Ridge Racer Unbounded

For PS3, 360 and PC.

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Namco has announced a brand new multiplatform Ridge Racer game, due out next year for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Little is known about Ridge Racer Unbounded. A teaser trailer, which does not contain gameplay footage, is available to view below.

It's in development at Bugbear Entertainment, the Finnish developer behind the FlatOut series and 2007 PSP game SEGA Rally.

The trailer shows a car driving through steamy urban streets at night. A woman leaves, walks through steam, and enters another car. She then drives straight into a taxi, knocking it flying, before tearing off. We're getting a Need for Speed vibe, with some open world destruction thrown in for good measure.

"We are all aware of what its concept is," was all Ridge Racer 3D game director Masamichi Yamazaki would offer Eurogamer when quizzed in San Francisco this week. "But we're not the spokesperson for that title. All the Ridge Racers have their own concepts and target audiences. That is a very different Ridge Racer from this [Ridge Racer 3DS] one.

"This one is a more rightful successor of the series."

Ridge Racer 7 was a PlayStation 3 exclusive that launched alongside the console in 2006, although it didn't hit Europe until 2007.

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Not sure how to link Eurogamers videos. It looks like it's getting too far away from what the original concept is but I'll take a wait and see approach.

Why the fuck would Namco farm our Ridge Racer? Farm out trash like Tekken for Christ's sake.

I figured/hoped you'd be one of the first to chime in. I don't get why they'd go all pre-NFS Hot Pursuit style with this one when NFS recently did a 180 (got back to just racing) and is selling pretty damn good. Granted there isn't any gameplay shown but there's definitely an urban NFS Undergound type of look to it.

It kind of sucks to see Japanese publishers seemingly internalize the idea that Japanese development is "dead" and as such it is preferable to find some third rate Western studios to take a giant dump on revered franchises. I don't like Ridge Racer but fans (sup isamu) deserve better.

I liked the FlatOut games so I'll be interested to see where Bugbear takes the series.

Trailer: http://www.ign.com/videos/2011/02/04...=99683&show=HD

It's *incredible*

I thought I knew what it was like for a developer to shit on its own fanbase to appeal to a new demographic. Then I saw this.

...That?

Sure!

Wow. I can't think of a better way to get Ridge Racer fans (are there really that many left?) angry. I'm interested, but I suspect the ensuing shitstorm will be even more entertaining than the final product.

Seems innocuous enough to me. I don't like the direction it's heading either, but I don't think it's freak out time yet.

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Originally Posted by Diff-chan

It kind of sucks to see Japanese publishers seemingly internalize the idea that Japanese development is "dead" and as such it is preferable to find some third rate Western studios to take a giant dump on revered franchises. I don't like Ridge Racer but fans (sup isamu) deserve better.

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I have to fully agree with this. They need to cut that shit out.

cool they seem to have reskinned burnout paradise

Garbage

awesome

So on her days off Reiko... kills people?

This is the biggest shit I have ever seen taken onto a franchise's chest, and this is a world post-new SSX trailer that we are living up in here.

So it's a realistic game about asian women driving cars then?

lol

Wow this is fucking stupid. I hope the gameplay doesn't reflect that awful video.

Considering most of Bugbear's previous games were physics-oriented combat racers, it probably is indicative of the gameplay direction the game will take.

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Originally Posted by Mzo

So on her days off Reiko... kills people?

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I watched the video and came to post the exact same line.

At first I was "Ok, it's a little grittier but I can see this being Ridge Racer." Then she drove off, killed a few people in traffic, destroyed a building, and I wondered what the hell it was I just looked at. Sure, the series has been on the skids for a while, but this isn't the way to fix it. This is worse than SSX, which I've come to be interested in despite the misuse of the series title.

Maybe actual gameplay footage can save it?

James

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Originally Posted by James

Maybe actual gameplay footage can save it?

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You've seen the 3DS video, right? This series is dead. Shitty western devs don't get Ridge Racer, and the Japanese don't get 3D.

That about sums it up. Why does Ridge Racer 3DS look so low-rent? I'm honestly surprised considering every game in the series to date at least had amazing art direction and flawless graphics tech (RR7 - 1080p @ 60fps in 2006).

I'm not sure if Western devs don't 'get' Ridge Racer. I think they get that a Ridge Racer that isn't a launch title will sell precisely 10 copies (and even the launch ones don't sell either). Not to say this would sell any better, but there is some element of unknown there.

