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One of the best arcade racers available

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: November 29, 1999
Author: Amazon User

R4 is the pinnacle of the Ridge Racer series. Fantastic car design, great track layout, gorgeous graphics (yes, better than Gran Turismo) and great light sourcing combine to create one of the best racing experiences on any console.

While R4 doesn't have the depth of gameplay that Gran Turismo offers, it is much easier for beginnner's and novices to play than GT, and is enjoyable enough to keep hardcore gamers interested.

A must buy!

Great Fun

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: January 02, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I have several racing games, including the best of all racers, those on Dreamcast (F355, Test Drive: Le Mans, and Sega Rally 2). I also have the "licenses-galore" Gran Turismo 2 on PSX and Sega GT. Simply put, I have much more fun playing R4 than the "licenses-galore" simulation racers, and place R4 on the replayability level of Sega Rally 2 (my favorite of all).

R4 is an arcade racer, so people who prefer sim games (or who >>think<< they do) may not like it. However, as a car nut myself with all these racing games, sometimes having less realism and more fantastic cars is the best gaming medicine. R4 has much variety, creative fantasy cars, and an actual personality (its refreshing to drive a jet-powered racer; or how 'bout that winnable 1-speed 191-mph 3-ft econocar!).

R4 offers a story for each of four different race managers you can work with. Like the different storylines in a Street Fighter game, this adds a dose of personality, though you won't mistake these stories for award-winning novellas.

R4 is highly recommended to all. It can be "won" by those with lesser skill on the "easier" teams, but even seasoned racers such as myself get a challenge from at least 1 out of the 4 teams (the expert-level DRC-team Grand Prix). Also, note that one can finish a Grand Prix with a few 3rd or 2nd place finishes, but those who do this and think "I'm done" will never see the better cars in the game. And definitely not the Pac-Man car...

Buy and enjoy!

A little engine that couldn't

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: December 06, 1999
Author: Amazon User

First of all, lets get something straight. Ridge Racer 4 is not realistic. Gran Tourismo is realistic. But does that mean Ridge Racer 4 is a bad game?

No, it just means that Ridge Racer 4 is a different type of game. Gran Tourimo is a realism simulator and Ridge Racer is just a game, plain and simple. So forget comparing the two.

Matter of fact, I enjoy both types of games and still play Rage Racer (3rd Ridge Racer) as much as Gran Tourismo. Now why do I play Rage Racer instead of Ridge Racer 4? Here is why.

Because unfortunately Ridge Racer 4 does not get its job done, being a great fun game. To sum it up, it just lacks the intensity in all areas. The game seems slowed down and that incredible sense of speed I enjoyed in Rage Racer is not there anymore. The intense soundtrack that rocked my ear drums in Rage Racer is now replaced by semi-techno-pop-gone-luke-warm music.

Plus, the game is extremely limiting in terms of car usage, because the game sort of determines which car you drive in the race, depending on the manufacturer you picked in the beginning. That means you can't drive the supercar that you went through hell to get, against all the weaklings that gave you hard time earlier in the game.

Only thing good I can say is about this game is that it sure is pretty to look at. The graphics is awesome, and the opening movie sequence is jaw-dropping gorgeous. But there really isn't much else under the hood of this racer.

One of the best Racing games ever made by Namco!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: November 24, 1999
Author: Amazon User

This game is the the best type of racing game for Playstation!. The graphichs are the best! And if your the type that likes techno music, this game's for you! This game stands with Gran Tourismo and Need for Speed: High Stakes! Yeah, all the other Ridge Racers stunk, but this is a whole new animal!

If Gran Turismo had been an arcade game first...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: August 24, 2001
Author: Amazon User

If Gran Turismo had been an arcade game first, R4 might just be what it would have been. Ridge Racer Type 4 returns the series to its less-realistic roots after the uneven (but decent,) Rage Racer, but still adds enough new stuff to make it stick out in the post-Gran Turismo world of racing games. Why does it stick out? Because it remembers not to be TOO real. See, if I want a truly "real" driving experience, that's what the cars parked outside are for. R4 remembers to be fun first, real second...but it's a close second. The physics of the game are tight, and the graphics are about as good as PS1 gets. The premise of racing for a team is a good story point (a point that most racing games skip altogether,) and also gives you a weird sense of responsibility when you win or lose a race. The car selection is both a good thing and a bad thing. The variety is outstanding, with dozens and dozens of different customizable designs, including some really neat hidden stuff. Unfortunately, the Gran Turismo effect has to be addressed here, as none of the cars are based on actual models. You can tell what a few of them are based on, but after Test Drive and Gran Turismo spoiled us all with real cars from the real manufacturers, generic stuff knocks a star off of this one. But other than that, it's a true gamer's game, and is a worthy substitute for GT when you're tired of sweating over getting a license just to get anywhere in the game. Plus, it's now a "Greatest Hits" title, and the price is very, very nice if you're not moving up from your PS1 for a while. A keeper.

