Xbox

RalliSport Challenge 2

RalliSport Challenge 2 is almost here. Some stores may have it by the time you read this while other stores will be getting real soon. I will admit that I am not a huge racing fan, but ever since I played the first RalliSport, I couldn’t wait for the sequel. Now it has arrived, and I am very impressed. From the minute I turned the game on, I was blown away. RalliSport Challenge 2 is the perfect example of what a sequel should be. Read on for more details.

With RalliSport Challenge 2, Microsoft and DICE took everything that was great about the first RalliSport Challenge, improved those aspects, and added a ton of new features including Xbox Live support. The end result is an engrossing racing experience - one which draws upon both the simulation and arcade ends of the racing spectrum and balances them perfectly in order to provide the most enjoyable rally racing experience on the Xbox. While there are some flaws to both the single-player and multiplayer design, none of them are big enough to warrant second guessing a purchase of this title – especially for racing fans. The game is certainly one of the best rally racing games that I’ve ever played, not to mention one of the most fun.

On a console as rife with quality racing games as the Xbox, it's tough to really pick a standout, top dog among the bunch. However, many would argue that if you were to pick one, Digital Illusions' 2002 arcade rally racer Rallisport Challenge would be the one to take the title. For all the good that comes with such a distinction, it's also a pretty tough title to live down when trying to create a sequel to such a distinguished game. However, Digital Illusions has proven that it was up to the task of creating a game that is just as meaningful in this era of the Xbox's lifespan as the original Rallisport Challenge was in its time. Rallisport Challenge 2 has everything you loved about its predecessor and then some, such as better handling and superb visuals and sound. Rallisport Challenge 2 isn't just a sequel--it is easily one of the most purely pleasurable driving experiences you're likely to encounter on any platform.

No matter which side of the console fence you plant your soapbox, it's hard to question the slew of kick-ass racing games for the Xbox. Games like Project Gotham Racing 2, Colin McRae 04 and the original Rallisport Challenge have done a nice job of alleviating Xbox owners pain of playing in a Gran Turismo 4-less world.

Un titre qui se nourrit de la passion de développeurs qui aiment assurément ce qu'ils font ! Mélange de beauté et de maniabilité, Rallisport Challenge 2 peut prétendre à mon sens au titre de meilleur jeu de rallye (orienté arcade) de la Xbox et trônera à ce titre sans aucune difficulté au sommet de la chaîne vidéoludique aux côtés de Colin McRae Rally 04. Une oeuvre d’exception que vous ne lâcherez pas avant d’en avoir complètement fait le tour.

RalliSport Challenge 2 is everything you look for in a sequel and more. This is hands down one of the best driving experiences you can have on the Xbox. Pick this sucka up!

Cementing the Xbox firmly as the best console for racing fans, Rallisport Challenge 2 does a fine job of polishing the many good points of its predecessor, and giving fans a healthy dose of more of the same. Online play is welcome, if not as feature-rich as it could have been, and the understated damage modeling looks great. Developer DICE has produced another winner.

Microsoft killed Rallisport Challenge. Panicked into releasing the game in the deluge of European Xbox launch titles, not only did it get lost in a ridiculously large swathe of games, but a total lack of marketing or pre-awareness effectively scuppered the game's chances. Some good reviews and word of mouth helped the title along, but the damage had already been done. Commercially it was a disaster for one of the best Xbox titles, eventually selling around 40,000 copies in the UK - about a one tenth of Halo and one eighth of Gotham.

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.

Gamers aside, there probably aren't a lot of people in North America who could recognize Colin McRae. As cool as it may be to race zippy little imports across cracked, narrow roads, Rally just isn't a household word. But Rally really knows how to represent, unlike most Euro-centric sports. Just try getting a decent cricket game in the States. Still, the first RalliSport Challenge was a pleasant surprise. It was the first distinctive racer for the Xbox, milking more out of the console than any other title at the time … except for Halo. With that precedent, it's not surprising that the sequel is one of the most accomplished racing titles around. Rallisport Challenge 2 is hugely varied, devilishly addictive, and as purely accessible as a would-be Rally champion could hope for.

Malgré sa « non révolution » graphique, son prédécesseur étant déjà très beau, Rallisport Challenge 2 est graphiquement bourré de détails et d’animations en tout genre. Il vient donc logiquement s’ajouter à la liste des très bons jeux Xbox, mais risque de décevoir ceux qui en attendaient trop. Avec ses challenges très complets, il mérite quand même d’être acheté.

This is a series that will likely be with us for some time. Those who prefer deeper sims will likely be more happy with the latest edition of the Colin McRae series (bargain priced at $19.99 which is a steal), but those of us who just want to hit the track and win a few races will be better off staying right here. Your hardware will certainly receive a workout and it will likely take quite some time until the career mode is completely finished and everything has been unlocked. This is a must own for racing fans.

All in all, Rallisport Challege 2 can be considered both a success and a failure. The perception you’ll have of this game will depend on what type of gamer you are. Those who are die-hard rally fans will eat this game up and will be playing this for months. But those that are like me and are not really racing fans will have fun with this title for about a month and have it get lost in the shuffle of new games. I had fun playing this and will be playing it for a while, but this game has nowhere near the amount of mass appeal that Project Gotham Racing 2 has. This game is a definite rental, but a purchase may not be wise for some gamers.

I'm going to sound like a snob when I say that casual drivers are going to love this to the detriment of seasoned racers. Although I prefer Rallisport 2's career structure to that of Colin, I suggest that if this whets your appetite, that you check out the Scottish master.

As a whole, the tracks are very wide. Really, with a field this thick, there are other ways to swing the rear end of a Lancer around - and I think I'll opt for those.