Ridge Racer 6 [X360]

It may surprise long time Ridge Racer fans to know that the recent PSP release is considered among the most successful installments in the series. Given that fact, however, it's no surprise to learn that the upcoming Ridge Racer 6 for the Xbox 360 is closely based on the PSP's racing engine. The game has previously been shown only in a limited capacity at the Tokyo Game Show, but a recent trip to Namco's San Francisco press day allowed us to dash through a much larger portion of the nearly complete racer.

Unlike semi-simulation fare such as Project Gotham Racing, driving in Ridge Racer 6 is exceedingly simple. It's a highly arcade engine that relies on simple acceleration and braking, with a high emphasis on speed boosts. Like the PSP release, boost is earned by powersliding through corners. That's easy enough on elementary courses, where flat roads simplify the demands of sliding. But Ridge Racer will once again prioritize memory as highly as driving skill, as learning each course will allow drivers to maximize their powersliding and nail a win.

Though the driving is based on gameplay from the PSP, don't expect a game that would fit on a UMD. RR6 features 30 cars and 130 tracks, most of which must be unlocked through the large World Xplorer mode's 230 races. Races are generally one of three types: standard, time attack, and head-to-head, in which players will encounter the closest thing Ridge Racer has to a boss.

Cars are divided into four classes, each of which offers progressively more power and cornering capability. Eight special models will also be unlockable. At the lowest point is the entry level class one, and class four sits atop the heap. The cars we've seen are all class ones, and each features the classic (non-licensed) Ridge Racer sense of design. Because this is the 360, however, players will see reflections flow across the paint in a way that is wholly unprecedented in the series.

Races in World Xplorer are represented by hexagons strung together in a sort of flattened DNA chain. Set among the race nodes are a number of bonus areas marked by question marks. Completing all the races around one of the bonus nodes opens up special items. Players can largely choose their own path through the game by selecting a starting race, as many intermediate points as desired, and then marking a race as the end point.

Not every track is optimized to race with just any car, however. Though we were only allowed to race five tracks at the press event, the fifth track proved that a class one vehicle just wasn't suited to taking on all of the game's challenges. After easily winning the first few sunny races, the fifth course's steeply diving tunnels and sharply banked corners stymied our attempts to close the gap with cars leading the pack. Powersliding only made the situation worse, as our car just didn't have the power to slide through the inclined corners.

Even when failing dreadfully at that final race, however (we'd won all previous contests), there was plenty to enjoy. Visually, RR6 is a better indicator of the 360's power than almost anything we've seen so far. Tracks make full use of the impressive draw distance by painting full skylines and detailed landscapes into every frame. With 14 cars on the track, Ridge Racer effortlessly pumped out 60 frames per second.

Most of what we've seen so far are urban landscapes that give way to some highway and coastal freeways. In fact, most of the tracks on display looked a lot like a fantasy version of San Francisco. We certainly wish that SF featured the large video screens found above many roadways in the game. Cementing this sequel's nod to the PSP release, all the screens in our demo were displaying gameplay from the PSP. It's an odd move for a 360 launch title, and we're curious to see what will augment the urban landscape for players in the retail version.

Namco hasn't given up many details, but Ridge Racer 6 will be the first online entry in the series. 10 players will compete in standard and time attack races, with global leaderboards supported as well as the ability to upload ghosts. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to see Live in action with the title, nor have we experienced the game's split-screen offline multiplayer.

Namco has also broadened the game's musical approach, with more custom-created themes and songs than before. We're told the goal was to target a broad international audience, rather than composing purely for a Japanese audience as in the past. But with our experience limited to a few tracks, there's not enough to predict what sort of soundtrack drivers will encounter. Regardless, given the 360's customizable mandate, players will be able to determine their own tunes when the game ships next month.