Jump to content

Ridge Racer V

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from RR5)
"Ridge Racer 2000" redirects here. For the Nintendo 64 game, see Ridge Racer 64.
Ridge Racer V
North American version cover art featuring race queen Ai Fukami and the Rivelta Mercurio car
Developer(s)Namco
Publisher(s)Namco[a]
Director(s)Eiichi Saita
Producer(s)Noriko Wada, Paul Guirao
Designer(s)Eiichi Saita
Programmer(s)Jun Nakagawa
Composer(s)Kohta Takahashi
Yuu Miyake
Nobuyoshi Sano
Mijk van Dijk
SeriesRidge Racer
Platform(s)PlayStation 2
Arcade
ReleasePlayStation 2
  • JP: March 4, 2000
  • NA: October 26, 2000
  • EU: November 24, 2000
Arcade
  • JP: November 28, 2000[1]
  • WW: December 2000
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer
Arcade systemNamco System 246

Ridge Racer V[b] is a 2000 racing game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation 2 as a launch game for that platform, and later followed by a home-to-arcade port subtitled Arcade Battle.[2] Ridge Racer V is the fifth main title of the Ridge Racer series following R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 and the only one to be released on PlayStation 2 (excluding the spin-off R: Racing Evolution).

Moving away from Ridge Racer Type 4's approach, Ridge Racer V streamlined back to a simple racer without a story mode, set in fictional Ridge City based on circuits in and around the very first course introduced in Ridge Racer.[3] Its licensed soundtrack also returns to a heavier sound, including featuring Boom Boom Satellites and Mijk van Dijk alongside Namco's composer Kohta Takahashi. The game also introduced a new race queen mascot, Ai Fukami, replacing Reiko Nagase.

Ridge Racer V was the highlight of PlayStation 2's original March 2000 launch.[4] It received a positive reception for its visuals and speedy driving experience, but there was critique that it fell below expectations relative to the console's graphical assumptions, and divided critics for some elements such as its lack of content compared to its predecessor and noticable jaggies.[5][6] However, in retrospect, it has been considered one of the greatest arcade-style racers of all time, with praise given to its handling, environs, and challenge.[3][7][8]

Gameplay

[edit]
Gameplay screenshot

In Ridge Racer V the player is a racing driver taking part in events across Ridge City in a variety of fictional cars. As with previous Ridge Racer games, the focus is on accessible and fun drift racing rather than simulating how a car behaves in the real world; as such the player is encouraged to powerslide around most corners by tapping the brake when entering the turn. There are a total of fourteen courses in Ridge City, and visual filters can be applied to change the appearance.[9] Sunny Beach and Green Field are the new names for Seaside Route 765 and Ridge City Highway respectively from the first Ridge Racer game. Ridge Racer V introduces five all new fictional vehicle manufactuers: Kamata, Danver, Rivelta, Himmel, and Soldat.[10]

Racing on RRV is divided into different race formats. The primary mode is Grand Prix, a series of structured championships where the player races against 14 rivals across three laps in every track, including reversed courses. The completion of every Grand Prix which rewards the player with new cars.[11] Other modes include Time Attack, a long distance endurance race called the 99 Trial, consisting of ninety-nine laps in the Sunny Beach course, and free runs on any of the unlocked courses. Two players can also take part in a split-screen race against one another. The time of day can also be chosen for most courses outside of the Grand Prix.

A special race is unlocked after the player fulfills certain requirements: it features the arcade game characters Pac-Man in a roadster and Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde on scooters. Winning this race unlocks special duel class cars for use in other game modes. Duel class cars can be won by defeating bosses in the game's Duel mode after fulfilling certain requirements. After all four bosses are defeated in Duel mode, Battle Royale is unlocked, allow the player to choose any duel class cars and challenge all four bosses in a boss rush race (including ones the player have selected).[12]

Ai Fukami[13] serves as the game's mascot girl, replacing Reiko Nagase.[9] The game features a fictitious radio station, Ridge City FM (frequency 76.5 MHz), providing music and commentary.[14]

Development

[edit]

