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As requested by @Niku Driver HC
R4: Ridge Racer Type 4
Namco
Released in December 1998 in Japan and 1999 NA & EU for the PSX
Rating: E
Genre: Racing
The 4th entry in the Ridge Racer series, as well as the last Ridge Racer game on the Playstation, R4 combines gameplay styles from both Ridge Racer & Rage Racer, but with a few significant changes.
So what is Ridge Racer?
RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDGE RACER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ridge Racer can be traced back to 1994 as an arcade game. All the games in the series except for Unbounded-
UGH.
Yeah, Unbounded. I want to forget that game for a moment.
*ahem* Anyway,
The core Ridge Racer games followed the same couple of rules:
- Go fast.
- Drift around corners.
- Win.
The thing about Ridge Racer was that compared to other racing games, Ridge Racer focused on going FAST, all while downplaying realism hard.
R4!
In this review, we're starting off with Graphics, and I have a reason for that.
Look at that. This game has by far one of the best intros in a PSX game in my opinion. The details, the visuals, just, wow.
Don't think that's the only detailed part of the game, because the detail is EVERYWHERE.
The courses are aesthetically pleasing to my eyes, filled to the brim with details present within the environment, with moving lights, pictures, and helicopters!
This was also the first Ridge Racer game to have gouraud shading. For those who are interested in what that is, it's basically this:
In-game, the shadows and other various lighting effects present around the car transition very smoothly.
The graphics in R4 can be comparable to that of Gran Turismo. Nice visuals without the loss of performance within the game.
GAMEPLAY
Being a racing game, R4 follows the same general rule: Make first place.
In the Ridge Racer games however, the way you make it to the finish line is a tad bit, perhaps very, different from most racing games.
When you play Gran Turismo, there are many aspects you have to focus on: How late/early you engage the brake, how you take the corner, how far out you are taking a turn, what parts you have installed, what car you're driving, etc.
In R4, it's mostly more of: How fast are you approaching the corner, and what angle are you going while drifting the corner.
The Ridge Racer series, as stated earlier in the review, isn't about realism. This is in no way a racing simulator.
You can take a corner going at least 180+ MPH and still make it out in one piece, to sum the handling up.
When you choose a car, there are two types of cars available: GRIP, and DRIFT.
Grip is basically the equivalent of driving an X2014 in GT6 with Racing Softs (minus the power). It is very very difficult to drift this car, but why would you need to, when all you have to do is disengage the accelerator and just press left and right when you approach a hairpin? It's basically the easy mode of R4, and is the beginner's choice if they are playing this game for the first time.
Drift is the classic Ridge Racer handling style. The simplest way to engage a drift is to approach the corner, let off the accelerator, turn, then tap the gas. As much as it seems tricky to do, the player can catch on fast, and will eventually be a breeze to maintain as you progress through the game.
The fastest cars in the game are also DRIFT type cars, as they have can go through corners tighter than GRIP cars could, but when initially playing, it isn't that noticeable.
Speaking of cars, there's 321 of them, a much larger quantity compared to previous Ridge Racers combined.
Granted, most of them are duplicates or more powerful versions of the base car, but Gran Turismo has stuff like that, so I'm not complaining.
Also, the game has a little bit of customization present within it, you can even make your own decals!
When you begin the game, you start off with very little cars, and you get more by going through races.
When you first begin Story mode, you first choose a team, followed by a manufacturer. There are four teams to choose from, and four manufacturers to choose from.
The unlock method is a little complex, as you can't obtain cars all the time by winning, you might just have to lose the race as well.
You can get 19 cars through one make-team combination, and in order to get all of them, well...
*gasp*
Sweet baby Jesus.
It takes a lot of dedication to get all 321 of these cars, I'll say that.
MUSIC
Lemme tell you how great the music in this game is by giving you the playlist.
I don't really have much to say about the music, but it's one of my favourite VGOSTs of all time, right alongside Ace Combat 3.
CONCLUSION
I'm sure you may see a heavy amount of bias within this review, but needless to say, R4 is one of my favourite racing games of all time, and being a RR fan, this is probably the best game in the series, so it's definitely worth checking it out. Great visuals, easy controls, and nice music to boot!
Final Verdict
9.5/10
A
R4: Ridge Racer Type 4
Namco
Released in December 1998 in Japan and 1999 NA & EU for the PSX
Rating: E
Genre: Racing
The 4th entry in the Ridge Racer series, as well as the last Ridge Racer game on the Playstation, R4 combines gameplay styles from both Ridge Racer & Rage Racer, but with a few significant changes.
So what is Ridge Racer?
RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDGE RACER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ridge Racer can be traced back to 1994 as an arcade game. All the games in the series except for Unbounded-
UGH.
Yeah, Unbounded. I want to forget that game for a moment.
*ahem* Anyway,
The core Ridge Racer games followed the same couple of rules:
- Go fast.
