Ridge Racer 7

 PlayStation 3
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 75 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 75
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 75
  3. Negative: 13 out of 75
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  1. badasscat
    Dec 29, 2013
    10
    After more than 7 years, this game still holds up. I owned a launch PS3 but never bothered getting this until 2013, and I was frankly shocked by how good it is. If I'd gotten this game at launch, I don't think I'd have played anything else for months. I frankly don't think there's a better arcade racing game for PS3 even today.

    First of all, this is real Ridge Racer and the last game in    After more than 7 years, this game still holds up. I owned a launch PS3 but never bothered getting this until 2013, and I was frankly shocked by how good it is. If I'd gotten this game at launch, I don't think I'd have played anything else for months. I frankly don't think there's a better arcade racing game for PS3 even today.

    First of all, this is real Ridge Racer and the last game in the series you can say that about. (At least until a proper Ridge Racer 8 is released.) It's drift racing through Drift City, and all the Ridge Racer staples are here, from Reiko Nagase to the goofy in-race commentary to the arcade physics. No, this is not Gran Turismo and it isn't trying to be. The game is all about DRIFT. And speed. It's also very Japanese in style, if that's your thing (it is mine).

    But there's a huge amount of stuff to do. It's the biggest Ridge Racer game I've ever played, with tons of multi-race, single and manufacturer events. I've been playing for about 10 hours so far and I'm only 4.8% done according to the in-game stats. That's for an *arcade* racer, mind you. The in-game vehicles are all very different and they can all be upgraded in a huge number of ways both mechanically and visually.

    The racing AI is surprisingly smart for an arcade racer and there is no "rubber banding" as there even is in Gran Turismo. Get ahead and you'll stay ahead unless you mess up. Get behind and you have to work to catch up. The races start off easy but get challenging quick, and you'd better have your drifting technique down or you'll be left in the dust.

    Graphically the game is still very clean. It's not as detailed as modern racing games, but it's super-fluid at 60fps and the car models are smooth and well done. It's almost like it's just a different approach to graphics, rather than an obsolete one. The goal seems to be fluidity, smoothness and speed rather than ultra-high detail. I haven't found myself wishing the graphics were better as I've played it; if anything, I've wondered why newer games can't run this fluidly.

    There are even still people playing online, although beware that they're mostly masters of the game by now. Don't even try it until you get a good, later-game car and upgrade it. Otherwise you're going to get laughed at, literally.

    Until there's a Ridge Racer 8, I would highly recommend picking up this game to satisfy your arcade racing needs.    … Expand
  2. toaplan
    Feb 27, 2015
    8
    Great arcade racer, especially with the added stereoscopic 3D patch. And faithful to the original games in the series as well. Looking forward to Ridge Racer 8 on the PS4 or PS5.
  3. HaahWaaw440
    Jun 26, 2011
    10
    Ignore the reviews. You'll either "get" Ridge Racer and love it, or you won't. It's dirt cheap now, and if you're a fan of racing games, grab it and see what you think.
  4. Knirt
    Jul 1, 2013
    10
    Great racing game, nice graphics (also in 3D), challenging and fun as Ridge Racer always was. If you are looking for realistic driving and simulation you're probably wrong here, but if you want a fun speed racer like Wipeout I would definitely recommend this game!
  5. special-ops
    Jul 21, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ridge Racer 7 is a wonderful game to play at home and this game is rated has 9.3/10.I like the graphics,cars,circuits,challenges and multiplayer.I am a huge fan of Ridge Racer and this game was amazing.… Expand
  6. Timenick
    Jul 26, 2022
    10
    This game has aged so well its mind blowing. I HIGHLY recommend playing this on a 4K TV with good upscaling software (Samsung GUTU series for example) and it will look better than lots of PS4 games. Super smooth controls at native 1080p 60fps, I guess people were used to more clunky controls in 2006 and thats where the average reviews are coming from. Actually doesn´t take a lot of time toThis game has aged so well its mind blowing. I HIGHLY recommend playing this on a 4K TV with good upscaling software (Samsung GUTU series for example) and it will look better than lots of PS4 games. Super smooth controls at native 1080p 60fps, I guess people were used to more clunky controls in 2006 and thats where the average reviews are coming from. Actually doesn´t take a lot of time to learn the drifts, maybe 1-2 hours. This game is super high tech through and through, even more today when more and more PS3 era games are deemed unplayable due to their graphics and performance. Very very impressive stuff!… Expand
  7. VanCan72
    Apr 14, 2021
    10
    I genuinely love this game. Holds up extremely well all these years later and is so satisfying to nail those hairpin turn drifts. Definitely a good game to turn on some pulsing Eurobeat and vibe with the track
  8. Jaidenbrkl1
    Mar 28, 2023
    8
    I was surprised to see that in 2023, the graphics are FULL ON 1080p 60FPS for a racing game and Ridge Racer 7 isn’t too bad, for 2006 standards.
  9. ClarkeA.
    Jun 16, 2007
    10
    The only racing game that looks better is Motorstorm the problem is it isn't as much fun. Ridge Racer features more tracks and car customization. The game was ported extremely well to the PS3 and is worth buying if you want to scream around corners at over 275 MPH.
  10. IanI.
    Dec 14, 2006
    9
    I believe another review mentioned it, but it has always been common for newcommers to the series to say somthing like "drifting feels like your following a track but you can rotate your car", any fan of the ridge racer seriese is used to this, this is what ridge racer is about, it wouldn't be a ridge racer game if it were any other way. Fans of the series will love this game, far I believe another review mentioned it, but it has always been common for newcommers to the series to say somthing like "drifting feels like your following a track but you can rotate your car", any fan of the ridge racer seriese is used to this, this is what ridge racer is about, it wouldn't be a ridge racer game if it were any other way. Fans of the series will love this game, far better than some of the other sequals to the series. Thier is a steep learning curve here (and indeed enjoyment curve) but once you compleate the game and get a handle around how things work the game becomes increcibly tense and emersive to the point you sometimes forget to breath. Bottom line, great game if you know what your getting into or are willing to stick with it to the end...just like every other game in the series has been.… Expand
  11. Crab666
    May 30, 2012
    1
    I'm new to metacritic and one of the first things I did was to check out some of my old games to see what they got. When I checked out Ridge Racer 7 I could not believe some of the ratings this was given because the physics and controls in this game are completely BROKEN! And that's not even all that's wrong with it.

