greatly over the years, and it's time to look at a few selected entries;

Game: V-Rally

Console: Sony Playstation

Developer: Eden Studios

Release Date: 30th September 1997

Rally games didn't have a particularly graceful start to life; 2D games were a poor representation of the sport, and the first 3D games weren't really much better, most with substandard graphics, handling or both. V-Rally offers a small selection of cars and a slightly larger selection of rallies loosely based around the 1997 schedule. There's Arcade, Championship and Time Trial modes to choose from, but the two main modes are very similar in layout. 

Surprisingly, unlike many later rally games, V-Rally has multiple cars on track at the same time rather than time trial-esque stages. Both Arcade and Championship modes also feature a checkpoint timer which can run out and disqualify players from the race. Because of this, the game feels far more like rally-themed Need for Speed game than a full rally game, however championships tend to be contested far more closely than in later rally games.  

The handling in the game is arcade style, and most corners can be taken with minimal braking. This is just as well, as when cars begin to slide they're much more likely to oversteer and end up costing players time. Any hint of contact with the sides of the course with also deal a blow to any hopes of winning, as players will careen off in a random direction. That said, with a little practice, it can be pretty fun, and given gentle steering inputs most of the cars will behave. 

The fact that rallies are contested over a number of laps rather than in a sprint style is a little disappointing, though the variety of locations and rallies to compete in are fairly plentiful. Unfortunately replayability is somewhat of an issue, with only the main mode offering a particularly deep racing experience. 

Graphically the game looks pretty good with a decent selection of recognisible cars, branding and some varied locations. While there's not much in the way of backgrounds, the side of track obstacles are plentiful. In terms of sound there's some generic rock music behind most of the racing action, and the engine sounds can be a little lacklustre. 

Overall V-Rally is a fun little arcade rally racer which doesn't attempt too much realism but instead attempts to bring the sport to the masses. In many respects it works well, especially for the era, but the handling can be a little fiddly at times, and the game overall feels constrained and without too much content to engage its players with.

Rating: 62/100

Grade: C

Here I'd like to mention a game I've already reviewed for this blog: Sega Rally Championship 2. I've not yet found an arcade rally game that beats it's excellent handling, graphics and sound, so it's well worth taking a look at.

Game: V-Rally 2: Expert Edition

Console: Sega Dreamcast

Developer: Eden Studios

Release Date: 2nd July 2000

While a sequel to V-Rally was released on the Playstation, I've turned to the upgraded and honestly better looking Dreamcast version to review. The game takes a more serious approach in it's Championship Mode, allowing players to compete in time trial based sprint stages, as in real rallies, while keeping the multi-car option in its arcade mode. The game also features a track editor which is fairly customisable with enough options for players to feel they've created their own stage. 

The overall handling in the game is looser than the first title and it's entirely possible to win rally stages without even using the brakes. Championship mode feels somewhat too easy, despite showcasing some enjoyable stages and a good selection of cars. With the Dreamcast controller's triggers it'd have been good to have at least some braking feature in the handling of the cars. The damage fixing between stages is nicely presented and easily laid out, and usually isn't so extreme that it causes issues with winning stages.

Graphically the game looks great, the cars and stages are all far clearer than in the Playstation original and there's a greater sense of speed and excitement whilst rallying. Depending on the stage being played there's epic orchestral music, electronic tracks or generally atmospheric accompaniment to racing. These serve to continue the game's arcade feel and keep the excitement high throughout the game's stages. 

Overall V-Rally 2: Expert Edition is an improvement on the first game in the series, but it doesn't do enough to leave an impression as a bona fide rallying classic. Instead it features somewhat loose handling and easy AI which can dampen the challenge and leave players feeling somewhat unfulfilled. When it's easy to win a rally despite flipping the car 3 times, you know you're not in the professional leagues.

Rating: 64/100

Grade: C

Game: Colin McRae Rally 2.0

Console: Sony Playstation

Developer: Codemasters

Release Date: 5th December 2000

Released around a week after the Playstation 2's launch, Colin McRae Rally 2.0 proved that the original Playstation still had life in it yet by bringing an incredibly tight and enjoyable rally game to the ageing console. The game is presented in a very serious simulation style, allowing players to tune their cars for each set of stages, allocate repair time inbetween and most of all being unforgiving with it's AI times for players to beat, which forces practice in order to beat the game.

The game handles incredibly well for a Playstation driving game and is certainly one of the most realistic I've played. There's dualshock support as well as being able to use the analog sticks, and the rally schedule and selection of cars is top notch. Also impressive is the UI of the game which is styled much the same as the title screen shot above, each section is outlined at the top of the screen and players work their way through. 

Graphically the game isn't much to look at, with blocky but recognisable textures for cars and locations. This seems to matter very little, however as the gameplay is more than enough to keep players hooked. With an arcade mode featuring less serious handling and more cars on the track at once, there's also plenty to do within the game.

Overall Colin McRae Rally 2.0 seems to have been one of the first rally games to almost do everything right within the genre. There's fun, competition, the toughness of rallying and recognisable locations and cars all bundled within the game. While arcade rally titles might quench player's thirst for an evening, this game sets out to do so once and for all.

