Ridge Racer V: Emotion Engine

This game for me is tied to major memories of nostalgia. It was my first racing game on any console, and kindled my interest in automobiles as a whole.

I've got to say, I didn't expect to ever see an article about this game on this site at all. I understand that, in general, this game is viewed as the lesser successor to RR4, the best the franchise had to offer.

But for me it's something quite special. Although it offers little content, what it does offer, it polishes nicely. The music was a big selling point for me (I still have the original soundtrack on CD laying somewhere!) and also the Kamata Fiaro is one beautiful machine. :bowdown:


I'm rambling now, but you get it. There's tons more I love about this game, but I'd be typing for hours.

If isolated from its predecessor, RRV was an interesting title that I feel is a little underrated.
 
xlDevontelx
I've got to say, I didn't expect to ever see an article about this game on this site at all. I understand that, in general, this game is viewed as the lesser successor to RR4, the best the franchise had to offer.
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That was the idea! Everyone talks about R4, as they should. But there's so little to say about that game that hasn't been said already, and RRV is excellent in other ways, even though it may not have been as universally groundbreaking. It's almost like a fitting swansong to close out the prime years of the franchise, when it was still a respected and beloved brand -- like a sendoff to Ridge City and those cars and tracks made iconic in the first game. That's the way I see it.
 
I loved RRV and somehow i love it, even today. I think that the style, music and presentation is still unmatched. Everything about this game was just so stylish and well designed. RR6 and 7 never got even close. They had better graphics, more cars and track and a bigger career mode, but they lacked soul and style.

Oh boy. How much i would love to see an Ridge Racer 8 with RRV's spirit!
 
Ridge Racer and it's subsequent sequel were the only racing game I had an unnatural ability to play and demolish with ease.

Even once you got to the latter stages of the game, I was able to just play it and beat the game without any trouble. My only rainman moment. I do miss playing these games.
 
RaceFuchs
Everything about this game was just so stylish and well designed. RR6 and 7 never got even close.
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That's what I think I was trying to convey. The stylistic element to this game is what drew me in.

I have a thing for design and presentation (sort of runs in the family) and this game certainly had a distinct quality about it. Not that this game was the best of a generation or even of the franchise -- but I'll be dammed if it wasn't ambitious in the style department.
 
The article pretty much sums it up. RRV and up had me so depressed and starved for Ridge Racer that I had to force myself to try out Ridge Racer 64/DS. However when I come back to 1 to Type 4, each game seems to have this flaw and I can't decide which game is the best. RRT4's progress forces you to sandbag to come in 3rd or 2nd place, with Rage I still can't figure out how to not stall coming out of drifts, and I can only replay RR1 and RRR so many times.
 
Anonanon
The article pretty much sums it up. RRV and up had me so depressed and starved for Ridge Racer that I had to force myself to try out Ridge Racer 64/DS. However when I come back to 1 to Type 4, each game seems to have this flaw and I can't decide which game is the best. RRT4's progress forces you to sandbag to come in 3rd or 2nd place, with Rage I still can't figure out how to not stall coming out of drifts, and I can only replay RR1 and RRR so many times.
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The sandbagging thing is the one serious flaw with R4's game design. I understand how it could be a good idea, in that it makes your racing performance a part of the overall story and how the season plays out. But if you want to collect cars -- and who doesn't -- it really sucks the thrill out of driving for the lead.

As for the other three games, I've always felt that despite being groundbreaking for the time, RR1, Revolution, and Rage all handle terribly. Like drifting is so integral to every Ridge Racer, but in those games it just feels awful. You'll initiate a slide and the car will literally pivot on an axis, and skid at the slowest speed imaginable. Then when you try and get going again, you're either back in first gear or you haven't lost any speed whatsoever, and it's almost impossible to predict which of those circumstances will play out. You never know when that grip's gonna return, either. It's so janky and stilted, and normally I'd chalk it up to the whole 3D racing thing being young and all, but the physics in Daytona and Sega Rally were perfect compared to what Namco was pumping out until R4 released.
 
I have to admit RRV is the only Ridge Racer game with a handling model I genuinely enjoyed, as you aptly explained in the article, @glassjaw. 👍 I also liked the team building aspect, relatively thin as it was.

Now that you mention it, if you combined RRV's gameplay and PS2-enabled presentation with R4's content, soundtrack, and style, that would be one hell of an all-time great racing title.
 
glassjaw
The sandbagging thing is the one serious flaw with R4's game design. I understand how it could be a good idea, in that it makes your racing performance a part of the overall story and how the season plays out. But if you want to collect cars -- and who doesn't -- it really sucks the thrill out of driving for the lead.
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Problem with collecting cars that you sandbag in RRT4 is that most of it are just Class 1 and 2 cars with better speed.
 
glassjaw
The sandbagging thing is the one serious flaw with R4's game design.
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tankuroded
Problem with collecting cars that you sandbag in RRT4 is that most of it are just Class 1 and 2 cars with better speed.
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RRT4 is so ridiculous that I need a spreadsheet to play it. Gran Turismo needs a notepad for prize cars at best.
As you can see, I'm not really motivated to fire up my PSTV and keep going. On the bright side, Type 4 is a ride that is never over.

rhjirl.PNG
 
One of my favorite things to do in RRV was to take every corner in the opposite direction and then watching the car carry itself around on the right path as if it were on rails.
 
RRV was the first game I bought for my PS2 at launch, I had never owned a home console before or even played Ridge Racer. I loved that game, played the hell out of it. It was so stylishly put together and the radio commentator was awesome.
 
Great article. Loved RR V! One of my all time favorites. Just hearing the sounds and music from the game gives me that sense of nostalgia. This was the best the series got for me. I didn't care about the story. I wanted pick up anytime arcade racing and drifting. It really was close to perfect for me. (The original entry being my all time fav) . Plus this game still had a long campaign it just didn't have the little text prompter driven dialogue between manager and driver.
 
For all RRT4's artistic flair, RRV is way better game. The sandbagging aspect of the former is just atrocious, it took me almost 18 years to collect all the cars, even when it's too easy. RRV has its own style signature, nice playability and engaging estructure. Its minute exploration of the Ridge City area from the originals with its seven track layouts is a tribute to the fans. Musically is even with if not better than ever in the series, plus it uncovered Boom Boom Satellites amazing sound to the West (Kawashima-san rest in peace). For me, this or Rage Racer before it is the true pinnacle of the series so far; RRT4 would be dead last if not for the forgettable handheld ones.


 
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