    There are many cars all with varying degrees of crapness either being    I'm new to metacritic and one of the first things I did was to check out some of my old games to see what they got. When I checked out Ridge Racer 7 I could not believe some of the ratings this was given because the physics and controls in this game are completely BROKEN! And that's not even all that's wrong with it.

    There are many cars all with varying degrees of crapness either being way to stiff and unresponsive or being so tail heavy that they wobble uncontrollably down the straights after you drift round a corner or just suddenly spin round in the middle of it, there is even some that are an inexplicable mixture of both! The game does allow you to customise the dynamic features of the car, what little difference they make these usually make it worse.

    I hated the soundtrack, but to be fair that that's down to personal taste. It does give the option of turning it off, I did so only to discover that the sound effects are even worse. Every car produces the same boring monotone hum and then there's the announce lady who in a really annoying high pitched voice obnoxiously tells you things that you just don't need to hear! "Your in the slipstream!" as if couldn't tell since I'm going a little faster and I'm right behind another car, idiot!

    It features the worst tack design I have seen before or since. There is no organic feel at all as if it was designed quite literally by a machine, with the same width and surface all the way through. It goes something like this, flat straight, right 90 degrees, straight elevated 10 degrees, left 180 degrees, straight dive 20 degrees, even the jumps were static and boring. At a time when the burnout series had you racing through a mixture of tight dirt roads wide open lanes this level of lazy design is completely unacceptable.