Either way, until there's gameplay footage, I'm not going to judge

If Nintendo's next Mario game has a teaser trailer where he is shooting things up with a machine gun and fucking dogs, I will judge it immediately.

That is basically the level of disgust I felt watching this.

All I see is a crash involving cars. I can think of games with crashes involving cars that were fun, some of which were really fun. I can think of games with crashes involving cars made by this developer that were fun.

I can't even tell if you're serious. Have you even played Ridge Racer? Any of them? It's not that crash crash crash can't be fun, it's that it's not Ridge Racer.

The only thing Namco cares about is that plastering the name on the cover will probably result in more sales than a brand new IP. And if it happens to destroy an old IP in the process, who really cares, right? Endlessly cynical, just like the SSX and X-COM revivals.

I've probably played more Ridge Racer than you have. NFS involves crashing cars. Didn't used to.

I get what Namco is thinking. Everyone does. But I also don't really care. Neither does anyone else because the previous RR games have sold absolutely horribly. If the game is fun, it's fun. If it isn't then they can go to hell.

Seeing a Bugbear logo in the trailer left me concerned. I'd rather get a genuine Namco developed Ridge Racer 8 before the next generation of systems hits (yeah, let RR9 be the launch title for PS4/next Xbox).

It may be good after all, but it just doesn't deserve the name. Namco should've found something else to call this.

I imagine this is intended as a spin-off while the main series will continue on being made in-house. Also, Bugbear's Glimmerati is rad.

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Originally Posted by Yoshi

Why the fuck would Namco farm our Ridge Racer? Farm out trash like Tekken for Christ's sake.

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Japanese racers outside of GT (ie arcade racers) can't sell anymore as they don't have the scope (# of cars, tracks, options, etc) nor tech of the Western games.

So this is all about murdering the shit out of civilians, then?

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Originally Posted by YellerDog

So this is all about murdering the shit out of civilians, then?

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It's already #1 on Hitler's most wanted list.

I have to admit, that video made me go from utterly disinterested to curious about Unbounded.

James

Bugbear is a good dev, the editor looks interesting.

My interest is up a bit after seeing this video. Having RR6's Road Mauler as the BGM helped get my hopes up. It may not be canon Ridge Racer, but rather a decent spinoff to hold us over until the real RR8.

Looks more like a new Trackmania. That makes this the first time I've been interested in RR since the first PSP game, I think.

Yeah I went from "No way in hellllllllllll" to "I'll take two please" after seeing that video.

They had me when I saw T-Rexes.

Did it give you a...t-rection?

This is a Namco game. The T Rex will be $5 DLC.

The purple T Rex will be $6 due to licensing issue.

So Edge really likes it, giving it a 9. Now if only the US version had a proper release date.

James

So Unbound ended up being good and the Vita game sucked? Is this Bizarro World?

Yeah, I wasn't expecting this to be worth a shit either. Of course, I also expected Silent Hill HD Collection to be awesome. Been a weird month.

Sounds like what I had thought Split/Second was going to be. I approve.

Hmm... Maybe it came out on time in the US after all? Gamestop has the 360 version showing as ready to ship, while the PS3 is somehow tagged as 3/27. Which is today. So I've got no idea what's going on with it. Good job, Namco.

James

Did anyone end up seeing this in a store yet? Or is it out on Friday?

That CG trailer was about as bad as it gets, but the map editor feature looks like a lot of fun. I'll be checking back here to see what you guys end up thinking about it.

I wish it had splitscreen play. I could use a new racer, though Split / Second is still fun.

I'm guessing it came out on consoles after all, despite the early-March press release from Namco saying it was pushed back in the US. At the very least, the Steam version is available now for $50. I didn't see a demo, though.

James

Oooh... with Steamworks support no less.

I still can't believe this is actually apparently good. I don't wildly miss often with my initial perceptions, but this one appears to have been a complete whiff.

Well, in your defense the inital information we had was just a video of the Ridge Racer girl being homicidal.