Rating: 80/100

Grade: B

Game: Paris Dakar Rally

Console: Sony Playstation 2

Developer: Acclaim

Release Date: 9th October 2001

Based on the real life Paris-Dakar Rally, this Playstation 2 game attempted to simulate the epic journey from France all the way down into Africa, over thousands of miles. Unfortunately for something of such grand scale, a slightly bigger budget was needed. While the race's length is well represented (it's 8 stages before players get out of Senegal), the route appears to be backwards and everything looks pretty much the same. 

The handling in the game is harsh oversteer with tiny adjustments needing to be made to stay on course. The co-driver is always late with his pace notes, if they come at all which doesn't help matters, and even with a good performance, players are only likely to be in the top 100 competitors of their class. There's a choice between cars, buggies, motorcycles and off road vehicles, each of which have their own issues, and can break down, requiring repairs (of which players have a limited number).

Graphically the game is perfectly acceptable though the endless swathes of desert can't be too difficult for the Playstation 2 to render. There's never really anything particularly interesting in the stages, despite passing through several countries and areas with differing landscapes. The music is fitting for the setting but perhaps not one of the most dangerous rally raid races on Earth. 

Overall Paris-Dakar Rally reminds me a little of the Gumball 3000 game which was released around this era too. A licensed race almost impossible to capture in its magnitude, half heartedly converted to a Playstation 2 game and sold on the excitement of the real race. Unfortunately you'll have to go and compete in the actual rally to truly feel exhilarated. 

Rating: 57/100

Grade: D

Game: GTC Africa

Console: Sony Playstation 2

Developer: Rage Software

Release Date: 14th June 2002

GTC Africa is a strange hybird of racing game styles; of course it has the dirt and off road elements of a rally game, though it's a little more like Paris-Dakar Rally than the licensed World Rally Championship games, in that the courses tend to be fairly random in their terrain combinations and route. There's also an element of Burnout and Ridge Racer in the arcade-ness of it's lap based gameplay and sliding handling. 

The two main modes of the game are its championship mode, taking players all over Africa to race and compete against 5 other cars, for teams, and challenge mode which features overtaking, time trial and speed challenges on courses around Africa. The game has a fair amount of content though it's unlikely players will ever take the time to replay it once it's been experienced once, thanks to the fairly average handling and almost budget feel to the overall game. 

Graphically the game seems washed out and generally undetailed, despite decent car models. There's a fair amount of choice in terms of cars, but nothing close to the later WRC games. Musically the game definitely feels like an arcade style title with electronic music accompanying racing; the kind where you can usually only hear the drum beat whilst racing. 

Overall  GTC Africa can be fun, but feels a little short on content to be a fully enjoyable game. Once the main race series have been won, the challenges may keep players entertained for a while, but there's little else to do in the game. It's the kind of experience that's perhaps worth playing once, just to see what it's like before never coming back to it.

Rating: 60/100

Grade: D

Game: WRC 3

Console: Sony Playstation 2

Developer: Evolution Studios

Release Date: 21st November 2003

WRC 3 is an arcade style rally game, licensed to include the cars and drivers of the FIA World Rally Championship and all of its stages. With very loose handling it's fairly easy to pick up, even for rally novices and its range of difficulty levels ensures that more experienced players can adjust the times needed to win rally stages. The novice difficulty is almost too easy, with an average 15 second lead per stage for an average performance. It can be hard to claw back time lost to a bad start, but once players gain the lead, it's difficult to lose also. It's almost like players become set in their positions unless they can do something particularly good or bad. 

The stages handle very individually and snow feels different to mud, which in turn feels different to tarmac. There's help on how to set up the car with engineer recommendations, and the game feels a lot less technical than Colin McRae Rally 2.0 which isn't necessarily a good or bad thing, but helps players to get into the game quicker; I was able to race the first four rallies of championship mode and finish 1st in three of them, and 2nd in the other, without any previous experience of the game. Perhaps this is too easy, but it's great for instant enjoyability and playability, especially when there's a little fight from the AI times. 

While the graphics are somewhat basic in terms of what the ps2 was capable of, the cars and locations are at least recognisable and varied, with simple backgrounds. Because of all the fast paced rally action going on, there's not a lot of time to ponder of the game's graphical flaws. One strange and unexplained decision by the developers was turning the rally pacenotes on their head. A right 1 is usually a very tight turn, but in this game it's not at all, which takes some getting used to if you've played any other rally games or are aware of the pacenotes system. The sound is pretty good other than this, though I didn't notice too much in the way of music behind stages, perhaps due to the intense action.

Overall WRC 3 presents an arcade style rally experience that offers fun over simulation, not that the two are mutually exclusive, but it's easy to pick up, won't punish players too hard for the occasional crash, and can be made more difficult timingwise if needed. For a quick burst of rally pleasure this is definitely a top contender. 

Rating: 73/100

Grade: C

Game: Colin McRae Rally 2005

Console: Sony Playstation 2

Developer: Codemasters

Release Date: 22nd September 2004

Colin McRae Rally 2005 is an interesting rally game, which received overwhelmingly positive praise on release. It seems to be less simulation focused than Colin McRae 2.0 in terms of controls and punishing players timewise, but there's still a larger degree of realism than in the WRC games, for instance. Damage is fairly realistic and can hinder players performance in a stage if certain parts of the car are too badly broken. Players must also consider the time it takes to fix their car after damage has been taken, between stages.