    To give credit where it is due the game was visually impressive and it feature's (for the aesthetic part at least) a excellent customisation feature which allows you to change the look, pallet and even your driver number. But these are nowhere near enough to make up the the game's massive dynamic shortfalls. The only fun I had was customising the appearance of my car, for that at least my final verdict is a 1/10.    … Expand
  12. JamesGartland
    Jul 2, 2008
    6
    I think this game is a joke. The way the cars take corners are just hilariously poor. I know it's meant to be an arcade racer but this is just stupid. The graphics are good but the track detail is pretty bad (Look at the airport level. Wheres the background? It looks unfinished!).
  13. MarkA.
    Dec 6, 2006
    1
    Hi res graphics add nothing to the experience of this game, look beyond the gloss and theres precious else there.
  14. DragonD.
    Nov 29, 2006
    4
    This game doesn't deserve an 80. I don't understand how reviewers can find this fun. The controls are ridiculous. When your car is "DRIFTING", it feels like it is following a spline and you can rotate your car. How cool.... NOT! The physics is so tweaked that it doesn't feel like a car racing game. The way the car slides might fake a rally game on asphalt, but even then... This game doesn't deserve an 80. I don't understand how reviewers can find this fun. The controls are ridiculous. When your car is "DRIFTING", it feels like it is following a spline and you can rotate your car. How cool.... NOT! The physics is so tweaked that it doesn't feel like a car racing game. The way the car slides might fake a rally game on asphalt, but even then... it doesn't feel right. In one word... Buy this game so that they can pay their producer a bit better which might give him ideas on how to improve Ridge Racer 26.… Expand
  15. Andyman
    Dec 9, 2006
    2
    You'd think in 12+ years, Namco would spend even a tiny amount of time improving the absolutely awful control in this series, but noooo. Instead, with each sequel we get somewhat more polished visuals and a different (but equally dull) set of unlicensed vehicles. The rest of the genre has left Ridge Racer for dead, and it's time to bury this series.
  16. Good-Smurf
    Nov 22, 2011
    5
    Namco Bandai games definitely don't have enough time to make the better polished Ridge Racer game for PS3.
    It features car customization but that really ruin what make Ridge Racer so special this means it no longer makes any car have a special feeling to it.
    Graphics is sub par it not even looked like a PS3 game. And the new drifting is so effortless that it's boring it no longer need a    Namco Bandai games definitely don't have enough time to make the better polished Ridge Racer game for PS3.
    It features car customization but that really ruin what make Ridge Racer so special this means it no longer makes any car have a special feeling to it.
    Graphics is sub par it not even looked like a PS3 game.
    And the new drifting is so effortless that it's boring it no longer need a skill to pilot the cars like in Ridge Racer type 4 and the cars handles like it about to floating off the road.
    Soundtrack is very disappointing Namco no longer producing in house music and now uses the
    songs from around the world it not even fits the mood.
    Motorstorm is the choice for you this time not Ridge Racer 7.    … Expand
  17. panther4000
    Dec 26, 2011
    0
    The controls are ridiculous. When your car is "DRIFTING", it feels like it is following a spline and you can rotate your car. I sold this game as fast as i could.. WORST RACING GAME EVEEER
  18. ZombieMM7
    Sep 20, 2013
    0
    The graphics were "ok" but... the DRIFTING... Wtf?? This is a painfull experience for racing videogames lovers.
    P.S. I can't believe that, in september of 2013, shops are actually selling this s**t (in platinum edition) for 40 euros! (almost the same that GTA V).
  19. VersemS.
    Jun 19, 2007
    7
    Fist of all, this game makes me feel like I'm in an arcade! and all those voices that tell you stuff can get annoying once they've said it a billion times... The graphics aren't amazing but if you look closely at the road while your parked, you can see that the textures are pretty sharp. It's a worthwhile purchase as long as you aren't expecting too much realism.
  20. Moby
    Jan 18, 2007
    8
    If your one of these people that never managed to understand the controls of the RR Series then your gonna hate this, otherwise this is a great game. My only gripe is the cost of these games as to develope them is no more expesncive than creating a PC title and you know PC games are dirt cheap.
  21. IanR.
    Dec 29, 2006
    10
    If you love the feeling of speeding around a corner at 200 mph sideways and slightly taking a glimpse at the picturesque scenery, this is the game.
  22. Tonydannie
    Feb 4, 2007
    8
    Great arcade style fun. Brings back memories. Love the Ridge!
  23. SamB.
    May 8, 2007
    9
    This series of games had to be liked from the beginning to have a affect on all of these games. For people who have never played this series before and prehapes played the Gran Turismo series this game will most likely not appeal to your taste.
  24. JeffA.
    Jun 15, 2007
    10
    Still one of the best racing games on the PS3. Great graphics and controls. The game features lots of tracks and deep customization.
  25. RayB.
    Dec 9, 2006
    9
    A perfect "arcade" experience. the only drawback is no online voice communication.
  26. Harry210
    Jan 19, 2011
    8
