It's the new Ridge Racer. Whether you like it or not depends on a lot of things.
Why so much talk about drifting? Well, it's Ridge Racer; that's what sets it apart from any other racing game. While other games do in fact have drift, none take it to such an extreme to the point where the brake isn't even required. This game holds true to that formula and plays almost exactly like the first ridge racer...which is good or bad depending on how you look at it.
A lot of people say the next generation of gaming hasn't been ushered in with the games that launched with the Xbox 360, as graphics don't seem to have improved much. First of all, if removing all the graininess isn't some sort of improvement, you must be blind. After that, you may say there aren't many more polygons. That's because when it comes to racing games, I believe the priorities already lie in the cars: first your car, then your oponents', and then your surroundings. With the capabilities of the 360, the surroundings in Ridge Racer 6 are awesome. I've only played a few courses (I wanted to get this review in before I decided not to do it), but they are amazingly lifelfike and realistic. The extra texture space has made the surroundings just as pretty and detailed as the vehicles. And with effects like the glow of headlights and the sun's reflections, the cars weren't forgotten, either.
The main mode is the Ridge Racer Universe, where you have to race, which unlocks other races in this huge tree. As I stated before, I'm nowhere near through this, so I can't comment on it much further. The sound is okay with its music, but I've been using my own. I like the way the cars sound and how the force feedback is very responsive (slight rumbles when you go across cobblestone).
Granted, it's pretty average as far as racing in general goes. If you're a fan of Ridge Racer, this game is for you. If you love racing games, then you must play this as well. Not really for anyone else.