Players have a choice between championship and time trial mode, there was an online element to the game, but clearly the PS2 servers have been shut down by now. This means there's not a a whole lot for players to do within the game, outside of completing stages in each rally. The handling is a little loose for my liking, and the car tends to slide a lot with its momentum, which can make it difficult to maintain a quick time across a stage. One aspect of the game I enjoyed was the ability to use L2 and R2 as a brake and accelerator. 

Graphically the game looks great, this is the first game of the review where I can truly say the locations are uniquely recognisible, and enjoyable to take in whilst rallying. The cars are well presented though there's only a small selection to start with until players work their way up through career mode. Soundwise the game is as good as any other rally game, the co-driver presents the pace notes well, and the engines sound somewhat realistic. 

Overall I enjoyed Colin McRae Rally 2005 less than WRC 3 because it was harder to pick up and penalised me more for not being good at the game from the start. If I was to spend a lot of time with one of the two games though, I'd probably pick this as I could get better at it and start to make up the gap between myself and the AI, rather than crushing them from the outset. 

Rating: 77/100

Grade: B

Game: WRC: Rally Evolved

Console: Sony Playstation 2

Developer: Evolution Studios

Release Date: 28th October 2005

Sometimes with games, there's a real sense of wasted potential; WRC Rally Evolved is a perfect example of such times. Despite featuring a wide range of cars, including Super 1600s, historic rally cars, extreme rally cars and the full lineup of the World Rally Championship, the racing action lets the game down in that there's little sense of speed, a shaking camera effect whenever the car goes particularly fast, very little braking control unless players opt to let the computer do it for them, which takes all the fun out of the game, and is the default setting when the game begins. 

 The rally schedule and locations featured in the game are generally good though there's little sense of differentiation between the countries, save for the type of surface being raced on. The courses themselves are pretty short, in comparison to other rally games, and the overall difficulty level tends to be fairly easy once players learn to contend with the handling. There's definitely some fun to be had, but the issues with the sense of speed, braking and harsh corners do take away from the overall experience.

Graphically the game looks nice at a glance whilst racing, but any further inspection will uncover some sickening motion blur, camera shake, and generally low quality trees, surfaces, water and other track elements. Soundwise the game is generally good, though there's some odd co-driver speech choices. Hardly anything that's said beside the pace notes sounds natural, with random grunts of joy being by far the strangest thing to hear at the end of a rally. 

Overall WRC: Rally Evolved had some good ideas, and doesn't play horrendously as a rally game. The issue with it seems to be that players never seem to be fully given the reigns to have an edge-of-seat experience. All driving aids including assisted braking are turned on by default at the start, and added to the slow feel of driving in the game, everything's just a little bit too safe. The inclusion of Rallycross is a good one though it only seems to work like a single race arcade mode.

Rating: 62/100

Grade: C

Game: Colin McRae DiRT

Console: Sony Playstation 3

Developer: Codemasters

Release Date: 11th September 2007

Colin McRae DiRT is an early PS3 game which looks at many different types of dirt and rally racing. Players progress from basic 1 race dirt racing championships to more complex and difficult races in the game's main career mode. There's a big mix of many disciplines which means that players tend to only scratch the surface of all of the types of races available. In championship mode, players play through rally-esque setups of tracks in the game, and the Rally World mode lets players make their own customised races and championships. 

The game handles fairly loosely for a rally game, but not so much so that I'd say it had arcade handling. Some braking is needed around tougher corners, but the game doesn't often punish its players for small mistakes. The AI featured in the game is pretty easy; there's a choice of 5 difficulty levels and only the top two are a challenge of any sort. Most of the racing featured is time based, with only a few multicar racing types. 

Graphically the game looks great for such an early PS3 release and the lighting and locations looks great. There's not a great amount of tracks due to there being so many different disciplines of racing, but the car selection is fairly impressive. Soundwise the game is a little bland, opting for simply the engine noise rather than any BGM, with the menus narrated by Travis Pastrana, a famous racer. 

Overall Colin McRae DiRT has a good spread of racing types, and easy to pick up handling and control across all of its cars. While it's fun to try out so many different types of races, some of the depth is lost, as many championships are single races, and there's so much swapping that there's hardly time to get set in any of the types of racing available. 

Rating: 79/100

Grade: B

Game: Sega Rally

Console: Sony Playstation 3 

Developer: Sega

Release Date: 28th September 2007

The fourth instalment in the Sega Rally series, this Playstation 3 title is an interesting mix of licensed cars and arcade rally action. Going back to the 6 cars on track arcade racing formula of the original V-Rally, it features a Championship mode with 3 classes, each with three sets of three races to compete in, with a final race at the end of each class. Gaining points for finishing the race in a high position will also unlock new cars and championships, and gives players a good reason to continue with the game. 

The racing action itself is fast paced and incredibly arcade orientated, with low difficulty overall and plenty of chances to correct mistakes made around the tracks. The emphasis in the game seems to be on fun, with very little braking required at all, and drifty handling around many of the tighter corners in the game. With some basic throttle management its possible to get around most corners, and the tracks themselves never become too technical. There's a great selection of rally cars, although some of the most exciting ones require unlocking, 

Graphically the game is pretty impressive, and brightly coloured but lacks individuality which set other Sega Rally titles apart. The locations are interesting enough, though their generic naming and themes could put some players off. Personally I find that there are many similar stages in simulation rally games, which could be boiled down to 'Ice', 'Dirt', 'Mud' etc. and so it's not that big of a deal. In terms of sound, the music is more epic in scope than the relaxed music of previous instalments, but it still retains an arcade feel to the experience. 

