Ridge Racer 7 (PS3)

It just wouldn't be a Sony console launch without a new Ridge Racer game, and although the latest installment in the popular racing series doesn't quite set the world on fire, it proves that the number 7 is pretty lucky after all.

Racing S(t)imulation

The name of the game in Ridge Racer 7 is drifting, and you won't get very far if you resist, since getting around hairpin turns and right-angle corners demands that you let up on the gas long enough for your back end to swing out in a display of raw power and abused rubber. It's also important because drifting fills your nitrous tanks which you can inject into your fuel line one, two, or three tanks at a time.

This latest installment also features some new elements that will keep things interesting for series vets. Slipstreaming, for instance, lets you hide behind an unsuspecting rival and use them to slingshot away out in a surge of acceleration that would otherwise be impossible. There's also a pseudo-RPG quality in the car purchasing and modification system. Machines can only be bought after establishing a relationship with the manufacturer, which requires you to win an introductory race.

The cars you drive, and the variety of tuning and cosmetic parts you have equipped on them, earn you points with the different parts companies, even if they don't always seem to have a big impact on performance.

You Against the World

Also, unlike most of the competition, Ridge Racer 7's online races are surprisingly smooth, even with a full field of fourteen sharing the pavement. You won't see cars jumping all over the track in an irritating display of Internet lag and shoddy network programming, and every race you place in earns you credits to spend in the single player game. A team battle mode injects some unique mechanics to boot, like a shared nitrous tank, and the demand that you race with your partners as much as possible.

Shiny New Paint Job

You could certainly complain about the fact that most of the tracks on hand are ported directly from Ridge Racer 6, but the cascading waterfalls and towering office buildings never looked this nice, even on the Xbox 360. Engine sounds drone without much interactivity, there's no damage modeling at all, and collision physics sometimes make it seem as if you're driving bumper cars, but the ultimate effect is like playing with absurdly fast matchbox cars, and it's a lot of fun.

The Ridge Racer series has always seemed to provide games more suited to the casual arcade crowd than serious racing devotees, and despite its jump in graphics quality and new twists, this latest installment isn't likely to convert many to its streamlined feel. As long as realism isn't tops on your list of demands, Ridge Racer 7 is a great first foray into the next generation of racing.