With Ridge Racer V, Namco went back to basics like the original Ridge Racer, Ridge Racer 2 and Rave Racer were. The decision for the single city setting was taken near the beginning of development. The member in charge has cited the 1959 film Jazz on a Summer's Day as a sort of inspiration for the in-game starting camera, as well as the direction that would lead to the fictional Ridge City FM. He created it this way so that players would also be "buying the city".[15] Ridge City's design elements consist of road tunnels and overpasses, monorail overpasses, intersections, views of the sea beyond the buildings, a setting sun during dusk, and reflecting lights during nighttime.[16] Some parts of the city have a more foresty environment. The appearance and sounds of airplanes and seagulls were also added to create the city's "atmosphere" on a human level.[17] The car engine sounds were recorded on a real circuit, including some of the development staff's own vehicles.[11]

The opening intro movie, featuring Ai Fukami, is generated in real-time rather than the pre-rendered FMV in previous Ridge Racer titles. It was designed to have "wild" or "edgy" connotations and it was at this stage where the Ai character was developed.[18] Ridge Racer V was the first home console game in the series to run at 60 frames per second.[19] The game's lead programmer commented that the team wanted to utilise anti-aliasing "but due to various contraints we weren't able to do it as we had hoped." He further stated that designing the game was a challenge, partly due to Sony's development tools not having been completed while Ridge Racer V was in production.[11]

The game was conceived in 1999 with the aim to launch together with Sony's next generation system. Because the team did not know when the PlayStation 2 was going to come out, the schedule was changed numerous times and there were doubts that they could complete the game in time. Proposed names included Ridge Racer 2000 and R5.[20] Core development started around May 1999.[21] Ridge Racer V was revealed and demoed by Namco at the Tokyo Game Show in September 1999, at the same unveiling of PlayStation 2, but unlike Namco's Tekken Tag Tournament it was not playable. At the event, Namco stated that Ridge Racer V would not be available at launch, instead coming out between mid and late 2000.[22] However, a month later Namco stated that it would indeed be a launch title for the PlayStation 2 on March 4, 2000.[23] Post-release, the project leader thought that he was satisfied with the final product, considering the amount of time it took.[24]

Music

[edit]

Kohta Takahashi served as the sound director and lead composer of Ridge Racer V, who was previously involved as one of the composers of R4: Ridge Racer Type 4. To create an "exciting new experience", he brought in Japanese electronic music duo Boom Boom Satellites, Takeshi Ueda of The Mad Capsule Markets, and German DJ Mijk van Dijk, along with Namco composers Nobuyoshi Sano ("sanodg"), Yuu Miyake ("U") and Yoshinori Kawamoto ("Kisaburo"), to contribute music to the game. This resulted in the game having a diverse soundtrack, including genres such as trance, death metal and breakbeat.[25] Boom Boom Satellites's "Fogbound" is the intro music, while "On the Painted Desert" plays during the ending.[26]

Takahashi connected with external artists via Toru Nagamine of Sony Music.[27] Van Dijk felt honored to work on the game, as was already a fan of the Ridge Racer series, as well as the first game's ability to swap the music by replacing the CD in the PlayStation, where he raced to his own music tracks. To ensure that his music fit with the game, he played R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 while composing the tracks in his studio.[28]

The official CD soundtrack of the game was released by Sony Music Entertainment Japan in March 2000 in Japan, and was also released in Europe by Epic Records. It includes all the in-game BGM tracks with the exception of Ueda's "DRFTDVL".[29] The Japanese release also lacks the opening theme "Fogbound", instead containing Van Dijk's "Burnout" which in turn does not appear on the European release by Epic.[30]