    Ridge Racer 7 is a perfect definition of a pure arcade style racing game with fast and furious races to dig into. The graphics (despite being a launch title for the PlayStation 3) are great. The car models are attractive and look futuristic if a bit blocky; the environments are quite nice and provide some lovely views to race around. The game play is different to any arcade style game I'veRidge Racer 7 is a perfect definition of a pure arcade style racing game with fast and furious races to dig into. The graphics (despite being a launch title for the PlayStation 3) are great. The car models are attractive and look futuristic if a bit blocky; the environments are quite nice and provide some lovely views to race around. The game play is different to any arcade style game I've played like the Burnout series. You race around tracks (in race modes) with a selected car and try to get first place while an annoying chick cheers you on and tells you what position you're in and if you're slipstreaming (damn I just want to chuck her out of my car). In terms of the selection of modes, there is a nice selection to take part in like races, championships, duels and time trials. There are events in the single player mode like races or time trials to compete in which are enjoyable. Some events earn you cars and these cars can be customised with performance parts, paint jobs, decals and body kits. This is no Need for Speed in terms of the depth of customisation but it's a very good addition to the Ridge Racer series and allows you to personalise your car (or machine as they are called in this game) and make it different to other competitor's cars. The game play is enjoyable with intense, fast races and with the inclusion of a nitrous system which can be earned by drifting around corners makes the game ridiculously fast and you need to pay attention to the road. When you lift off the accelerator and turn into a corner, your car starts to drift and gets sort of gets dragged around the corner and drifting doesn't make your car lose speed (it's hard to explain in words). People at first may find that the cornering mechanic of this game may look and feel weird but you'll get used to it. There's no need to use the brakes! Cars do handle heavy while turning without drifting. Despite the cars that you drive look like, well, cars, they don't have any realistic characteristics that a real car has other than the ability to turn, accelerate and brake but this is an arcade game so it's acceptable. The tracks that you race around are nicely designed and some have some huge jumps to jump over. Even at high speed and 13 other cars on the track, the game runs smoothly with hardly any slowdown. The nitrous system is great and a great welcome addition to the Ridge Racer franchise in its introduction in the Ridge Racer PSP instalment. The A.I opponents that you face are challenging enough to make races interesting. At least Namco didn't program the A.I using the rubber band formula that most arcade racers use (like Burnout) so regardless of how fast you go, the A.I will still keep up with you. Using nitrous while in 1st place gives you a bit of breathing space. I do like the presentation of the menu screens; presented in front of a white/blue futuristic background. They are smartly designed and easy to navigate through. RR7 does have some niggles though but not huge ones. Sound design is pretty average: The cars sound like angry Bees and I can't really distinguish one car engine sound from the other as they seem to sound the same most of the time and as I mentioned earlier, the annoying chick that cheers you on and comments on how you're doing every 20 seconds can be really annoying (at least you can turn her off.) The music is heart pumping with suitable techno/dance tunes but they can get quite repetitive hearing them. However, at least all of these problems can be solved with a touch of a mute button. Ridge Racer 7 is a fantastic arcade racer and essential for any arcade racer enthusiast.… Expand
  27. scorp18
    Apr 9, 2015
    10
    It has everything you'd expect from a Ridge Racer game. Nice graphics, unreal drifting (it's an Arcade racer, not even a simcade...) and a big selection of beautiful tracks. I bought it after it got platinum at the price of 5 euros. It's worth it totally! Best Ridge Racer game in my opinion. Sadly there's not going to be a new one to top 7 since namco changed the style of the game to aIt has everything you'd expect from a Ridge Racer game. Nice graphics, unreal drifting (it's an Arcade racer, not even a simcade...) and a big selection of beautiful tracks. I bought it after it got platinum at the price of 5 euros. It's worth it totally! Best Ridge Racer game in my opinion. Sadly there's not going to be a new one to top 7 since namco changed the style of the game to a totally different one… Expand
  28. matty22
    Apr 3, 2015
    10
    RR7 é il gioco migliore di corse arcade su PS3, per essere del 2006 ha una grafica pulitissima e ha moltissimi circuiti e auto senza contare le possibili modifiche alle vetture.
    l'online é molto divertente come anche la modalita single player oppure la multiplayer locale che non si ritrova piu nei giochi moderni.
    chi mette in discussione lo stile di guida delle vetture in questo gioco e    RR7 é il gioco migliore di corse arcade su PS3, per essere del 2006 ha una grafica pulitissima e ha moltissimi circuiti e auto senza contare le possibili modifiche alle vetture.
    l'online é molto divertente come anche la modalita single player oppure la multiplayer locale che non si ritrova piu nei giochi moderni.
    chi mette in discussione lo stile di guida delle vetture in questo gioco e lo giudica negativamente, non capisce nulla o non vuole capire niente al di fuori di giochi in stile NFS    … Expand
  29. DrifterKid
    Feb 25, 2018
    10
    Fast paced racing game with lots of customization, cars, and urban curvy tracks accompanied with energetic trance beats!!!!
  30. Yojimbo2015
    Jun 25, 2023
    7
    Slick new visuals but under the hood it's the same old Ridge Racer, which makes for some unpretentious racing and a nice change of gear from the realism-obsessed crowd.
  31. AroDPFan
    Jun 3, 2023
    10
    This game is underrated. Even though no one will read this, i just wanted to say that. It feels goooooood to play the game.
  32. akumaisdrifting
    Jun 18, 2023
    10
    I haven't played the previous ridge racer yet but damn, this is fun as hell. Also waifu 10/10.

Awards & Rankings

8
#8 Best PS3 Game of 2006
2
#2 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2006
6
#6 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 45 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 45
  3. Negative: 0 out of 45
  1. IGN
    82
    Would-be drivers will feel like members of a global race community, complete with constantly updating race statistics and personal achievements. A nice selection of tracks, tunes and rides round out this very solid package.
    Read full review
  2. GameDaily
    70
    The game's 40 cars look disappointingly familiar. However, this game successfully brings arcade racing home, fully loaded with fast rides, excellent drifting, the ability to customize vehicles, and 14 person online play.
    Read full review
  3. 1UP
    80
    Does Ridge 7 usher in the next-generation of racing? No. Is it the best way to while away the hours, driving on the PS3? For the time being, yes.
    Read full review
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