Review - JDM: Japanese Drift Master

Developer: Gaming Factory

Publisher: Gaming Factory

Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5

If you are of a certain age, you will remember the time when The Fast and the Furious swept the globe and, more importantly, an entire generation. Every single person who fell into that age group literally had a need for speed. Everyone wanted Paul Walker’s legendary Toyota Supra, and street racing culture was at an all-time high. That craze only intensified when an iconic racing game franchise made its street racing debut. That legendary game captured exactly what an adrenaline-fueled street racer should be, and the next few installments captivated all gamers regardless of age. As quickly as this fad arrived, it seemingly disappeared almost in an instant, leaving the now speed-hungry drivers hopelessly lost and feeling abandoned. Then JDM: Japanese Drift Master landed in my hands, and all hope was restored.

This Game is Pure Magic

If it was not clear, I am part of the age group that The Fast and the Furious infected. All through the 00s, you could feel the hold that franchise had on all of us, and I absolutely loved it. There is nothing I love more than a good street racing game. I had the luxury of enjoying such titles for the entire decade. As if like a cruel magic trick, the feel of these iconic titles was gone in what felt like a moment with no goodbye. I was shattered.

Since this tragedy, roughly since 2010, I have been searching for a game that could recapture what a legendary street racing game had and what it did to the players. Allow me to now break down JDM: Japanese Drift Master and why you simply must play this masterpiece.

You Hit the Streets of Japan From the Word Go

Sometimes, a racing game will tease you with the open road, but quickly turn that off and have you only competing in rigid events. In other words, your freedom to explore is nonexistent or severely limited. In Japanese Drift Master, much like my beloved games from back in the day, drivers have the option to drive to events OR take to the streets of Japan and enjoy being behind the wheel right from the get-go. This freedom allows you to get used to the mechanics and, for lack of a better word, tear shit up if you just want to go, all on a beautiful urban map.

A Story That Takes You Right Back

In the golden era, stories in my favorite street racing games had everything you wanted in an experience that always left you thirsty for more. What better concept than the underdog tale? We have not seen this done in such a way, I believe, since those olden days, until now!

Japanese Drift Master sees you start as a newcomer trying to establish yourself in the world of street racing. However, this often means starting from the bottom, which is exactly what happens here. Using stunning and unique anime comic strips, you step into the shoes of a racer as they navigate through all the resistance often faced by the outsider, or "Gaijin," as you will often be referred to. Through determination and perseverance, you will have to win races to establish yourself and earn the respect of the underground scene. At roughly 14 hours, this is the absolute perfect length of an adventure focused on the darker sides of the streets.

Too Often Titles Forget About Side Quests

Whenever I thought I was on the cusp of a game that checked all the boxes on my OG checklist, there came a point where it all fell apart. This is usually due to the absence of side quests or the convoluted presentation of the missions. All too often, the map is unclear, overcomplicated, or, in a few instances, just absent. The design of the map in Japanese Drift Master is immaculate, to the point, colorful, easy to understand, and instantly fills me with that nostalgic dopamine hit I have been determined to find for what feels like a lifetime. Let me bring things back to my point, which is: you have the OPTION to stick to the story, or you can perform color-coated (again, this will be explained shortly) side missions ranging from drag racing to delivering sushi, achieving bonus points for burning as much rubber as possible.

Let’s Get the Feedback Out of the Way So I Can Get Back to Praising

The cloud I am riding, having brought pure joy to my heart as a direct result of JDM, will be temporarily docked so I can submit this feedback. In no way are these critiques, but suggestions that hopefully, if considered, will make JDM and any future titles a true powerhouse and force to be reckoned with, which I am now hoping for as this game’s biggest fan.

Number one on my list is the controls. I took a picture of my setup after remapping using the PlayStation Accessibility Menu, and what a monstrosity it was. As a one-handed gamer, controls are a non-negotiable. If you could, pretty please with a cherry on top, let me remap the buttons in the game; this would complete the experience for me.

That was my only hard negative in the 25+ hours I have now put into JDM. That is how you know you hit the magic formula and created something truly special.

These next 2 are strictly suggestions to further establish your game as the golden standard for modern street racing games. At the beginning, there are very few indications that the story has begun. A super brief tutorial showing the different icons in the world map, as well as the first main quest, will launch players right into the show regardless of play style.

In order to drift successfully, you must tweak some of the steering settings. If I had known that this was required, it would have saved about an hour of frustration before starting my search. These are in the depths of the control menu, and it can be overwhelming trying to find them. You could combat this by including a blurb in the tutorial or loading screen saying something like, "If you are spinning out or having trouble starting or connecting your corners, try adjusting the Acceleration, Brake, and Handbrake options in the Settings Menu. Good luck, Driftor.” With these out of the way, allow me to revere some more.

Colorblindness is a Non-Issue.

Colorblind filters built in by default? This has to be a dream. I cannot tell you how many times a game couldn’t work because there was no colorblind filter or even assist. It’s another one of those hard-to-understand items unless you are actually colorblind, but nighttime colors tend to be washed out at the best of times. Throw in traffic, opponents, and high-speed racing, and you may as well just hand me the blindfold. The colorblind filter worked its magic in JDM, available to me right out of the box.

That Soundtrack was Popping

I listen almost exclusively to metal and hard rock. At no point did I think Gaming Factory had me specifically in mind until I heard that absolute banger of a Rock Station in the game that actually turned out to be primarily metal. Just take my heart, Gaming Factory; you deserve it.

Let’s Talk Customization

If you are reminiscing with me thus far, you certainly remember the exhilaration that comes with customizing your favorite car that you finally acquired in-game. Slapping on a new top-tier engine, or perhaps a new tank of nitrous oxide, to gain that edge when you need it most. Either way, there is a certain feeling you get when you enter the garage, wrench in hand and money burning a hole in your pocket. This critical piece needs to be perfect to trigger that core memory a lot of us have. Waving their magic wand yet again, JDM throws players into the garage, music blasting, with all the key items available right at their fingertips. The part that really completes the experience is that Gaming Factory knew the perfect balance of simple upgrade choices with a splash of knowledge needed to know where to focus your funds. That harmony is no easy task. You know my Nissan GTR was absolutely bouncing when it left the shop.

This Game is On Another Level.

I have no idea how you did it, but you have demonstrated what a street racing game can be when it is done to perfection. Everything missing in the street racing scene appears here with deadly accuracy and triggers a beautiful trip down memory lane. You have created lightning in a bottle, and I hope you carry this forward in sequels, keeping your core design and style at the forefront. It would be incredible to see the story take players around the world, climbing the ladder in other countries, focusing on the types of cars from that location. Also, if you are thinking of releasing a physical copy or a collector's edition of Japanese Drift Master, I would like to be at the top of that pre-order list. This is just the beginning, and I am simply pumped for whatever else you have in store.

JDM: JAPANESE DRIFT MASTER IS A MUST-BUY.

A review code was generously provided for the purpose of this review.