JDM: Japanese Drift Master Review – Toothless Roads

by

The idea behind Gaming Factory’s “JDM: Japanese Drift Master” is undeniably thrilling. It’s a racing game centered around drifting, set in an expansive open-world Japan, and featuring manga-style narratives. The essence of iconic series like “Initial D” is palpable, inviting players to immerse themselves in the rich culture of Japanese racing as they tap into its legacy.

In essence, the game showcases an appealing setting, but it fails to deliver noteworthy content. The mission structure is riddled with conflicting objectives and bothersome AI. Instead of focusing on maximizing rewards, the progression seems geared towards repetitive reputation grinding and leveling up vehicles. Drifting mechanics are intriguing in concept yet frustrating in application. To add to this, the collision dynamics seem illogical and disconnected from real-world physics.

The narrative opens as Thomas, eventually known as Toma, grieves the death of his father. Matters appear grim when he loses his racing license and is barred from competition in Europe for a year. However, after talking to Hideo, he discovers a garage that his father had left for him in Japan, offering him a new opportunity.

Additionally, the narrative doesn’t go unnoticed as it plays a significant role in reinforcing the objective-driven gameplay mechanics. Initially, you’ll find that the game offers primarily main missions for completion and a driving school to sharpen your abilities.

In no time at all, he finds himself caught up in high-speed street races, acquiring a fierce adversary named Hasashi “Scorpion” Hatori, encountering an enigmatic masked figure, and entangled in an unsettled mystery. All this happens within just two chapters, yet the true adventures give the storyline more thrill than it may initially seem.

Sometimes, it syncs nicely – I face off against Hasashi in a showdown. Other times, not so much, veering towards the peculiar, such as mirroring his drifts and staying close during an entire race, exactly as instructed, only for him to chuckle me off casually afterwards, as if our race never mattered at all.

The writing isn’t particularly exceptional and contains a few grammatical mistakes, but the artwork is strong. The character depictions could use some refinement in certain areas, yet the line work is neat, and the cars are skillfully portrayed. Regrettably, some speech bubbles contain too much text, making the font smaller, and there’s no zoom-in option available. Additionally, the manga serves as the primary vehicle for storytelling. Characters only appear in cars or within game menus; they might as well be non-existent outside of these mediums.

Not only does the narrative keep you engaged, but it also ties directly into the gameplay mechanics. Initially, JDM offers just main missions and driving school for skill enhancement. As you advance, the environment expands to include various mission types such as clandestine races and additional delivery jobs. The former is simple enough – accumulate a certain amount of money and reach the destination to earn big. However, the higher the sum, the less time given, creating a balance between risk and reward.

In a different perspective as an enthusiast, delivery missions can be quite challenging. I don’t mind a task that requires reaching a specific location and delivering a package within the stipulated time, especially if it’s presented in an engaging manner, like in the game Crazy Taxi. However, what makes JDM unique is the need to steer clear of solid obstacles or other vehicles to ensure the safe delivery of the item.

Be sure to maneuver aimlessly to enhance your style points, which essentially means the complete opposite of cautious driving and steering clear of traffic congestion. It’s hard to fathom how these two tasks could be more contrasting. And let me tell you, a single crash can decrease the “durability” by a whopping 35 percent. Just confirm if the package is secured on the hood, and yes, colliding with fragile objects is perfectly acceptable in this scenario.

Even with all my grumbling, I’ll confess that drifting under the perfect circumstances is quite exhilarating. Nailing a turn perfectly and finessing the angle meter for an extended drift sequence, it’s like the adrenaline-pumping thrill of Initial D takes over.

You too can engage in contests for Drifting, Grip, and various other activities on designated tracks, which will earn you money to invest in additional vehicles and upgrades. Unfortunately, despite its beautiful settings such as flower gardens and castles, much of the game world seems underutilized, a pity given its potential beauty. I’m not asking for the same level of open-world design as in Forza Horizon, but it feels like a missed opportunity when it doesn’t keep me occupied on my way to a mission.

From Chapter 2 onwards, my next task was to encounter Tiger, the previously mentioned masked driver, south in the prefecture. I couldn’t use a garage for quick transportation. So, I had to endure a lengthy, challenging journey without any diversions and bothersome traffic jams that kept me from wandering off. Later on, an option became accessible, but I found out that delivery and underground racing missions shift locations upon completion. These new locations may not always be near fast travel points, making the monotony even more pronounced.

Gaming Factory has alleviated some annoyances related to traffic congestion by allowing players to toggle it on and off whenever desired. While this doesn’t completely absolve the design issues in delivery missions, it does provide a measure of relief. Yet, by eliminating realistic traffic flow, it raises doubts about the authenticity and purpose of the open world environment.

