It has been
a long time since I first hopped into my favorite rally car, put the pedal to
the metal, and covered my competitor’s windshield with dirt. RalliSport
Challenge may not have been the most true-to-life racing experience, but it
was by far the most fun. The graphics were more than enough to get you to
rent the game, and I’m sure a lot of gamers bought it for that reason.
Graphics lose their awe-inspiring appeal after many consecutive hours of play,
but the gameplay never waned. It never lost its appeal, not even today.
How could
anyone survive the wait for a sequel to such a memorable racing game? If
you’re waiting for Halo 2 and still breathing you can probably live through
anything. Endurance isn’t fun, but now I can finally put the wait behind me,
hop into a new rally car and put the pedal to the metal once more.
Although I
usually focus on the gameplay first, RalliSport Challenge 2’s biggest change
(or more appropriately, its greatest technical achievement) is the graphics.
It’s not just a touch-up, or a new coat of paint. Game graphics have become
so typical that I was beginning to think that the current generation of
consoles had been maxed out technologically. RalliSport Challenge 2 proves
that this is not the case. Realism was taken to new heights with the first
game and it’s taken even further with the sequel.
I could
spend a whole paragraph talking about each improved detail. The rain effects
are so unbelievably cool that you won’t be able to take your eyes off them.
Raindrops hit the screen and react very close to how rain reacts when it hits
glass. I don’t like using the in-the-car view provided in racing games, but I
did it anyway just to see the rain hit the windshield, slowly trickle down,
and then get pushed away by the windshield wipers.
The other
weather effects (snow, fog, sunshine) are nearly as jaw-dropping as the rain.
Undoubtedly, if you haven’t played RalliSport Challenge or Project Gotham
before, RC2’s lighting will blow you away. It’s still mighty impressive to
eyes that have seen it before, but in an expected, "I knew it’d be beautiful!"
kind of way.
More
impressive than the lighting – and on par with the rain – is how realistically
the vehicles respond to crashes. You can’t hit a wall head-on and expect to
total your car (thank goodness! This is an arcade-style racer, not a
simulator). But you will see pieces of your vehicle break, crumble and
crunch, and if pushed to its limits pieces will eventually start falling off.
Windows shatter and bumpers shake vigorously, but the best part is how the
cars crumble. Body damage varies greatly depending on where the car is hit.
And to top it all off, dirt and snow will accumulate over time, slowly
covering your vehicle’s fancy paint job.
My praise
can’t begin to put a picture in your head of just how beautiful this game
really is. RalliSport Challenge 2 is easily the best-looking game released
thus far this year.
I know I
must step away from the graphics and talk about something else, but before I
do I want to point out how incredible the game’s environments are.
"Environments" is the perfect word to describe them. They’re not just race
courses, or elaborate cities designed for cruising; they’re intricately
detailed environments that take the player out of the house and into the game.
Besides
looking spectacular, the environments are commendable for creating an
unforgettable driving experience. I could give all the credit to the
controls, which match the quality of the first game (and at times feel a
little smoother). However, the variety in course types, and the variety of
courses within each type make it impossible not to praise them as well.
If you’ve
been looking for an excuse to quit your job, RalliSport Challenge 2 gives you
one. The Career mode works on a point system. There are more than 2000
points to gain and more than 100 events to complete within the four tiers.
(To make the game last even longer, most of the events contains multiple
races.) I couldn’t tell you exactly how many unique courses are in the game,
but I know for certain that there are several dozen. The box says that there
are 90 tracks, but I think that’s a little misleading. Some tracks are
re-used with different paths and stiffer competition.
The first
tier, Amateur, is extremely easy to beat. It’s also the shortest of the
bunch, so don’t expect to spend more than a couple of hours playing through
it. If you rush you could probably finish it in under 90 minutes.
Pro, the
second tier, gives players a bit more challenge, especially toward the final
events. Champion is the third tier, and if you’re not an experienced gamer,
you’d better become one quick. There are some really tough events in this
one.
Once you’ve
completed those prepare yourself for the game’s biggest challenge – Super
Rally.
Broadband
users who don’t have Xbox Live must get it now because RalliSport Challenge 2
is fully supported with online play. It also supports the system link
feature, meaning that as many as 16 gamers can link up their TVs and Xboxes
for some serious LAN gaming. The game runs in 480p, so if you’re one of the
lucky few who have an HDTV be sure to take advantage of it.
RalliSport
Challenge 2 sounds like an incredible game, but does that mean that every
racing fan should buy it? It all depends on whether or not you like exciting,
high-quality games. If you love to be addicted to a game for hours, if you
love to be absorbed by game’s visuals, RalliSport Challenge 2 is a
don’t-miss. But if you don’t like to be addicted, and if you’d prefer to miss
out on one of the best Xbox games out there, then by all means, do not
buy this game.
Gameplay: 9.3
It’s not
innovative like Project Gotham, but I don’t care ’cause I loved every minute
of this game. At the very least, RalliSport Challenge 2 is a remarkable
achievement by providing more of the same WITHOUT getting stale. This proves
that what I’ve said all along is true: change is good, but it isn’t always
necessary on the first sequel. There’s enough new content, enough new tracks,
and enough Xbox Live gameplay to prevent this game from ever being called a
rehash. But the core gameplay, especially the controls, is only a medium-step
up from the first game.
Despite what you may think,
that’s not a bad thing. I’m glad they didn’t give the series an
overhaul. It’s still very young. To be perfectly honest I’d be happy with
another RalliSport Challenge that had new courses and vehicles. I’m so
pleased with the gameplay at this point that it can stay the same.
Graphics: 9.6
Dirt, gravel,
snow, cement – each type of terrain provides both a taste of sweetness for the
eyes and a challenge for the hands. The nighttime courses are eerily
realistic. The cars are slightly hazy and very hard to see, just as objects
are when darkness falls in the real world. The whole game is fueled with
amazing effects, many of which you probably didn’t expect to see in the
current generation of game consoles. Microsoft has once again proven that
when an Xbox game is designed properly there is no game that looks better.
Sound: 8
Difficulty: Medium
Never reaching
the point where it’s time to bang your head against the wall, RalliSport
Challenge 2 has an equal-opportunity difficulty. If you’re a newbie, you’ll
be able to find several events that are just for you. If you’re a hardcore
gamer, there’s plenty of challenging races for you to take on. Nothing
extreme, but challenging nonetheless.
Concept: 7.4
Can’t praise the
game too much for not inventing anything new, but as a whole the game is too
good to deserve a lower concept score.
Multiplayer: 8.5
Got Xbox Live or
15 friends with Xbox? Using the system link feature, 16 gamers can connect
their TVs and Xbox systems for multiplayer bliss. Of course, you don’t need
to go through that hassle if you have Xbox Live. If neither are within your
range, be sure to check out the game’s four-player split-screen mode. It’s a
blast, too.
Overall: 9
You’re not gonna
find a better rally racer on Xbox. You’re not gonna find a better rally racer
on GameCube, or even PlayStation 2. The only place you’re going to find the
best rally game around is right here on Xbox, and that game is RalliSport
Challenge 2. If you don’t at least rent it you’re either broke or crazy.