Track listing of Ridge Racer V Original Game Soundtrack (Epic version)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Fogbound"Boom Boom Satellites5:24
2."HydroPrism"U2:10
3."Euphoria"Kohta Takahashi5:23
4."Nightride"Mijk van Dijk6:13
5."Paris"sanodg5:26
6."LOLO 1010"U2:29
7."TsuiTsui"U5:09
8."Power Slider"Mijk van Dijk5:05
9."Junx-Interlude"Kohta Takahashi0:20
10."RidgeCityFM"Kohta Takahashi2:07
11."EyeCatch"Kohta Takahashi0:08
12."Gammon"U3:03
13."RareHero2000"sanodg5:06
14."Electroglide"Mijk van Dijk5:00
15."JunxEngine"Kohta Takahashi0:41
16."Samurai Rocket"Kohta Takahashi4:09
17."DareDevil"Kohta Takahashi5:05
18."GripMillenium"Kohta Takahashi3:10
19."Junx (Mijk van Dijk remix)"Kohta Takahashi5:13
20."MotorPacCity5 (bonus track)"Kisaburo5:02
Total length:77:19

Arcade

[edit]

Ridge Racer V: Arcade Battle,[31] the arcade port of Ridge Racer V, was announced as the first game to run on Namco's PlayStation 2-based Namco System 246 arcade platform in September 2000.[2] The arcade version has some features such as Duel, Free Run and Pac-Man GP removed. It was the last Ridge Racer game for arcades until Pachislot Ridge Racer, which was a pachislot game released seven years later (and the last traditional racing game for that market).

Reception

[edit]

Commercial

[edit]

In Japan, Ridge Racer V was the best-selling PlayStation 2 game in its first annual year of 2000, numbering 611,507 copies, and the 10th best-selling video game of the year on all platforms.[32] Also in Japan, Game Machine listed the arcade version in their February 1, 2001 issue as the second most-successful dedicated arcade game of the year.[33]

Critical

[edit]

The PS2 version received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[34] David Zdyrko of IGN liked the return to the "basic feeling of control" as the earlier games of the series and named it "one of the most visually impressive" racing games to date, but noted the graphical aliasing and flickering problems.[50] Jeff Lundrigan of NextGen, however, said that his quote "bears repeating: 'Like its predecessors, Ridge Racer V will amaze you with flashy graphics and a great sense of speed. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of meat under the basic shell of the game.'"[51] Andrew Reiner from Game Informer said that Ridge Racer V would be no match to Gran Turismo 2000 (which would be released as Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec).[41] GamePro praised the realistic graphical appearance, music and noted that fans of the series "will love it."[46] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of one nine, one ten, one eight and one nine for a total of 36 out of 40.[40][53]

Daniel Griffiths from Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine praised "superb handling" and "fantastic sense of speed", giving technical critique about the jaggies and the "bad" PAL conversion, concluding that it is "a great game that is let down by overly high expectations [..] this is still the best handling, best-looking console driving game so far (until GT3 and Wipeout Fusion get it together)".[11]

In a 2002 article about the PlayStation 2, Edge used Ridge Racer V and Tekken Tag Tournament as examples of "soulless and derivative" launch games that were not as innovative as was expected out of the system's Emotion Engine.[54]

Accolades

[edit]

The PlayStation 2 version was a runner-up for "Racing Game of 2000" in both Editors' Choice and Readers' Choice at IGN's Best of 2000 Awards.[55] During the 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Ridge Racer V for the "Console Racing" award, which ultimately went to SSX.[56]

Legacy

[edit]

Its successor, Ridge Racer 6, was released in 2005 for Xbox 360. Ridge Racer V was the series' final main title before the introduction of the nitrous mechanic.[57]

References

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Published in North America by Namco Hometek and in Europe by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.
  2. ^ Japanese: リッジレーサーファイブ, Hepburn: Rijji Rēsā Faibu
  3. ^ Three critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 9.5/10, 9/10, and 8.5/10.
  4. ^ In GameFan's viewpoint of the U.S. version, three critics gave it each a score of 78, 94, and 92.
  5. ^ In GameFan's viewpoint of the Japanese import, two critics gave it each a score of 92, and the other gave it 78.

