PlayStation

Need for Speed: V-Rally

At last you can say to your mates, "Sega Rally? Ha, I've got NFS-Rally. Come around to my place for a change". Although the learning curve may be too steep for some, I found NFS-Rally a real challenge. The graphics must be seen to be believed. If Formula 1 '97 lives up to expectations, then combined with Rage Racer and NFS-Rally we will have the definitive racing trilogy for the PlayStation that no other console will come near to for many, many years.

Without a doubt this is the prettiest racing game so far and there's plenty to see and do, but as for the difficulty level, just don't say we didn't warn you...

The PlayStation driving game market is an overcrowded one, but by adopting a feel which is a marked shift from standard bearers such as Rage Racer, Infogrames has succeeded in producing a game which complements other examples. This is a brave game, then, whose endeavours to distinguish it as its own title serve to earn it must-have status to driving game aficionados.

The more I played this game and the better feeling I got for the control, the more it grew on me. I love the idea of the enormous number of tracks and the different environmental conditions, but the control just took a bit too long to get the hang of. Also, this game did not have many high flying jumps or anything. Even if this is not very realistic, it keeps us arcade racing fans happy. All in all, this is not the best racing game ever, but it is also not the worst.

All in all, V-Rally could have been one of the best driving games ever, but because of its shoddy control, it simply becomes a great-looking game that isn't worth playing. If you're in the market for a driving game, there are several better choices out there.