Rallisport Challenge

The surprisingly good Xbox racer hits the PC.

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It seems to me that formula one racing with its pristine circuits is for a bunch of posers. Rally sports on the other hand, where the drivers fly along dirt roads at suicidal speeds pushing the cars to the limits, now that's the game for me. Fortunately Microsoft and I think alike on the issue and with Rallisport Challenge they've created an arcade racer that ratchets up the adrenaline a notch or two.

Rallisport Challenge was originally released on the Xbox before now coming to the PC and it seems very little has changed. The major advantage that the PC version enjoys is the number of peripherals that the game supports. You can control your car with a gamepad, joystick, keyboard and of course a steering wheel. The graphics also shine on a high-resolution monitor compared to a TV picture and what pretty graphics they are.

Driving around you can marvel at the details that surround the tracks. Trees are beautifully modelled as are most of the environmental elements, so when you fly round a corner you get a superb sensation of speed as you slide over the dirt and grass. You're also treated to cheering crowds and a small fan base of cows and zebras whose heads will turn in a rather surreal manner, hypnotised by the action. And what racing game would be complete without a giant model of the Michelin man and a blimp, they're in there to.

There are essentially two racing modes in the game. You'll either be driving on your own trying to beat the clock or you'll race against three opponents over a number of course laps. There are thirty nine tracks altogether spread over a number of different locations. Each is very well modelled and distinctive, from sandy deserts to muddy forests with some snow and ice in between. You certainly won't be bored of the scenery for a while. Not all the tracks and cars are immediately open for playing. In order to unlock them you will have to gain points by competing in the different events. Each event is split up into four or more sections. If you are playing on easy you may repeat a section part way if it all goes a bit wobbly. On normal though you have to restart the whole event if things go bad which is a bit annoying and a bad design decision. Perfection isn't totally necessary though as you receive some points just for finishing each section, with bonus points given according to how much damage you received and your top speed. You may however quit after any race and come back to the event without having to repeat the sections you've completed.

Before each race you are allowed to fine tune a few aspects if you so desire, such as loose or tight steering and the type of tyre. If you're a budding mechanic you may fine the number of options a little disappointing. The cars are all officially licensed and sport the requisite sponsorships. The down side of this is that the cars feature little damage modelling, a feature often forced on developers by the car companies. If you take any hard knocks all you will notice is a slightly wrinkled bonnet and a few broken windows and lights. The cars suffer no degradation in performance no matter how hard a time you give them, and believe me I tried. At the start of a rac the cars look all shiny and sparkly but after a few skids you'll begin to notice some nicely textured dirt and grime building up which adds a very pleasing aesthetic quality to the proceedings.