In the midst of my constant grumbling, I’ll concede that drifting can indeed offer a satisfying sensation under certain circumstances. When you manage to hit a turn perfectly and adjust the angle just right to string together a lengthy drift, it triggers an adrenaline rush reminiscent of Initial D. The experience becomes even more delightful when facing stronger adversaries, considering I’m saddled with an Alpha Moriyamo jalopy for the entirety of the first chapter. Although additional diversity would be appreciated – I spotted a total of 27 vehicles – it’s reassuring that well-known brands such as Honda, Mazda, Nissan, and Subaru are all included in this game.

I too find that weather and road conditions significantly affect your driving, compelling you to accelerate cautiously. The issue lies in the fact that drifting, particularly when scoring points is crucial, can be manipulated simply by rocking back and forth. Previously, competing against AI in drifting events was frustrating, mainly because it seldom makes errors (except for intentionally colliding with you during races).

After adopting this method, I occasionally strayed from the path, accumulating numerous points merely by sustaining prolonged drifts. The steering control felt out of sync at moments, with excessive understeer in some instances, and enhancing acceleration and top speed led to my drifts frequently transitioning into spins. Although it seems like a deliberate design, given the game’s emphasis on speed and executing drifts effectively, it feels like a conflict between styles.

At times, these collisions can be completely puzzling. If your car veers off-course during a drift, it might lower the multiplier to 1.0 and give fewer points in return. Sometimes, hitting obstacles has this effect, but not always. Occasionally, my vehicle seems to perform wall-riding as if it’s straight out of Mario Kart World. In Arcade Mode, these occurrences are remarkably unlikely. The collisions can also be strange, unpredictable, and at times, they seem unfairly stacked against you. However, when a car in the open world gets hit so hard that it reverses direction and heads back, it’s unexpectedly amusing.

There’s a lot left to do on the areas like global design, AI, collision handling, and advancement, not forgetting additional content creation. Until these elements are fully refined, it won’t be accurate to call it a ‘master’ or even worth my time.

Additionally, whether it’s a Moriyamo or a 2013 Subaru BRZ, expect to work hard for the components you desire. To boost your reputation, you can either drift through various levels or accomplish missions. Once your reputation is high enough, you can purchase certain parts, even if you have sufficient funds available. What adds to the frustration is that cosmetic modifications are directly linked to a vehicle’s level. If you wish to personalize its appearance, a grinding session will be necessary beforehand, as this seems to be an integral aspect of street racing (as I’ve been informed by JDM).

To put it simply, the game’s performance varies, but it’s manageable even with my CPU not meeting the recommended specs. I was able to maintain a steady 60 FPS on High settings at 1440p with DLSS set to Quality. Pushing for Ultra settings during a thunderstorm caused the frame rate to drop significantly, yet the visual effects like lightning and raindrops against the city skyline at night were quite stunning. Overall, the game’s graphics are above average quality.

1. Some of the songs on rock and Eurobeat radio stations are quite catchy. However, some lighter tracks can create a great atmosphere when driving fast (drifting). They might not be very memorable, but they do add something to the overall mood. It seems I can only switch stations forward, not backward. Also, sometimes a nice song stops playing during loading screens. These questions about radio functionality and interruptions during gameplay may have answers for another time.

2. The tunes on rock and Eurobeat radio stations are quite catchy, especially when you’re cruising along (driving fast or drifting). Some lighter tracks can really enhance the vibe. They might not stick in your memory, but they do help create an atmosphere. It seems I can only move forward through stations, not backward. Sometimes a great song gets cut off during loading screens, which is frustrating. Perhaps there are explanations for these issues that I haven’t found yet.

3. The songs on rock and Eurobeat radio stations are quite catchy and perfect for driving fast (drifting). Some lighter tracks can add to the overall feel of the experience, even if they’re not particularly memorable. It seems I can only switch stations forward, not backward. Sometimes a great song gets cut off during loading screens, which is annoying. Maybe there are answers to these questions that I haven’t found yet.

4. The tunes on rock and Eurobeat radio stations are quite catchy, making them ideal for driving fast (drifting). Some lighter tracks can help set the mood, even though they’re not particularly memorable. It seems I can only move through stations in one direction, not back. Sometimes a great song gets interrupted during loading screens, which is frustrating. I’m hoping to find answers to these questions soon.

I’m quite disappointed, puzzled, and slightly irritated with the game JDM: Japanese Drift Master. I expected a high-quality racing game with a unique vibe and style, but the gameplay felt clumsy and underwhelming. To improve it, they should focus on enhancing driving mechanics and clarifying objectives to create a more enjoyable drifting experience. However, there are several areas that require significant improvement such as world design, AI behavior, collision detection, and progression structure. Additionally, adding more content would be necessary before it could truly earn the title of a masterpiece, let alone a worthy investment of my time.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Read More

2025-05-26 15:42