Rallisport Challenge Updated Preview

[SuperGalen]

The Gran Turismo series has proven over time that if you build a great driving simulation, people will line up in droves to buy it. Since its introduction in 1998, every competing console manufacturer has tried to provide a "Gran Turismo killer" for its platform in hopes of snaring some of the older players from Sony's camp. Many have tried and many have failed. Enter Rallisport Challenge for the Xbox. While it's not as steeped in realism as Sony's driving simulation, it strikes a nice balance between playability and customization that should appeal to a wide range of players.

Rallispot will feature very detailed graphics.
There aren't anywhere near as many cars in Rallisport Challenge as there are in the average Gran Turismo game, but the selection is impressive nevertheless. There are almost 30 different licensed cars in the game from companies like Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, Volkswagen, Mitsubishi, and more. Cars are rated for speed, handling, and acceleration, and at the game's outset you'll be driving cars like the Ford Escort or Toyota Corolla. But you'll eventually be strapped into kit cars and more exotic varieties of rally cars like Peugeot after logging in some time with the game. Before each race you can adjust your car's suspension, gear ratio, power ratio, brake balance, steering, and tires. It's not as in-depth as the garage in Gran Turismo, and there are no parts to buy to upgrade your cars in Rallisport Challenge, but for those who find the GT series to be a bit much, Rallisport is a perfect compromise.

The crowd goes wild.
The primary gameplay mode in Rallisport Challenge is the career mode. You'll begin with a stock vehicle and start climbing the ranks and unlocking new cars. There are 17 total events to tackle in the career mode, with each one containing several races. Initially you race each lap by yourself without the interference of other cars to clog the corners. It can make the game seem like a solitary experience at times, but there's no excuse for not improving on your previous times. After you get a few events under your belt you'll start competing against three other cars. Computer drivers can be nasty at times, but it's not too difficult to leave them in the dust once you've come to grips with the controls. If you finish a series at a respectable position, you'll unlock the next series and possibly some new cars as well. Smaller events such as rallies and opens will consist of just a few races, but the cup races are the final events in each difficulty setting and can consist of up to nine grueling challenges apiece. Aside from the career mode, there's also a single race option so you can jump into the action quickly and a time attack mode that lets you practice any unlocked courses and improve on your best lap time. Surprisingly, the multiplayer modes are almost as extensive as the single-player experience. Up to four players can race at once using any of the cars and tracks that have been unlocked in the career mode. The roster of events includes rally, hill climb, ice racing, and rallycross.

You'll be able to choose from a wide selection of cars.
Rallisport Challenge controls very similarly to Project Gotham Racing. The right shoulder button acts as the gas, the left shoulder button is the brake, and the A button is the emergency brake. Feathering the gas and brake quickly becomes second nature, and in less than an hour you'll be taking turns at top speed and shooting out the other side. If your car heads more than 30 virtual feet off the road, it will disappear and the computer will reset it in the center of the track. It certainly cuts into the exploration value of the game, but it also forces you to learn the intricacies of each turn. If you find yourself stuck on some rocks off-course, you can always press the white button to reset your vehicle. There are eight different camera angles to choose from, and they're split evenly between out-of-car and in-car perspectives. You may cycle through them using the Y button. If you'd like to get a look at the competition behind you, you can press the black button. The control in Rallisport Challenge is already excellent. You can really feel the differences between each car in the game, and when you finally come to grips with each car's capabilities, you'll get a feeling of satisfaction.






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