Overall Sega Rally is a lot of fun, providing replayability and easy to pick up arcade style action to its players. Though it's definitely not for simulation rally fans, it'd be a good game to play for a week or two in short bursts. The championship mode might get a little repetitive towards the end of the game, but its three race series keep interest focused on the current race well, and the unlockables are incentive enough to keep going.

Rating: 77/100

Grade: B

Game: WRC: FIA World Rally Championship

Console: Sony Playstation 3

Developer: Blackbean Games

Release Date: 8th October 2010

Bringing a far more simulation focused style to rally gaming than Sega Rally, WRC: FIA World Rally Championship seems to cater for the "realistic, but not entirely simulation" crowd of gamers. This means it's fairly easy to pick up, once players get to grips with the general handling of the game, The more powerful cars that feature in the game still feel like beasts to be tamed, but the Super 1600 and R2/R3 cars allow beginners to gain some rallying experience before being thrown in at the deep end. 

The Special Stages featured in the game are grouped by difficulty, and so players will find themselves on the same few stages throughout the first few levels of "Road to WRC" mode, with new stages being introduced very slowly into the rotation. If you've got the patience, then the main mode can be a very rewarding and complete experience, where there's the chance to drive almost every game the car has to offer, and feel a real sense of progression, but it's far longer than working your way through the official WRC calendar. 

There's a decent range of cars available in the game, with a Group B rally car DLC pack, but with more races than cars in career mode, players are sure to get at least a taste of most vehicles in the game. The handling differences between cars are noticeable and help to keep the game interesting as players progress and race on many of the same special stages. The range of locations is good, but the more difficult snow and ice tracks tend to be locked away for later in the game. 

The driving and competition overall feels exciting with a good sense of speed, competitive AI times, and a mix of time and points based racing. Career mode operates on a goals system where players must achieve certain targets within the race series they enter to earn money, unlock new races and progress. The early parts of career mode aren't particularly challenging, and so can be a bit of a grind to start with.

Graphically the game looks good with varied locations and well modelled cars. Sometimes the draw distance is such that you'll notice a tree popping into existence in the distance, and the lighting and texture engines noticeably load at the beginning of races, but if you can overlook this, and are concentrated on rallying it's more than acceptable. Soundwise the game is generally good, though occasionally the pace notes are a little misleading, with the co-driver sometimes opting to shout "Danger!" instead of an actual warning as to what's ahead. The game also suffers from the same issue as WRC Rally Evolved where the co-driver makes sarcastic or negative comments which break from the realism of the game. 

Overall WRC: FIA World Rally Championship is a lot of fun if you're looking for a somewhat serious stage based rally game with a deep career mode, and progression through to the FIA World Rally Championship from the junior leagues of rallying. It's got a good selection of cars and special stages, and the handling is enjoyable and easy to pick up after a few tries. The only real downsides are that the game is slow to get going in it's career mode, and ends up repeating many of the same stages because of their low difficulty, where a range of stages would have been more enjoyable.

Rating: 83/100

Grade: B

Game: WRC: FIA World Rally Championship
Console: Nintendo 3DS
Developer: Firebrand Games
Release Date: 15th January 2015

You might expect the Official FIA World Rally Championship game on 3DS to be a quality experience, with licensed cars and drivers, as well as a large selection of rally stages, spanning 12 countries. The initial menu however lets players know what they're in for, with just 3 modes, Season, Quick Race and Super Stages. Players progress through season mode by winning stages, or scoring enough points over the four stages of a rally to have 80 in total. If this isn't achieved then any stage can be replayed to get more points.

At the start of the game, just one car and driver combination is unlocked, with additional drivers unlocked with speed points, based on the players driving. The super stages featured in their own mode are also unlocked with these speed points. During a race, players can rewind time to correct their mistakes, and have unlimited restarts available to them. With this, and the easy-ish difficulty level, it's almost impossible not to win stages eventually.

The driving featured in the game is very simplistic and it's difficult to pull off any complex rally moves that real drivers might actually use such as slight drifts or using the handbrake for incredibly tight turns. Another issue is that sometimes the obstacles at the side of the road will allow players to pass through them without issue, while other obstacles will results in a flip or catastrophic crash, resulting in the need to rewind.

The off-track detection too is a little off; sometimes the slightest deviation will result in a reset, but at other times players can be driving miles off the course without any consequence. There are three checkpoints to each rally stage, and in general the races don't last very long. Somehow most tracks still manage to be somewhat boring though; there's really not much variety or memorable moments on any stage.

Graphically the game is pretty poor; from a distance it doesn't look particularly bad, but any kind of close-up inspection will reveal that the cars aren't much better than original Playstation renderings. The course detail is fairly low also with nothing in the distance, and generally boring landscapes on show. Soundwise the game is even worse with literally just engine noise to accompany the game; no co-driver, no music options, just engine noise.

Overall the official WRC game for 3DS is an incredibly low effort release, with no thought given to the amount of content available in the game, unlockables, replayability, music or gameplay. Because of this, only a small amount of enjoyment, if any can be gained from playing, and fans of rallying will be sorely disappointed.

