Neon lights, a drift that slides like butter, and a menu with more style than most games made today.

R4 profiles as a matter of the heart. Attachment puts it ahead of 87% of games, which is very high, though it rests on just two duels, so take it as an early signal. The soundtrack follows, ahead of 68% of titles, on a single vote, to be confirmed. And then comes the drop: on the desert island question, it only edges past 18% of the others. That is the split. People love it, people hold onto it, but they would not take it along for the long haul. The rest settles near the middle: fun ahead of 48% of games, controller feel ahead of 45%, and art direction ahead of only 30%, which is surprising for a game famed for its elegance.

There is a simple explanation for that gap: a 1998 PlayStation racer gets judged on aesthetic criteria written for today, and its kind of restraint travels badly through that filter. What nobody takes away from it: the feel, and the memory.

So, who is it for? For you if you love pure arcade racing, corners you swallow sideways, and a soundtrack that sticks around. Much less so if you want a game that will hold you for dozens of hours.