I like this game! A lot! It's most reminiscent of Split/Second, but without any rubberbanding. This is both a good and a bad thing. You can end up ten seconds ahead of the pack and not see anyone for the rest of the race via awesome driving skill, but you can also get creamed really early on and never have an opportunity to catch up. The boost mechanic is almost identical to the powerplay mechanic in Split/Second: you do drifts or drafts or jumps to earn boost, then you can use it for a nitro boost that can either easily take out other racers, ala Burnout or allow you to plow through marked buildings and objects, creating new shortcuts (and probably blowing up any other cars nearby). But unlike Split/Second, you can chain this stuff: creating a shortcut or taking down another car will probably net you almost enough boost to immediately perform another. This means that you can go on a complete rampage, chaining together shortcuts, takedowns, and drifts to boost for long periods of time.

The handling is much more akin to FlatOut than Ridge Racer, though without any of the reactive physics that would slow you down in the former if you bumped an object on the track. Instead, you just plow right through anything that isn't a wall. This is a little disorienting at first, as you'll probably swerve to avoid things that you can actually go right through, but it doesn't take all that long to learn what can and cannot be destroyed. Drifts don't act anything like those in Ridge Racer. There's no automatic control over your path, and you'll probably plow right into a wall the first few times you attempt one.

I haven't really messed with the track editor yet, but it seems to be incredibly powerful. It might even allow for more complexity and detail than Trackmania's wonderful editor.

This is not a Ridge Racer game. It is its own thing. And it is very well done.

Damn I want this game! I dug split/second and could use a new racing game. Are there any takedown mechanics like Burnout Revenge?

Also, are you playing the PC version or console? I wanna go were there's the most people online.

Yeah, played for quite a few hours yesterday and really like this game. The single player is pretty challenging. Though, I have to disagree with the above in that I feel that the stuff you plow through actually does slow you down, if only a little. Also, you can destroy larger objects with a charged power up, but going through them again actually seems like it isn't beneficial in some tracks. There are takedowns ("frags"), crashes, etc... The game is reminiscent of a split/second / burnout hybrid. This is nothing like Ridge Racer 6. You can upload your created tracks and other people can play them. Only tried multiplayer once and got my ass handed to me. I got the 360 version.

This sounds like it has all the influences I want in a racing game. I'll be picking this up!

I read on an inferior board that the PC version has problems with connecting online and some issues with Radeon cards. Just a heads up.

I do like Burnout, and I do like me some Split/Second.... hm.

For some reason, I'm more excited now that it seems like a Split/Second sequel than an actual Ridge Racer game. That seems wrong.

Nah, RR 6 sucked ass

I didn't think it sucked it was just like this:

Ridge Racer PSP: Totally awesome!!!!

Ridge Racer 6: Hey, this plays like the PSP game in HD? *10 minutes later* Okay, I've had enough, I've played this before.

Ridge Racer 7: Oh, this is just like 6. *10 minutes later* Okay, I'm going to go play some Metal Gear now.

Ridge Racer has never really been my thing so this news actually makes me interested.

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Originally Posted by GohanX

For some reason, I'm more excited now that it seems like a Split/Second sequel than an actual Ridge Racer game. That seems wrong.

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I like them both. I'm just amazed that the crossover was successful.

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Originally Posted by TobalRox

Ridge Racer has never really been my thing so this news actually makes me interested.

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Exactly.

So who's the dip shit that ruined the thread title?

I did, because Namco ruined the title of the GAME.

Unbounded (while a real word) smacks of some retard talking and saying irregardless, or First Annual. Boundless would have been a better title.

Or, you know, Unbound.

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Originally Posted by Chux

I did, because Namco ruined the title of the GAME.

Unbounded (while a real word) smacks of some retard talking and saying irregardless, or First Annual. Boundless would have been a better title.

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I agree with both this and FirstBlood, but I hate "funny" thread titles. TNL is serious business.

Gave it a whirl, cars handle like golf carts and there is no sense of speed even while boosting. Namco tried to get burnout and failed IMO.

Unbounded is a lot more fitting than Unbound.

Unbounded sounds ridiculous. Just call it Ridge Racer: The One That's Worth Your Money.

Few aren't.

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Originally Posted by haohmaru

Though, I have to disagree with the above in that I feel that the stuff you plow through actually does slow you down, if only a little.

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I was speaking in comparison to FlatOut, where hitting things like crates or tools or whatever else is strewn across the track will significantly slow you down and might even bring you to a halt if you get it caught on your car in an awkward way.

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Originally Posted by haohmaru

Also, you can destroy larger objects with a charged power up, but going through them again actually seems like it isn't beneficial in some tracks.