Rating: 51/100
Grade: D

Below is a summary of all the games in this review;

WRC FIA World Rally Championship	PS3				B	83.25
Colin McRae Rally 2.0	PS				B	80.01
Colin McRae DiRT	PS3				B	79.75
Colin McRae Rally 2005	PS2				B	77.45
Sega Rally	PS3				B	77.35
WRC 3	PS2				C	73.62
V-Rally 2	DC				C	64.85
V-Rally	PS				C	62.18
WRC Rally Evolved	PS2				C	62.07
GTC Africa	PS2				D	60.32
Paris-Dakar Rally	PS2				D	57.60
WRC: FIA World Rally Championship	3DS				D	51.10

While it's obvious that there are many approaches to making a rally video game, the key factors seem to be the depth of the career mode, the ease of handling and a pinch of realism whether in licensing or physics. Arcade and simulation rally games both have the potential to be fun and engaging in different ways, but the amount of effort put in by the developers usually determines how well each game will play. It's interesting to note that two games with the same title were top and bottom of these rankings, but the differences between the two were strikingly obvious.

Game Review: Le Mans 24 Hours

Game: Le Mans 24 Hours
Console: Sony Playstation
Developer: Eutechnyx
Release Date: 24th May 2002

As a fan of racing games which feature real tracks and race series, Le Mans 24 Hours is an interesting game for me. With a version of Circuit de la Sarthe, Donington Park, Suzuka Circuit and Circuit de Catalunya as well as smaller circuits based on sections of the Sarthe circuit, there's a lot of real world references. The teams featured in the game are also real life teams which competed in the 1990s Le Mans 24 Hour races. One of the most interesting aspects of the game is the option to play a literal 24 hour race, with saving available in the pits. Of course there are 2 hour, 24 minute and 12 minute options available for those who lack spare time.

Arcade and Championship modes provide additional excitement with good performance unlocking cars and harder series. There's quite a lot of content in the game for such a focused initial concept. The racing action feels surprisingly tight for a Playstation release; there's the possibility of spinning out if things get too crazy, but on the whole the cars grip the track nicely and the game straddles the line between simulation and arcade racing. Sometimes unintentional collisions with AI cars can ruin races, but this doesn't happen so often that it impacts the fun of the game.

Graphically the game is somewhat basic; whilst racing the scenery appears to be somewhat of a blur, and it can be a little confusing on turn-heavy tracks, to figure out where corners are heading. Overall though, the visuals are acceptable for the original Playstation, despite being a very late game for the console. Musically there's very little going on behind races, usually all that can be heard above the engine roar is some drumming. Tiff Needell provides commentary on the race, which is fun until you've heard his lines 10 times each.

Overall Le Mans 24 Hours is a very competent game which features the best of the Le Mans 24 hour race, it's teams and cars. The additional tracks and series compliment the game nicely and give players more to explore than just "the big race". This is definitely a title that's worth a try if you're a racing fan, and if you've got a spare 24 hours, then why not go the whole way and claim the ultimate victory?

Watch Nay and Adam from Team Bombersports take on the Le Mans 2.4 hour race!

Rating: 74/100
Grade: B

Series Review: Ridge Racer

Ridge Racer is an arcade racing game which focuses on drifting around corners to win races. There are other elements introduced in other games in the series, but this is the main idea of the series. I don't own the original Ridge Racer for Playstation and there are a few other gaps in the chronology but I'll be exploring all the instalments that I own. While most of the early series was exclusive to Playstation there have been games for the Nintendo 64, Xbox 360, and 3DS.

Game: Ridge Racer Revolution
Console: Sony Playstation
Developer: Namco
Release Date: 3rd December 1995

While games in 1995 weren't as complex and replayable as they are today, Ridge Racer Revolution immediately presents an issue in terms of the amount there is to do. Players can choose from 3 tracks, in 3 modes, with a selection of 4 cars initially. While there are reversed versions of each track, and some more cars can be unlocked later, one race on each track in Race Mode is the entirety of the main gameplay. After winning a race, the Game Over screen appears and the game starts again, expecting players to clear each of the races and time trial mode, before it's literally 100% complete.

This is a shockingly small amount of content to offer players, and coming from later games like Ridge Racer Type 4 (which was still on the original Playstation), it's very disappointing. The racing action too is less enjoyable with horrible collision physics causing players to lose a lot of speed from hitting other cars or barriers even slightly. Drifting also seems to be less effective with very few points where it doesn't slow players down more than cornering normally.

Graphically the game could be a lot better though it's not bad for its time; cars and environments look very blocky and in faster sections there can be quite a lot of flicker. The sounds of the game are one of its worst points; while the music is reminiscent of the Prodigy's first album with a lot of dance style tunes, the voice over is far too present in giving feedback like "Ha ha, you're too slow" or "Come on, you've got to speed up!" when players are doing just fine in catching their opponents.

Even as a fan of the Ridge Racer series, Revolution is especially weak in terms of content, gameplay, sound and appearance. There's no area in which it excels and it can only really be excused in terms of being an early Playstation title. Other than this it offers literally minutes of fun for players, very little replayability and a yearning for the series to move on to a later format like that of Type 4.

