Ridge Racer V

If you've played any of the other Ridge Racer titles, you can jump right into Ridge Racer V and hold your own. The new Dual Shock 2 takes a bit of getting used to, if only because the d-pad takes a lot more pushing to get your vehicle to turn. Other than that, power-slides work like a charm.

Ridge Racer V graphics seem to be better than any other racer ever created on a console. The vehicles have more polygons than you can imagine, and their reflective surfaces are just dazzling. When you go up through the gears, the sense of speed that Namco has created is second to none and showcases the horsepower of the PlayStation 2. Drive through an underpass and things get darker; exit into an open area and the glare will seem blinding.

Gamers will find plenty of vehicles to choose from at the outset with more available as you improve. This will obviously add replay value to the arcade racer. The season mode resembles Ridge Racer Type 4, without straying too far from Namco's successful formula. Those who dislike the Ridge Racer series will still dislike the power sliding, and it's lack of tracks. The tracks included here feature designs that embody non-stop excitement with hair-pin turns and jumps galore.

With both this and the more sober Gran Turismo 2000, gamers can't complain about any lack of quality racers. While radically different from each other, both are great games and definitely worth checking out. --Todd Mowatt

But that's not the only thing as the PlayStation 2's Emotion Engine really comes into its own here. Tyres smoke and sparks fly if you collide with the walls or other cars, and the passing scenery is even reflected in the highly polished bodywork and windscreens of the cars as you race around at a near impossible velocity. What ever you do, just don't get caught short of adrenaline.