Through out the years, video game genres have frequently changed to get ready for the next generation of new consoles. This is understandable sacrifice as developers and fans have profited over yearly growth in technology’s. However, the one game that hasn't changed since it was first release on the first PlayStation , is now getting a completely ballsy addition to the franchise. Instead of Racing the black and white flag, fans of the series will know be racing for their life as all hell breaks lose in Ridge Racer: Unbound.

Ridge Racer Unbounded is the upcoming racing game by Bugbear Entertainment. Bugbear is known mostly for creating the Flatout series. The Flatout series was known for it’s destruction and allowing you to put endless rounds into your opponents. It’s been awhile since we have seen Flatout series since the series last appeared in 2006 as apart of the Xbox 360 launch lineup. Is this Flatout 3 or is this a Ridge Racer that fans will claim as their own?

That is the biggest issue that Ridge Racer has going forward for it. Yes, it still holds on to many of the key concepts that makes Ridge Racer has today. Your still going to find the unrealistic drifting formula that has been the staple of the franchise ever since the inception. Along with that your going to get the non licensed cars developed,but along with that they add muscle cars and a few different types of cars that weren’t in previous Ridge Racer. If you were a fan of the Ridge Racer, you will happy to here that many of the tones from the previous games are going to be in the game. But that's kinda where similarities end with traditional Ridge Racer games and Ridge Racer Unbound.

From the get go, Ridge Racer Unbound is a fresh arcade racer, that in no way feels like Ridge Racer. Bugbear Entertainment drew inspiration from Disney Interactive 2010 racing tittle, Split Second. Instead of shooting the enemy to death, your main arsenal will be turbo, but not to the extent. You can’t bring down entire airports, hotels, freeways, mountain tops or summon Godzilla like you could in Split Second. For the most part, you can use turbo in Ridge Racer to unlock shortcuts or knockout your opponents out of the race.

During my demo time I was restricted to playing the single player due to problems with online multiplayer, but of what I played I was pleasantly surprised. The graphics in the game immediately stands out due to how much goes on the screen. It real enjoyment to just sit back and watch this game unfold due to how frequent cars collide with objects.

What’s kind a disappointing is the lack of single player story content. Now their is plenty of modes in the game like traditional Race types and Frag, which is you ramming the police for eight laps in a eight wheeler truck. From the looks of the single player, it never looks like slows down to provide any story content, which is not really a shock or surprise since Bugbear focus squarely on game-play content.

One of the nice features in the game is called City Creator. City Creator allows you to create your own city and within that city so you can create multiple maps, which you play online and share around the world. City creator makes the game feel endless due to how limitless the customization is.

For the past three years, arcade racing has been at a dormant state. Finally, arcade racing fans have a game they they can look forward to 2012. Can Bugbear Entrainment live up to the Ridge Racer name? who knows. But it’s great to see a franchise like Ridge Racer and do something we would never expect from them. Bugbear is truly sending the franchise unbounded.