Rating: 46/100
Grade: D

Game: Rage Racer
Console: Sony Playstation
Developer: Namco
Release Date: 30th April 1997

Rage Racer is perhaps the strangest instalment in the entire Ridge Racer series. For a start it's name is different to that of the rest of the series, and gave me the impression that it was some sort of parody/budget rip off for a while. Secondly the driving style is far more series and drifts are almost useless except for on the sharpest of turns, and lastly despite a complete change of handling, the game expected players to be as fast as ever on fairly difficult and technical tracks. While the cars in the game feel far more weighty and grip heavy than in Ridge Racer Revolution, the collision engine still hasn't been fixed, and hitboxes seem larger than ever, meaning that there are plenty of collisions with other cars, and the scenery which feel odd, and result in players losing a ton of speed. A consequence of this is that the races are near impossible to win, and even when passing a car from 2nd place, the counter doesn't hit 1st (it's possible it's just a lapped car, but it happened to me more than once).

The career mode finally features more than just an arcade run through a couple of races as players earn credits for finishing in the top 3 with which they can upgrade their cars and enter higher classes of race. While this is an exciting system, it does rather assume that the game isn't massively difficult to win at even in the easiest races. Between the heavier steering and the collision physics races are more than challenging and this can be frustrating enough to put players off entirely.

Graphically the game is the best in the series yet and features far more detail in its locations and cars than previous games. There's even night/day changes as players go around tracks which are more distracting than nice, but still a remarkable feature. Musically there's the same sort of music as in Ridge Racer Revolution, with dance and techno overtones but for some reason it's more bearable alongside the less abrasive female announcer.

Overall Rage Racer doesn't fix many of the glaring issues with the games but instead adds a heap of difficulty, and a more replayable Grand Prix mode. With better visuals and sound come more potential enjoyment, but anyone who's played the final instalment of the series on the Playstation knows that Ridge Racer Type 4 is even better.

Rating: 62/100
Grade: C

I've already reviewed Ridge Racer: Type 4, find my review here!

Game: Ridge Racer V
Console: Sony Playstation 2
Developer: Namco
Release Date: 24th November 2000

Ridge Racer V was a release game for the PS2 and from the outset seems like an updated and improved version of the Ridge Racer formula. There are 5 Grand Prix, featuring different variations of 7 tracks, and 21 vehicles to drive. the vehicles are separated into Drift and Grip categories which handle differently to eachother. Personally I find the Drift cars in this instalment far too easy to spin, so Grip is the obvious choice. In terms of the main mode (and that's all there really is to do, in game except for Time Trials and Free Runs, until players have unlocked everything), players compete in Grand Prix which consist of 4 races each. Players must place at least  4th in the 1st race, 3rd in the 2nd race and so on, until they have to win the final race to pass the Grand Prix. There are some interesting tracks and scenery, but nothing like the story featured in the main mode of Type 4.

The worst thing about the game seems to be the fact that the d-pad is the only method of controlling the car's direction. The analog sticks aren't supported, which forces players to drive a little differently than normal, making the game harder to beat. The collision physics also haven't been updated too much and still can ruin a good run with the slightest collision with a car or a wall. The AI are fairly competent and usually require a good run to beat, which means the racing action featured in the game is at least competitive and interesting.

Graphically the game is the best Ridge Racer so far; unsurprising given the leap in console technology for this game. There are far worse looking launch games for the Playstation 2, and there are impressive little details featured in the game like the shadows in the glass building in the picture above. The soundtrack is a strange mix of rock music and a departure from the music featured in the series so far. A DJ talks inbetween, and over tracks whilst players are racing, but this is less distracting that some of the voice overs featured in earlier games.

Overall Ridge Racer V is a fairly shallow game, with only 5 Grand Prix, though there are some fun special races which can be unlocked. The racing action is bearable, and though it's not perfect, players should be able to have at least some fun with the game. For the first "modern" Ridge Racer game, there's some good ideas, and if there'd been another main series instalment on the Playstation 2, I'm sure it'd have cemented these ideas into a much better experience.

Rating: 63/100
Grade: C

Game: R:Racing
Console: Sony Playstation 2
Developer: Namco
Release Date: 9th December 2003

Instead of releasing another main series instalment in the Ridge Racer series, Namco decided that a spin-off game, featuring  Rena Hayami, a new character, in a story based career mode was the best way forwards. In 14 chapters of racing action, players guide Rena through many different types of racing; apparently her skills as an ambulance driver impressed a race team owner enough to give her a spot in a professional race series. The game features licensed tracks and vehicles (which is new for the series), and spans rally racing, drag racing and the Japan Grand Touring Car Championship.

The game's handling can be described as simcade; a mix between the styles featured in arcade and simulation gaming. Unlike previous Ridge Racer games, braking is necessary before corners and drifting is ineffectual, but it's still very easy to lose control with late braking, especially in some cars. There's a huge difference between the handling of cars in the game, and besides a Fiat 500, Bentley Speed 8 and Audi LMP car, most of them are fairly frustrating to drive around tracks to some degree.

Graphically the game is reminiscent of Gran Turismo, albeit at a slightly lower quality level. There are a few circuits which feature in both games, so it's an easy comparison between the two. The cars themselves look a little too featureless and shiny for what they're supposed to be, There's an interesting selection of electronic music on the soundtrack and it's more fitting for the series than the music featured in Ridge Racer V.