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^ https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n127/mode/2up?q=%E3%83%AA%E3%83%83%E3%82%B8%E3%83%AC%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%96
  2. ^ a b I. G. N. Staff (2000-09-01). "Namco Announces System 246 Arcade Hardware". IGN. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
  3. ^ a b "All 12 Mainline Ridge Racer Games, Ranked". Jalopnik. 2023-03-14. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  4. ^ Extension, Time (2024-01-02). "The Making Of: PS2, The World's Most Successful Video Game Console". Time Extension. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  5. ^ Extension, Time (2024-09-04). "Best Ridge Racer Games Of All Time". Time Extension. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  6. ^ Ismail, Adam (2017-09-07). "Ridge Racer V: Emotion Engine". GTPlanet. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  7. ^ Extension, Time (2022-08-20). "Soapbox: Ridge Racer V is The Greatest Game Ever Made". Time Extension. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  8. ^ Ismail, Adam (2023-12-25). "All I Want for Christmas Is a Ridge Racer V Sequel". The Drive. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  9. ^ a b Brakeman (2018-09-21). "Franchise Festival #30: Ridge Racer". The Avocado. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
  10. ^ Staff, I. G. N. (2000-09-27). "Ridge Racer V". IGN. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  11. ^ a b c d e "Ridge Racer V". Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine. No. 1. December 2000. pp. 126–129.
  12. ^ Versus Books (2000). Versus Ridge Racer Official Perfect Guide. USA: Empire 21 Publishing, Inc. ISBN 0-9703473-4-0.
  13. ^ 深水 藍
  14. ^ "Test : Ridge Racer V : un mythe qui dérape". www.gamekult.com (in French). 2000-11-09CET12:59:00+0100. Retrieved 2024-09-08. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ "RIDGE RACER V 開発者リレーエッセイ/第１回：企画チーム | バンダイナムコゲームス公式サイト". www.bandainamcoent.co.jp. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  16. ^ "RIDGE RACER V 開発者リレーエッセイ/第５回：グラフィックチーム【4】 | バンダイナムコゲームス公式サイト". www.bandainamcoent.co.jp. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  17. ^ "RIDGE RACER V 開発者リレーエッセイ/第６回：サウンドチーム【１】 | バンダイナムコゲームス公式サイト". www.bandainamcoent.co.jp. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  18. ^ "RIDGE RACER V 開発者リレーエッセイ/第５回：グラフィックチーム【4】 | バンダイナムコゲームス公式サイト". www.bandainamcoent.co.jp. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  19. ^ "Ridge Racer: A Series Retrospective - Crash of the Titan". SUPERJUMP. 2022-04-21. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
  20. ^ "RIDGE RACER V 開発者リレーエッセイ/第３回：グラフィックチーム【2】 | バンダイナムコゲームス公式サイト". www.bandainamcoent.co.jp. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  21. ^ "RIDGE RACER V 開発者リレーエッセイ/第４回：グラフィックチーム【3】 | バンダイナムコゲームス公式サイト". www.bandainamcoent.co.jp. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  22. ^ Perry, Douglass C. (1999-09-17). "TGS 1999: New Ridge Racer - First Impressions". IGN. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
  23. ^ "SBG: NEWS - リッジV ＆ 鉄拳TT, PS2本体と同時発売". nlab.itmedia.co.jp. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
  24. ^ "RIDGE RACER V 開発者リレーエッセイ/第１回：企画チーム | バンダイナムコゲームス公式サイト". www.bandainamcoent.co.jp. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  25. ^ Greening, Chris (June 15, 2011). "Kohta Takahashi Interview: Cutting-Edge Namco Scores". VGMO.
  26. ^ "Ridge Racer V - VGMdb". vgmdb.net. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  27. ^ Kohta Takahashi [@kohta09] (July 14, 2022). "Hi, I'm Kohta, sound leader of Ridge Racer V. I requested a song from you through Mr. Nagamine of Sony Music and your song helped us a lot. I was really happy with the Remix of my song Junx. Thanks" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  28. ^ van Dijk, Mijk (July 16, 2022). "Today I wanna share two emotional blasts from the past with you". Facebook.
  29. ^ "AICT-138 | Ridge Racer V Original Game Soundtrack - VGMdb". vgmdb.net. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
  30. ^ "Various – Ridge Racer V - Original Game Soundtrack".
  31. ^ "NAMCO BANDAI Games | RIDGE RACER V". bandainamco-am.co.jp. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