- Drift around corners.
- Win.
The thing about Ridge Racer was that compared to other racing games, Ridge Racer focused on going FAST, all while downplaying realism hard.
R4!
In this review, we're starting off with Graphics, and I have a reason for that.
Look at that. This game has by far one of the best intros in a PSX game in my opinion. The details, the visuals, just, wow.
Don't think that's the only detailed part of the game, because the detail is EVERYWHERE.
The courses are aesthetically pleasing to my eyes, filled to the brim with details present within the environment, with moving lights, pictures, and helicopters!
This was also the first Ridge Racer game to have gouraud shading. For those who are interested in what that is, it's basically this:
In-game, the shadows and other various lighting effects present around the car transition very smoothly.
The graphics in R4 can be comparable to that of Gran Turismo. Nice visuals without the loss of performance within the game.
GAMEPLAY
Being a racing game, R4 follows the same general rule: Make first place.
In the Ridge Racer games however, the way you make it to the finish line is a tad bit, perhaps very, different from most racing games.
When you play Gran Turismo, there are many aspects you have to focus on: How late/early you engage the brake, how you take the corner, how far out you are taking a turn, what parts you have installed, what car you're driving, etc.
In R4, it's mostly more of: How fast are you approaching the corner, and what angle are you going while drifting the corner.
The Ridge Racer series, as stated earlier in the review, isn't about realism. This is in no way a racing simulator.
You can take a corner going at least 180+ MPH and still make it out in one piece, to sum the handling up.
When you choose a car, there are two types of cars available: GRIP, and DRIFT.
Grip is basically the equivalent of driving an X2014 in GT6 with Racing Softs (minus the power). It is very very difficult to drift this car, but why would you need to, when all you have to do is disengage the accelerator and just press left and right when you approach a hairpin? It's basically the easy mode of R4, and is the beginner's choice if they are playing this game for the first time.
Drift is the classic Ridge Racer handling style. The simplest way to engage a drift is to approach the corner, let off the accelerator, turn, then tap the gas. As much as it seems tricky to do, the player can catch on fast, and will eventually be a breeze to maintain as you progress through the game.
The fastest cars in the game are also DRIFT type cars, as they have can go through corners tighter than GRIP cars could, but when initially playing, it isn't that noticeable.
Speaking of cars, there's 321 of them, a much larger quantity compared to previous Ridge Racers combined.
Granted, most of them are duplicates or more powerful versions of the base car, but Gran Turismo has stuff like that, so I'm not complaining.
Also, the game has a little bit of customization present within it, you can even make your own decals!
When you begin the game, you start off with very little cars, and you get more by going through races.
When you first begin Story mode, you first choose a team, followed by a manufacturer. There are four teams to choose from, and four manufacturers to choose from.
The unlock method is a little complex, as you can't obtain cars all the time by winning, you might just have to lose the race as well.
You can get 19 cars through one make-team combination, and in order to get all of them, well...
You begin the scenario with car number 01, and when you win first on both the first and second heats (final GP, you have to win first to continue), you get car number 05, 12, and 19.
Go second on both races in the first heat, but get first with the rest, you get 03, 10, and 17.
Get second in the first race, but first in the second within the first heat and go on from there, and you get 04, 11, and 18.
If you get third in the first race of the first heat, no matter what place you get in the second race, you will get car number 02.
Get second on both races of heat 2, then you get 06 and 13.
First then second, 07 and 14.
Second then first, 08 and 15.
First on both, 10 and finally 17.
Go second on both races in the first heat, but get first with the rest, you get 03, 10, and 17.
Get second in the first race, but first in the second within the first heat and go on from there, and you get 04, 11, and 18.
If you get third in the first race of the first heat, no matter what place you get in the second race, you will get car number 02.
Get second on both races of heat 2, then you get 06 and 13.
First then second, 07 and 14.
Second then first, 08 and 15.
First on both, 10 and finally 17.
*gasp*
Sweet baby Jesus.
It takes a lot of dedication to get all 321 of these cars, I'll say that.
MUSIC
Lemme tell you how great the music in this game is by giving you the playlist.
I don't really have much to say about the music, but it's one of my favourite VGOSTs of all time, right alongside Ace Combat 3.
CONCLUSION
I'm sure you may see a heavy amount of bias within this review, but needless to say, R4 is one of my favourite racing games of all time, and being a RR fan, this is probably the best game in the series, so it's definitely worth checking it out. Great visuals, easy controls, and nice music to boot!
Final Verdict
9.5/10
A
Ups:
Smooth gameplay
Great music
Nice visuals
Easy to learn controls
Smooth gameplay
Great music
Nice visuals
Easy to learn controls
Downs:
Somewhat abysmal bonus unlocking methods
Somewhat abysmal bonus unlocking methods
When I finally got that Pac Man car...bliss 
