Rallisport Challenge
Rallisport Challenge
- For Play on Your Xbox
- Published by Microsoft
RalliSport Challenge delivers a unique racing experience by combining four different types of Rally into one game: Hill climb “Traditional” Rally RallyCross and Ice Racing. This variety of race types allows for gamer’s to experience traditional rally
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(out of 73 reviews)
List Price: $ 19.99
Price: $ 15.00
Review by for Rallisport Challenge
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I also had the opportunity to try a near-release build of this new rally contender. I must say I was mighty impressed. Game wise, the controls are well balanced and exact, but yet easy to pickup. It’s not like you have to practice for hours and hours before you can make that turn – but if you do, you will be able to kick out of it with most possible speed. This makes the game pretty much perfect for me, a casual gamer type, who actually enjoys playing for a limited period of time every day or so. As the time passes I guess you will learn to master those hairpins good enough to unlock even more powerful beasts (let me tell you, the cars you’ll find further down the road in this game are BEASTS, we are talking 700hp Group-B cars that has been forbidden since the late 80’s).Graphics? What can I say, this is simply THE racing game to own. I have never before seen anything like it (ever). Yes, including PGR. Yes, including GT3. Think Halo on four wheels, and you probably get the picture. Particle effects, details in the environment, cars-modeling – all look stunning. Soundtrack seems sweet, fast paced and with 5.1 Dolby Digital support. This means that the effects really add up to the experience. You can literally HEAR your opponents catching up on you from right-back after that not-so-good turn. A little sad that the internet-play didn’t make it into this first Rallisport-version (I say first version because I am positive that we will see follow-ups to this title), but then again – multiplayer on split screen is somewhat a comfort. As long as I get to beat my pals I am happy. Definitely check Rallisport Challenge out – you will NOT be disappointed.
Review by Pana for Rallisport Challenge
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This game is incredible. I have yet to play a Rally racing game that even comes close to Rallisport Challenge’s caliber. Everything has been meticulously adressed to provide you the best Rally racing sim available for any console, bar none. I picked this game right when it came out and have hardly been able to stop playing since. The graphics are superb. Everything from the tracks and the nearly photorealistic terrains are top-notch. The cars themselves are beautifully rendered with visible damage occuring to the car if you wreck. Your car even gets dirty as you progress through the tracks! Sound is above average but what really sets it apart is the fact that you can play your own music while you race. The cars all have distinct engine sounds and there is this English guy who gives you advice over what sounds like a CB radio. Another strong point for RC would have to be the fact that this game uses the vibration in the controller better than any game before it. But of course, all of these aspects of RC that I wrote about don’t matter if the gameplay itself [stinks]. Well you don’t have to worry in that department.RC it seems was not created to be a 100% realistic simulation. I would say the steering at times is what makes this noticeable. So the games physics do have a little bit of an arcade feel but it stills stays true enough to form that it really doesnt matter because this game is still loads of fun. it also has a great variety of racing modes, cars, and plenty of hidden stuff in between to unlock so it will keep you busy for a while. Anyway, I feel confident giving this game 5 star rating because this has to be one of the top 3 titles to debut so far on the xbox.
Review by Michaelangelo for Rallisport Challenge
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Introduction
A very good looking driving game that focuses on Rally Racing with different game options (point-to-point rally, hill-climbing, ice-racing, cross-rally). The games have enough variety of courses and cars to keep you happy, BUT not the excitement and satisfaction like those offerred by Gran Turismo 2. Rally racing is different from street or tarmac racing games (GT series). It is NOT for everyone!Graphics 9.5
The environment and terrains are AMAZING! I just love how the tracks are seemlessly blended into the environment. Car models are good, the effects on the vehicles are great, but it is STILL plagued by jagginess (bumpy, unsmooth linings) like in PlayStation games in a lesser degree. I replay races just to look at the beautifully rendered semi-interactive environment, and lighting, shading effects reflected so smoothly off beautiful vehicles.Sound 8.5
Engine and environmental sounds are sampled and created very nicely. You definitely need to adjust the settings in the option screen to get an enjoyable mix of music, engine, and environmental sound. The soundtrack is negligible. The option to have your own soundtrack makes this game almost ten times more enjoyable. I have to emphasize that the option to play your own soundtrack is so great that it warrants the purchase of an XBox for me before, and it still kicking it for me.Gameplay 8.5
It can be as shallow as you want it to be or as deep. That means you can just jump in and have some fun, or spend countless hours perfecting those power-slides.Presentation 8
Overall, the game is enjoyable. It has every elements that make it a very good game. The menu system needs more work for sure. The unlocking and extra features could be better.Lasting Appeal 8
Once you complete the career mode and unlock those vehicles (most of them you don’t even care), it is quite hard to find any incentive to keep on playing except for the graphics and your own soundtrack. With Sega GT, Pro Racer Driver on the horizon, RSC will keep you happy and busy until then.Closing Comment
Overall, I give this game an 8.5. It is NOT better than Gran Turismo. It IS the best racing game currently for XBox. With Pro Race Driver and Sega GT2 on the horizon, this game should keep you happy and busy. I accredit RSC as the game that inspires future XBox driving games to be made better. I do not get the same state of euphoria when I first play the jaggy Gran Turismo. My recommendation is only buy this game if you are Rally fan, rent it first if you are just a driving game fan.