Overall R:Racing doesn't really know what it wants to be; spanning the line between Toca and Gran Turismo in its concept, and yet providing very fiddly and frustrating handling. For fans of the Ridge Racer series, this game features too many elements of simulation games, and much less drift-based handling, yet fans of simulation games already had Gran Turismo 3 to keep them satisfied, so I'm not quite sure what Namco were going for.

Rating: 58/100
Grade: D

Game: Ridge Racer
Console: Sony Playstation Portable
Developer: Namco
Release Date: 1st September 2005

Ridge Racer for the PSP is an example of a handheld game done right; the game features 12 tracks, with forward and reverse variants, 2 of which are from each of the original Playstation Ridge Racer titles, with a further 2 from Rave Racer, an arcade title, and the final 2 loosely based on Rave Raver tracks. This means that fans of the series should at least be familiar with some of the tracks featured in game.

The World Tour mode has 40 tours, made up of different combinations of tracks with between 2 and 6 courses per tour. with a different car classes and requirements in each tour. There's a good selection of original cars to be found and unlocked, but the real draw of the game is that the handling and drifting finally works perfectly, just like in Ridge Racer Type 4, if not even better. Drifting around corners fills the 3 nitrous bars onscreen which can be used to great effect during races to gain first place.

Graphically the game looks good on the small screen on the PSP but perhaps a little worse when it's shown in a larger resolution. While the cars are a little blocky, the tracks and other details are generally good. The collision physics of the other games remain, if a little toned down, but the improved handling makes up for it. There's a large amount of music from previous Ridge Racer games as well as some new tracks, most of which are great for racing to.

Overall Ridge Racer for PSP was undoubtedly the best game in the series at its time of release. While it lacked the story mode interest of Ridge Racer Type 4, the improvements and upgrades as well as the retrospective mood put the game in a league of it's own. If anything there's a bit too much to do, with 40 tours to clear, but dedicated players will get their money's worth.

Rating: 81/100
Grade: B

Game: Ridge Racer 2
Console: Sony Playstation Portable
Developer: Namco
Release Date: 13th October 2006

Perhaps one of the laziest sequels ever released, Ridge Racer 2 on the PSP is almost identical to the game released the previous year. Sure, there are a few more cars, and a few more tracks, perhaps even a couple more modes to play, but the career mode progression, game engine and graphics engine are exactly the same as Ridge Racer. There's literally no point owning the first game if you don't already, just skip to this one.

The handling is predictably good, just like that of the first game; drifting is easily achieved and the nitrous bars are easy to fill. The AI gets fairly tough in later Grand Prix, and the more powerful cars are more difficult to handle and drive. There's very little in terms of differences from how career mode played out in the first game, if the cars and tracks could have been released as DLC, that'd have been a far better decision.

Graphically there's no difference from the first handheld instalment on the PSP, in fact many of the cars and tracks are the same, so it's easy to tell that little to no effort has been put into improving the look of the game. The soundtrack features a mix of songs from other instalments and new songs, and is probably the most changed aspect of the entire sequel.

Overall although Ridge Racer 2 as a standalone is a perfectly good game, and probably the better of the two PSP games, it's almost offensive to gamers how little was changed between releases. For those who bought both games on release, there must have been a moment of sheer disappointment upon realising they essentially already owned the content of Ridge Racer 2. For gamers who have yet to buy either game, this is the one to go for, though.

Rating: 81/100
Grade: B

Game: Ridge Racer 3D
Console: Nintendo 3DS
Developer: Namco
Release Date: 22nd March 2011

Ridge Racer 3D was a launch title for the 3DS, mirroring the fact that Ridge Racer games had been launch titles for Playstation, Playstation 2, and 3. The only previous instalment of the series on a Nintendo console had been Ridge Racer 64. In terms of gameplay advancements, there's really not a lot of new features in the game, but the added 3D effect which the console makes use of is an interesting addition.

The handling of the game is much the same as the previous 3 instalments of the series, with good drifting and general handling featured. Grand Prix mode features a tree of possible race options, meaning that players don't have to complete every Grand Prix to get through a level. With 4 races per Grand Prix and a ton of choice though, things can get a little too repetitive with long play sessions. A new feature of this game is avatars for each racer, above their head, based on classic Namco characters.

Graphically the game isn't as sharp as the PS3 instalment, but does well with it's 3D mode as well as with the 3D turned off. The overall sense of speed is good, and the heads up display is somewhat clearer than in other games, though the avatars of other players can get in the way sometimes. Musically there's a huge selection of new and previous in-game music, which is good, though it's often overshadowed by the 'encouragement' of the in-game announcer who pipes up far too often.

Overall Ridge Racer 3D is a nice addition to the 3DS launch line up and not a bad game per se, though there's no real innovation in terms of the series gameplay. While different nitrous modes can be used, and there are advantages which can be bought before races to help players get a headstart, I'd have much preferred a different race type, tournaments or a storyline of some kind.

Rating: 76/100
Grade: B

Game: Ridge Racer 7
Console: Sony Playstation 3
Developer: Namco
Release Date: 23rd March 2007

As the seventh main series instalment in the series, Ridge Racer 7 almost had to change up its career mode a little from the frankly lacklustre Ridge Racer V on PS2. Since I don't own Ridge Racer 6 on the Xbox 360, it's hard to tell when the switch occurred, but career mode on Ridge Racer 7 is much different to anything reviewed thus far. As a launch title for the PS3, the graphics are a good showcase of what could be done with the system at launch, and the racing engine feels easy to control.