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You can catch other cars in the explosion created when you destroy these objects. It's a great way to eliminate the pack if you're in the middle of them.

My main problem with the game I guess is that it still handles like Ridge Racer. So, if you love Ridge Racer, you'll probably dig this game. I just happen to be over it.

On Ridge Racer 6 one time, I read a corner completely wrong and power-slid right instead of left. Just a dyslexic moment, I guess. Even with my car noise pointing nowhere near the road, the game slingshoted me perfectly around the corner, although once the slide was over I still lost a little speed by bouncing off the wall. If Unbounded doesn't do that, it doesn't handle like modern-day Ridge Racer.

James

I saw the GiantBomb QL and it didn't seem like RR to me. RR has this sort of 'predetermined drift'. This game seemed like S/S right down to the handling (turning seems to be a little unintuitive and you have to fool around with it for a while).

Whether one is better than the other is another issue.

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Originally Posted by Jeremy

Unbounded sounds ridiculous. Just call it Ridge Racer: The One That's Worth Your Money.

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Originally Posted by Chux

My main problem with the game I guess is that it still handles like Ridge Racer.

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bans pls.. temporary though... it's not like they're criticizing Daytona...

Ridge Racer was cool... on PS1.

R4 was my favorite.

R4's the best main series entry by far. Still very fun to play and it actually isn't painful to look at now like way too many PS1 games are.

I liked RR64 better than any of the PS1 Ridge Racers.

R4 was okay but it was obvious they were going for that Gran Turismo crowd with a gazillion cars. In the end I liked 5 the best, but:

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Originally Posted by Yoshi

bans pls.. temporary though... it's not like they're criticizing Daytona...

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I seriously can't stand Ridge Racer handling anymore.

Unfortunately, there's nearly no one online and the game completely crashes/freezes every 3rd or 4th race.

There are some really funky created tracks with parts where AI drivers just run into walls - makes for an easy win, but it really makes me wonder about the quality control with the game.

This game rules. It's like Split/Second meets Ridge Racer. The only events I don't like are the drifting for score ones. Those are like the garbage stunt events in games like Pure, and they have no business in a racing game in my opinion. Keep that shit in games I'll never play like Tony Hawk.

There was one of the Need for Fast and Furious games that had drifting events like that and I hated them. I always used super grippy cars that didn't drift well. I just quit playing since I sure as shit wasn't going to go back and buy a new car.

I liked it in Underground. And I love it in PGR because it goes click, click, click, click etc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xTqP58o1iw

I got this for 360 in the B2G1 free deal at BB.

:wtf: I will never understand you.

I got two other 360 games that are on PC as part of the deal ;p

I dunno. I know I have a problem. That's why this gen needs to end. So I have a more valid reason to get it on console or to avoid them altogether.

Replace "God" with "PC" and "alcohol" with "console games":

http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/att...1&d=1342300909

So far I give the handling in this game a grade of Ballsweat out of 5

Worse than S/S...I am sure I will get used to it but it is so crappy. It deviates from what I expect it to do. Do I expect it to be like RR, S/S or FO? I dunno. Right now it just seems like slide into the wall on the end of the corner and straighten out. Otherwise you might spin around entirely and be stuck at 0 MPH.

Right now I would hate to do any drifting events, but not for the reason Yoshi gave. It is simply because the cars suck at turning.

The drift and shindo events are the only ones where it doesn't feel like I am constantly fighting the car.

edit: The faster cars are much better. I am liking this a bit more

I thought the drift events were the weakest part of the game. That and the fact that there was NO ONE online within a few weeks of the game being released.

I picked this up for $5 from Live's Gold sale and I'm really enjoying it.

It's definitely a mix of Burnout and Split Second but in good ways. It's taken me a while for me to get used to the drifting since it's harder to control and counter steer however I'm slowly getting the hang of it. The soundtrack is kickin', the graphics are gorgeous, and I liked that they included some classic Ridge Racer cars. It was also nice to see them put a different Japanese female character into the game that wasn't Reiko.

Online there's a few people so it's not a complete dead zone but I'd definitely like more people per match.

So apparently you have to buy the ending to this Asura game separately? Goddammit Japan...

Please understand!

Understanding doesn't prevent a desire to punch in the face over and over again whoever was responsible.

So why are talking about Asura's Wrath in the Ridge Racer thread?

James