Trust me, You will be Surprised

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: November 28, 2001
Author: Amazon User

When racing games were dominated by 'real' simulation Gran Turismo, I just couldn't enjoy first two Gran Turismo games except the fact that I do get to drive my car. That chemistry wasn't just there. When I picked up this gem, I was immediately sucked into it. The graphic was BETTER than first two Gran Turismo games and not to mention its story line. It's simple story, but they have managed to present the 'simple' story with special cutscenes with jazzy music, and believe me, this combination really adds alot to this game.

This game does offer variety with two types of racing and four racing team. Not only each team offers various difficulty, but also it offers different storylines. I have especially enjoyed night setting race course, with music which it brings out the essence of each course to its max. May be something's wrong with me for I just couldn't enjoy 'awesome' Gran Turismo games (third installment was very enjoyable)..you might say.. but this game was MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE than Gran Turismo, Don't miss it!

RACING GAMES DON'T GET MUCH WORSE THAN THIS

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 3 / 6
Date: November 10, 1999
Author: Amazon User

The original arcade Ridge Racer was possibly one of the worst arcade games ever. That was, until Ridge Racer Type 4 came along for the Playstation. This is Namco's fourth in the series and it always was a bad series, and will always will be. The original was a terrible conversion of a lame arcade game. It suffered in the 32 bit transition so badly that it was barely recognisable. Ridge Racer Revolution(the sequel) managed to improve on it, but was still way behind lots of other games. Then there was Rage Racer which wasn't realy in the same series because it was so different but it wasn't bad. but RRT4 manages to take the original and make it even worse.

First up, the graphics are terrible. The ugly grainy textures use a limited number of the Playstation's color pallete. There's no real time lighting, reflections or enviroment mapping on the cars. Acceptable when the PSX came out, but not any more.

Gameplaywise, RRT4 is severelt lacking. You can't spin, flip or roll over and the playing area is limited to the track. There's no going onto grass, for example. Collisions are laughable, when you hit another car at 200+ kph you're car will slow to a crawl and the other car will drive on not suffering at all. There are around 40 cars which is a great amount, but the game lies and claims to have over 300 which just adds to it's overall lameness. None of the cars are liscenced and they all handle extremely badly. Game speed is very slow and jerky, too.

IS IT WORTH BUYING?

The short answer, no! It just has too many flaws and there're enough decent games to keep everyone happy. It may already be too late, but don't buy Ridge Racedr Type 4.

Awsome

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: March 14, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Ok first let me get this of my chest, for those of you who are saying that that game is crap compared to Gran Turismo and mocking it's graphics, lets just say you dont know anything about good games. For all you Gran Turismo fanboys, dont compare these 2 games together! Yes if you want realistic driving then go play Gran Turismo (or just go drive a car), but for those of us who want to have some fun and play around with the simple yet wonderful physics of the game, then go play Ridge Racer Type 4. Ridge Racer 4 has excellent graphics, awsome (and sometimes funny) car designs, and a nice little story mode with it. There is a reason why it got such good ratings in those mags, because it is a good game, period.

An entertaining speedy racing game, but familiar.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: July 30, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Graphics: 8/10 - Ridge Racer Type 4 is plausible in this area. The car designs are fantastic and the roads are clear and well-crafted.

Sound: 9/10 - Fantastic! Not too much of this comes from the cars themselves, but the groovy soundtrack, great commentator and crashing sounds give this baby a boost!

Value: 7/10 - A fun car racing game that lasts a long time and challenges you to do better. But in this genre, we have seen games done better and you might want to go off and play them instead.

Overall: 8/10 - What can I say? I thought this was a blast. It was fun, energetic and speedy. A good instalment to the Ridge Racer series. The cars were brilliant and the Great Gran Prix is the best part. However, Ridge Racer Type 4 loses points because it is simply too much like Gran Turismo and you might tire of its same-old routine. Still lots of fun and recommended!

Please don't waste your time playing this game!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 2 / 7
Date: November 16, 1999
Author: Amazon User

And PLEASE don't waste your money buying this game. This game is SO unrealistic...it is nothing close to the driving experience of Gran Turismo. Trust me.

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