  32. ^ "２０００年　テレビゲームソフト　年間売上　ＴＯＰ１００". web.archive.org. 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  33. ^ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - 完成品夕イプのTVゲーム機 (Dedicated Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 627. Amusement Press, Inc. February 1, 2001. p. 17.
  34. ^ a b "Ridge Racer V for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  35. ^ Berger, Gregory. "Ridge Racer V (PS2) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  36. ^ Ham, Tom (October 25, 2000). "Ridge Racer V". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on December 3, 2000. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  37. ^ Edge staff (May 2000). "Ridge Racer V (Japan)" (PDF). Edge. No. 84. Future Publishing. pp. 76–77. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  38. ^ Edge staff (December 2000). "Ridge Racer (US/EU)" (PDF). Edge. No. 91. Future Publishing. p. 120. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  39. ^ Sewart, Greg; Hager, Dean; MacDonald, Mark (November 2000). "Ridge Racer V" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 136. Ziff Davis. p. 266. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  40. ^ a b "プレイステーション2 - リッジレーサーV". Famitsu (in Japanese). Vol. 915. Enterbrain. June 30, 2006. p. 55.
  41. ^ a b Reiner, Andrew (November 2000). "Ridge Racer V". Game Informer. No. 91. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on September 18, 2008. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  42. ^ Van Stone, Matt "Kodomo" (June 2000). "Ridge Racer V (Import)". GameFan. Vol. 8, no. 6. Shinno Media. pp. 28–29. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  43. ^ Van Stone, Matt "Kodomo" (November 2000). "Ridge Racer V". GameFan. Vol. 8, no. 11. BPA International. p. 90. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  44. ^ Mylonas, Eric "ECM"; Weitzner, Jason "Fury"; Ngo, George "Eggo" (November 2000). "Ridge Racer V". GameFan. Vol. 8, no. 11. BPA International. p. 23. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  45. ^ Rodriguez, Tyrone "Cerberus"; Ngo, George "Eggo"; Mylonas, Eric "ECM" (June 2000). "Ridge Racer V (Import)". GameFan. Vol. 8, no. 6. Shinno Media. p. 13. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  46. ^ a b Human Tornado (October 23, 2000). "Ridge Racer V Review for PS2 on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 12, 2005. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  47. ^ Liu, Johnny (October 2000). "Ridge Racer V Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on December 22, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  48. ^ Gerstmann, Jeff (March 10, 2000). "Ridge Racer V Review [JP Import]". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  49. ^ Jamie (December 22, 2000). "Ridge Racer V". PlanetPS2. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 25, 2005. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  50. ^ a b Zdyrko, David (October 23, 2000). "Ridge Racer V". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  51. ^ a b Lundrigan, Jeff (November 2000). "Ridge Racer V". NextGen. No. 71. Imagine Media. p. 113. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  52. ^ "Ridge Racer V". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 38. Ziff Davis. November 2000.
  53. ^ Perry, Douglass C. (March 2, 2000). "Now Playing In Japan, Vol. 19". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  54. ^ "PlayStation 2". Edge. No. 106. January 2002. p. 59.
  55. ^ IGN staff (January 29, 2001). "Best of 2000 Awards (PS2: Racing Game of 2000)". IGN. Snowball.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2001. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  56. ^ "Fourth Interactive Achievement Awards: Console Racing". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on April 17, 2001. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  57. ^ "Ridge Racer: A Series Retrospective - Crash of the Titan". SUPERJUMP. 2022-04-21. Retrieved 2024-09-08.

Further reading

[edit]
  • RIDGE RACER V 5 Official Guidebook (in Japanese). Enterbrain, Inc. 6 May 2000. p. 144. ISBN 9784757700208.
  • Ridge Racer V Namco Official Guide Book (in Japanese). Namco. 30 March 2000. 4907892080140.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://wiki.riteme.site/w/index.php?title=Ridge_Racer_V&oldid=1244739148"