It'd be great if this came with an art book or something. The graphic design and general aesthetic of this game is just incredible. It amazes me for all the Designers Republic's brilliant work on Wipeout, this game isn't held in the same regard.
I think I get what you mean. R4's presentation was probably one of the biggest reasons (along with the soundtrack) why I still cherish the game to this day. Those beautiful, strikingly
yellow menus were unlike any other racing game of its time; it wasn't even anything like the Ridge Racers before it.
There's also a surprising amount of lore in this racing game, with a story mode and profiles on the racing teams and the car manufacturers involved. I
love racing game lore, especially when its presented through the lens of a professionally-run competition à la Wipeout's
Anti-Gravity Racing League. The lore in R4 felt believable, like it was the "official" video game for
Real Racing Roots '99. Like, if I lived in that kind of setting, I'd be that kid who brings a photo album of the Assoluto Bisonte (in RTS livery) everywhere with me.