This is going to be short mostly because I've spent all of
10 minutes with this game but there's good reason for that. By the way, In case you didn't read the title,
the game I'm referring to is Ridge Racer: Unbounded for the PC.
Let me start by describing the fantasy that I thought I
would be experiencing. Let me also admit
that I didn't pay enough attention to the Metacritic
user reviews. In my own defense, I
didn't see anything about my primary issue in the reviews, at least not right
up front.
My fantasy revolved around the infinitely playable Flatout
franchise in the examples of Flatout and Flatout 2. Those games were both produced by Bugbear and
were nothing less than a joy to play.
Even now after 7 years my friends and I still find them a guilty
pleasure every now and then. When they
were new, I played them so much that they almost became a career. One I gladly accepted, mind you.
Flatout 3, on the other hand, was an example of a bad developer ruining a
good franchise. Bugbear wasn't involved
and the result was akin to Caddyshack without Bill Murray. Oh yeah...that was Caddyshack 2 wasn't it?
Ridge Racer: Unbounded looked intriguing. It had an interesting premise, destructible
environments, and the ability to create your own tracks. If I couldn't hurl my driver through flaming
rings for distance at least I could have fun confounding my friends with custom
tracks and stuff that blew up.
So I expected the Ridge Racer experience would be at least
on par with Flatout even if there weren't any cool stunt competitions...
Unfortunately, Ridge Racer: Unbounded disappointed me from
the first setup screen.
With all of that you probably would like to know what I'm
going on about, so here it is...
Control setup!
The game was released in 2012 and went on sale during the
Steam Summer sale for a fraction of its release price and now I know why.
Need For Speed, Grid 2, Even Split Second supported a
joystick and that was a pure console port!
So what the hell is wrong with you BugBear!
Yes, I'm one of those.
I didn't grow up gaming on PS or Xbox anything. I started gaming the
hard way on PC's and all of those used joysticks. The only thing close to a console I ever
played on was an Atari 800 computer and guess what, it had a joystick!
So if everyone else gets it where does anyone who demands a
$50 list price for a game get off sticking me with keyboard or gamepad control
for a driving game? I checked a few
forums and found an avalanche of wailing from gamers with USB Steering wheels
that had similar complaints. No support for wheels and no customization of controls no matter what you used. The $300 or
more they paid might as well have been tossed in the crapper during an
opportune flush with this game.
How can you have such promise and abandon a core component
of gameplay?
No, I'm not old and I will NOT get over it. You play racing games best with a wheel or a
joystick, period.
Gamepad controllers
are great for FPS's, RPG's and Little Big Planet but they stink for driving. That anyone would argue to the contrary quite
frankly has no clue what precise control is all about. Click, Click, Tap Tap and a vague piece of
rubber sticking up that looks like a female contraceptive trapped in a plastic
case just isn't the same.
With the triumph of BugBear's work on the Flatout series
(which completely supported joysticks) I simply can't comprehend how they let
this travesty get by with their brand on it.
I have a Windows Xbox controller, I also have a keyboard
which is my only other option for Ridge Racer, I won't be bothering with them because it's just not worth it.
Sadly, I
think I'll try to trade this game instead of suffer the indignity of trying to
make a square peg fit into a round hole.
Sorry BugBear, I don't trust you anymore.
Grade: F
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