Review by AMM for Rallisport Challenge
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I bought this game and I can’t stop playing it. Sega Rally was one of my favorite games on the Sega Saturn (Sega Rally 2 for DC was horrible…the control was so broken!). NEVER has a video game for any console or PC conveyed a sense of environment as well as Rallisport Challenge does. The graphics are PHENOMENAL…everything from the clean, jaggy-free car models, grass, rocks and roads…it all looks so lifelike and solid! And the lighting…when the track indicates “early morning”, “Rainy afternoon”, or “evening” as it’s conditions, believe me, the tracks and the way they are lit are completely convincing. You’ll drive through some of these tracks (the most impressive are by far the Mediterranean, icy racing and hill climbing tracks) and you’ll swear that you’ve actually driven through locales like this at some point in your life! And yes, on the hill climbing sections you CAN tumble off the side of the mountain which to my knowledge has never been done in a rally racing console game! Another bonus, check out the cool reflective mapping on the cars! How’s the gameplay? In one word: PERFECT! The game is challenging, but never to the point of controller-throwing frustration. You’ll find that part of the game’s appeal is to find out exactly which car is suitable for the circuit you are going to attempt. Here’s a bonus tip….if you want to relive the glory days of Sega Rally 1 on your Sega Saturn, the Nissan Skyline and Lancia Delta control almost exactly like the default Lancia and Celica in SR1! You’ll find yourself practicing to get the art of powersliding down…it’s not easy and the trick eventually comes down to using the handbrake in tandem with the normal brakes on the sharpest curves. Believe me, once you finally have it down, being able to powerslide through the sharp turns in succession is one of the most skillfully satisfying abilities you can have as a gamer!The career mode is where you’ll find yourself the most. This consists of racing a small circuit of races–normally about 3 – 10. The object is to come in first in the points total so that you can amass the most points in the career totals to unlock new courses and cars. Great fun and you’ll find yourself replaying many of the circuits with the new cars you unlocked to see how much better you can do! There’s plenty to do and see and the races actually require some skill unlike the plethora of NASCAR games on the market.The only downside is the soundtrack…just some generic techno that doesn’t really do anything for me. Is Rallisport Challenge the best racing game on the XBOX? I think so…
Review by Douglas Welzel for Rallisport Challenge
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For the most part, Rallisport Challenge really does live up to the hype. After disappointments like Wreckless and 4×4 Evo 2 I wasn’t expecting much, but I was wrong.Rallisport centers around a career mode where you compete in different types of rally racing to gain points and unlock more cars and races. Race types include ice racing, hill climbs, rallycross and traditional rallies. The tracks are pretty well varied and can be very challenging, especially the hill climbs.My main complaint about the gameplay is the points system. Points are accumulated based on factors such as finish position and car damage. I would prefer to see overall rally position determined by cumulative time rather than points. Games such as Collin McRae Rally 2 are superior in this area.Also, the cars aren’t very tunable. The standard suspension settings and tire choices are there, but that’s all. This game is clearly on the arcade side of the sim/arcade line.Controlling the cars smoothly with the XBox controller can be a bit difficult, especially when you drive the unlimited class cars. The cars are rather touchy and the short travel of the XBox joystick makes subtle steering adjustments difficult.Finally, the graphics really are wonderful. The attention to detail on the tracks is amazing. Drive through the grass and you’ll the individual blades. Dust and damage will accumulate on your car over the course of a rally. The presentation is really well done. Just make sure to watch the replays because you’ll probably miss most of it while trying to pilot your vehicle