As bad as Ridge Racer seems by today's standards, it was undeniably one of the titles that put the PlayStation on the map and launched it into the success it's enjoying now. It was an arcade hit as well as the pack-in for early models. It was a good seller for Namco, good enough to warrant a so-called revolution. Ridge Racer: Revolution was hardly a revolution - few improvements were made on the game. For the third game of the series, Rage Racer, Namco has taken the play mechanics of the original, improved on the graphics, and given the game a little more depth.

The heart of the game, the Grand Prix, is what separates this game from it predecessors. The Grand Prix is sort of a simulation mode where you must earn money by winning races. You start off at class one. As you advance in classes, the competition is tougher, forcing you to buy new cars and upgrade old ones to be able to compete. This feature gives the game a nice learning curve. Amateur racers will have few problems with the first few classes, but as you move up even the best may have some trouble. There is also a time trial mode for practice, but there isn't a multiplayer option - something Namco has continued to omit.

As with previous games in the series, there is just one environment. In this game, the different tracks branch off soon after the start/finish line, and join again right before. Unlike Ridge Racer, the different branches are actually different enough to be called tracks. Hills and sharp turns are everywhere, making the racing at high speeds quite difficult. Overall the track design is well done, and the inclusion of an oval racetrack adds a bit of variety to racing.

Graphically, Rage Racer is miles ahead of the original. The surroundings are nicely detailed, with forests, billboards, old ruins, tunnels, etc. Pop-up is virtually non-existent with the tracks visible to the horizon. One problem, though, is that the polygon seams were sometimes visible, though not as badly as in some games. (Coolboarders 2 comes to mind.) When starting the game, and between classes, there are some very nicely rendered FMV sequences which add atmosphere.

There are four different types of cars, and all are well built. They vary from Italian speed demons, to little French wiener-cars that can take on the winding mountain roads no problem. No matter which car you choose, it can be completely customized. They all have a two-color paint scheme, which can be modified to your liking, and there is an ability to add a logo to your car. There are some preset logos, but you can always design your own, with a very easy-to-use built in paint program. With some of the cars, you have the choice between automatic and standard transmissions, but some of the better cars are strictly manual. Learning to shift gives you access to some better cars and, with these cars, racing can be easier.

While racing, there aren't many sound effects. Practically every car has a different engine sound, all of which sound excellent while racing. On the flip side, there's the announcer. She seems to only know four or five different phrases and repeats them too frequently. It gets VERY annoying. The only other sound effects that are even noticeable are the 'thunk' sounds when you hit something, though what else could really be added? The music is just what you'd expect: techno. There are nine different songs and all of them set a really good mood for racing.

Throughout the series, the control has stayed the same. Drifting is still as frustrating as before, to the point where some would say, "ah, screw it" and never even attempt it during a race. If mastered, drifting can really help you through some of the classes, though it's still possible to place first if you don't. Other things still hinder the series. Just as before, hitting a car will slow you almost to a stop, while the other car flies forward. Having only two views, in the car (the 'hood-ornament' view) and outside, doesn't help the control much either. Inside you can't see where your car is in relation to the other cars and objects, while outside, the camera isn't in a good place for racing. The control is considerably better with a NegCon, or compatible steering wheel - Either option will make drifting easier.

Rage Racer is not a bad game, but there are better racers on the market. Offering nothing new, this game is not a really a first choice racing game. Still, if you love Ridge Racer and have no friends, this game may be the thing you're looking for.