| Gameplay | | | | race in major events. However, she quickly develops a |
| R is a racing-sim game featuring over 33 licensed cars, | | | | bitter rivalry with independent veteran racer Gina |
| and in-depth customization options such as braking, | | | | Cavalli. It is later revealed that Gina despises GVI, and |
| front wheel stabilizers, and car weight. Other features | | | | her contempt for the company spills over to Rena, |
| concerning gameplay include drifts, Nitro adjustments, | | | | whom Gina considers to be their pawn. Towards the |
| and individual classes and attributes for every car. The | | | | end of Rena's rookie season, her mechanic Eddie |
| game also features a system referred to as the | | | | comes up with a plan to leave GVI with Stephan and |
| pressure meter, a fighting game-esque gauge that fills | | | | Rena. They form a new team without GVI's influence |
| up as the player gets closer to a rival car; the higher | | | | and Gina finds new respect for Rena and the two |
| the meter, the greater the likelihood that the AI will | | | | become friends while continuing their rivalry on the |
| make a critical mistake. | | | | racetrack. |
| The game offers a story mode where the player | | | | Development |
| follows the racing career of Rena Hayami as she | | | | The soundtrack of the game was composed by Y |
| struggles to deal with the busy life of a professional | | | | Miyake, Satoru Ksaki, and other musicians who |
| race car driver and the politics of the sport. The mode | | | | specialize in electronica. |
| features 14 chapters, in which the player earns new | | | | The original Japanese box cover displayed a front |
| cars, RP points for new purchases, and views CG | | | | view of a De Tomaso Pantera GT5. For the North |
| movies proceeding every chapter. | | | | American release, the box art was tailored to the |
| Other modes include the usual racing game fare: single | | | | domestic audience by changing the image to a side |
| races, time attacks, a versus mode, and car | | | | profile of a Dodge Viper, with Rena standing next to it. |
| customization. | | | | Similarly, for the European release the image was |
| Plot | | | | again changed to a modern supercar, the McLaren F1 |
| Rena Hayami is introduced as a Japanese ambulance | | | | GTR, with the same image of Rena. |
| driver living in a nondescript Western country. On one | | | | Reception |
| night, she responds to an accident at a racetrack. | | | | The game received aggregate scores in the 70% |
| Pressed for time, Rena pushes her driving skills to the | | | | range, varying slightly by platform. The gameplay was |
| limit in order to deliver the injured racer to the hospital. | | | | described as a compromise between simulation and |
| Along for the ride with his injured team member, the | | | | arcade. The story was considered interesting enough |
| former racing engineer and now team manager | | | | to keep the player interested in an otherwise dull series |
| Stephan Garnier is impressed enough to offer Rena a | | | | of races. Graphically, the game was more or less |
| chance to become a racecar driver herself. She | | | | identical on all platforms, but the GameCube and Xbox |
| accepts and joins Stephan's team, oblivious to the fact | | | | versions had better analog button control. On the other |
| that the team is sponsored by a shadowy corporation | | | | hand, the game was found lacking in comparison to |
| called GVI. At first, Rena benefits from the company's | | | | other racing titles on the Xbox. |
| influence and is given equipment and opportunities to | | | | |