RalliSport Challenge
So far, Microsoft seems to be trying to tackle every genre of game on their Xbox as quickly as possible. The effort they are making however is not only in speedily-ness, but in quality as well. Their efforts are not going unnoticed we gamers appreciate every quality title they put out. With this title you can just tack a great rally game right on to their genre-scoreboard. If you're a fan of racing games, it seems that right now the Xbox where its at; whether your fetish is NASCAR, street racing, off-roading, or whatever, they've got a majority of great racing titles for you.
RalliSport Challenge is delivered to us by a European based development studio called Digital Illusions CE (DICE). Digital Illusions has chosen to go with a less 'realistic' form play in exchange for a greater atmosphere of fun, which is right down my alley - or in this case, African straightaway. Whether you're a fan of this racing genre or not (if you've ever actually scene it, I'm not sure how you wouldn't be) you can definitely enjoy this game. DICE has chosen to go with a greater level of speed, and lightened physical gravity to in turn allow for more speed and to catch more air. These methods work quite well when planning a game you want people to have fun with.
RSC takes rally racing to the next level without you having to worry about some of the more 'technical' aspects of the sport. For instance, you don't have to worry about car damage - although it is apparent - but it won't really affect the way your car is running/handling. That's generally a huge factor in real rally racing, yet here it's merely a cosmetic attribute. This is certainly a good thing, if you want a super-realistic racer go get a racing-sim, this one is about fun. Though the graphics look quite reminiscent of a racing-simulation, the gameplay screams excitement - which generally 'realistic' games aren't (no offense GT3). The more and more I play this game, the more I'm beginning to like the developers, and they know completely how to make a game exciting.
The most evident thing in RSC is the balance between a realistic form of play, and fun. The game looks real, car models, environment textures and all; it also drives real (meaning you still need to use advanced driving techniques the future you get into the game); but the game is fast paced and exciting. Almost a perfect balance between the two worlds, there aren't any fantasy physics like in RR, or any super-strict car physics like in GT3 - this is truly some quality stuff.
RSC has four main gameplay modes that consist of: Career, Single Race, Time Attack, and a Multiplayer option. As in most racing titles, each successive mode decreases in importance. Career mode is obviously the heart of the game, allows you to create a character profile, and then jump into a string of 17 competition events. With each successive race/event, you gain points. These point add up to an overall score, within each race there is a bonus score you need to beat in order to unlock a batch of cars. Though this system is somewhat boring, and shallow to say the least, the actual races are amazing. You travel the world and see the most exotic places of the earth with having a blast through off-roads, snow, jumps etc... RCS draws largely from real rallies in terms of racing events, they vary from: Point-To-Point, Hill Climb, Ice racing, and Rally Cross. PTP is basically a time attack, you race alone against a clock, and the one with the best time around the track get 1st though all you need is 3rd to continue on. Then there is Hill Climb, which basically places you at the bottom of a mountain in a PTP race, and says get to the top as quickly as possible (this is where you'll see a lot of great scenery). Ice Racing basically pits you against 3 other opponents on a snow covered track, making for some of the most fun experiences in the game - boy are these guys fast. The last of the 4 is the Rally Cross, again one of the most fun events, you are coupled again with 3 other racers, but this time you compete on a variety of circuit based races. RSC just about covers every major aspect of a Rallying making it even more fun for fanatics of the sport.
While RSC is loads of fun, the gameplay modes tend to be rather on the shallow side. With the amount of depth most racing titles have today, DICE should have been able to add more features to their career system rather than just going through championship after championship. Take a gander at games like GT3, or Project Gotham Racing, and you can see the clear innovation. It looks like they put some much more work into this game; you'd think they could have emphasized some other aspects other than straight racing. Even the car customization where you can choose different tires and suspensions before each race isn't all that much of a factor. This is only of the areas where RSC seems to fault, the depth of the game is not to deep, kind of making it a less good title then it could have been; no new car upgrades, modifications, or sponsors for winning races, they could have done more. Seemingly enough however, this isn't the only mode that lacks depth, even the multiplayer mode is somewhat dull. Sure its nice once in a while to pull your friends in for a 4 way race, but that's just about all you can do. Can't compete against your friends for their super-special cars (which relates to the previous statements), all you can do is race, which is fun, but for a good amount of replay value, its needed.
Aside from these factors the rest of RSC turns out to be quite enjoyable. The graphics in this game are quite simply, the best I've seen on this box since Halo. This game has life-like weather effects, splashing water, swaying trees and leaves, foggy dust effects, not to mention beautiful lighting and a smooth frame rate with only hints of slow down. Clearly however the most impressive of the graphic features in the bunch are the textures. DICE has done a magnificent job with the Xbox' Mip-Mapping abilities. You can clearly see every bump, tire track in the snow, concrete, piece of gravel, and spec of dirt. The textures are only further accented by RSC' beautiful lighting. There's nothing grander that seeing the sun reflect purple and orange colors of the gentle snow as it goes down and turns into darkness.
The car models are dead on, the cars look amazing in all conditions; highly detailed, and often life like. RalliSport Challenge is loaded with tons of available/unlockable cars. This game is an off-roader's dream come true, everything from the Lancer Evo's, to WRX's, to VW Beatles and Audio Quattro's. The car list goes on and on - to a total of 25, and like their life-like counterparts; they perform under the worst of conditions. In terms of looks, there's truly not much more you can ask of Digital Illusions, this is one of the best looking X games to date.
Like every Racing title to date, RSC would be nothing without sound, especially the quality we are used to from games like GT3. The engine sounds are dead on, almost as if you were in that WRX careening around corners at top speeds; the only thing they're missing are the shifting sounds of the driver throwing the stick as quickly as possible each and every different way. Even the environment sounds are reminiscent of the real world, sometimes you can hear the crunching of the snow, or the rocks hitting the underside of your car on a gravel road, though these are usually drowned out be the revving engine, and the pumping tunes. Just like most Racing games, RSC has a nice selection of energetic techno tracks, most notably ones by Fear Factory. Though the soundtrack is good, if you're like me you like a variety of music, so after the games tracks have warn your ears out, the customization play-list editor is great. Just like PGR, you can select your own tunes, which is definitely a feature I'm loving about the X. Microsoft is doing pretty well for itself, I can't wait to see the next installment of this game, until then I'll be playing this one religiously.
As the Xbox gains more and more titles, the more gamers are going to be loving this system. With the amount of recent quality videogame titles out right now everyone better be loving it. This is a great game from beginning to end; it's a mixture of beautiful graphics, a kicking soundtrack, and a load of memorable levels. If I get any more good racing games like this one, I'm going to be going nuts, Microsoft is doing a great job, keep it up!!! We want more! ;)~