Ridge Racer V launches the PS2 with class. Long stylish drifts, neon mood and sticky AI. An impeccable arcade calling card for Sony's new console.
Your verdict
Category
Racing2 players3+
Split screen
Description
A Namco arcade racer released in 2000 (US, Europe, Japan), the fifth entry and relaunch of the Ridge Racer franchise on PS2. Fantasy sports cars with extreme drifting, six dynamic circuits and an iconic techno soundtrack. Crazy speed, pure arcade drift physics and speed racer aesthetic. A PS2 launch title in Japan and a reference in arcade racing.
Ridge Racer V review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Electronic and supercharged, the music strings together techno, trance and drum'n'bass in a futuristic trance that matches the pure speed of the circuits. The nervy beats and synth pads spike the adrenaline of the drift. This sleek electro energy, the series' signature, electrifies every race with a resolutely arcade groove.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
The drift is king: this arcade racer bets everything on the controlled slide, where you trigger a drift on the slightest curve to swoop toward the finish line. The sense of speed and the snappiness of the driving deliver an instant rush. The clear handling welcomes everyone, but mastering the drift is a savour. Stylish and exhilarating, a pure arcade pleasure.
A PS2 launch title, a technical showcase meant to flaunt the console's power in arcade racing. Printed in very large numbers like any launch game, it stays available everywhere and without value. Its only collector draw is this launch-software role, a marker of the hardware's debut, sought by those building a showcase of the machine's earliest days.
Is Ridge Racer V still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2000 on PS2 at the console's launch, Namco's project embodies the pure spirit of drift based arcade racing. The driving rests entirely on controlled sliding, where you trigger long drifts by releasing the throttle before sweeping through the corner at full speed. The sense of speed, the readability of the circuits and the electro soundtrack make for direct, stylish entertainment. The limited content and the absence of customisation make themselves felt today. A showcase of the PS2 launch and a safe bet for fans of arcade drifting and of nervous old school racing.