In career mode players have the choice of 3 event types; Grand Prix series which have been the mainstay of the Ridge Racer series for a long time, Manufacturer Races in order to earn cars and parts for use in races and UFRA races which have special conditions and types and earn players money and fame. Whilst the AI difficulty cranks up to almost cheating levels pretty quickly, the racing action is fun and there's a great deal more choice in terms of race types and things to do than many other games from the series.

Graphically the game looks very nice with impressive lighting and location effects combining with the HD graphics to provide a truly visually pleasing experience. Unfortunately the sense of speed given by the game lets it down a little, as 200mph can feel the equivalent of 50mph on some stretches of road. The nitrous boosts give a much faster feel, but don't last particularly long as they use the same system as the PSP games. Ridge Racer 7's soundtrack is a little disappointing; though there are some good tracks, they're outweighed by the mediocre and a couple of truly unbearable tracks.

Overall the game feels like a fresh HD kickstart for the series, building on previous instalments to provide a deeper career mode and visually exciting tracks and cars. The racing action is very much enjoyable though the AI rubberbanding can ruin races at times. It's definitely worth giving a go, even if you're not a racing fan, since the easy handling and fun of drifting are pretty much universally enjoyable, even if the formula still wears thin after lengthy playsessions.

Rating: 83/100
Grade: B

Game: Ridge Racer Unbounded
Console: Microsoft Xbox 360
Developer: Bugbear Entertainment
Release Date: 30th March 2012

The latest game in the Ridge Racer series, Unbounded's main theme seems to be that of indecisiveness. Firstly it can't decide whether it wants to be Need for Speed or Burnout more, featuring street racing with "fragging" which is basically a codeword for takedowns, secondly it can't decide whether to fully part ways with the old Ridge Racer formula, still leaving drifting in the game, but making it feel awful in terms of the handling model and not letting players corner without it. Lastly many of the Burnout-esque options such as the takedown cam can be switched off in the menu, as if they weren't sure whether players would like the new tone of the game.

With destructible environments, city based street racing and a star rating system for dominating events, you'd be forgiven for wondering what series this game came from if you didn't already know. Existing fans of the Ridge Racer series are presented with a game more foreign to them than an imported RPG. For the first main series game not developed by Namco themselves, this is a pretty huge departure from the happy and relaxed mood of the rest of the games.

Being the open minded gamer that I am however, I was willing to give the game a chance; the career mode is based around many city districts which unlock as events are dominated by finishing first. There are many different types of events in the game such as Dominator Races, Drift Races, Shindo races (more on these later), Time Trials and Frag Challenges. All events are based on a 3 star rating system where usually finishing 1st gains 3 stars and so on, until finishing 4th counts as failing the event.

The driving and racing itself feels pretty horrible, the car's handling is almost straight line based, and any preconceived ideas of cornering players may have had before playing the game are shattered as the cars will literally refuse to corner without a drift being initiated. This is Ridge Racer though, so players should be used to this. Except the drift system has changed massively and is far less arcade based now.

Winning events seems to be basically random; in any events which aren't Shindo or Drift racing, there are destructible parts of the environment like car dealerships, city halls and railway stations which can be used as shortcuts if the player's power meter is full. Additionally destroying girders and other parts of the track also add power to the player's meter. Not everything is destructible though, and this is a problem because crashing once can be the difference between winning a losing a race, like in Burnout. So it's up to the player to guess which parts of the track are meant to be destroyed and which are solid.

 
Shindo events completely ignore the destruction part of the game, and don't allow you to frag your opponents. This is partly useful as it stops the player from being fragged too, but shows yet more indecision from the developers; either make it a part of the game or don't, it's pretty weak to force players to race both ways and pretend it's a choice. These races usually feature many AI cars getting in your way as there's no fragging, the drifting is a much bigger feature of the shindo racing but still feels pretty awful.

I had a hard time caring about unlocking any of the cars, locations or star ratings in the game because it seemed like a real mash of playstyles and ideas from other games. There was hardly any Ridge Racer left in the game, and what was left was an indecisive grey mess. There's no real story as such, and so no compelling reason to continue with the races presented to the player, and there's not even a need to finish 1st, players could easily finish 3rd in all race events and still get pretty far into the game, which is a little ridiculous in a racing title.

Graphically the game looks pretty great; the destructible environment parts all crumble rather too easily into predictably sized pieces, but the rest of the game looks very sharp, and I particularly enjoyed the information displays along the sides of the track. The music featured behind gameplay is all licensed and as such not quite as interesting as an original soundtrack. There's a decent mix of electronic stuff, but the soul of the Ridge Racer series is definitely gone from the game.

Overall Ridge Racer Unbounded might as well be any other large budget racing title from the past few years; there's city street racing, there's licensed tunes, takedowns, and a star rating system for how well you've done in each race. Without anything to invest players in it's brand of racing, there's very little to keep them hooked, and I'd personally rather play literally any other instalment of the series thanks to the poor handling and soulless presentation.

Rating: 61/100
Grade: D