It's been well documented that Rallisport Challenge is to the X-Box what Gran Turismo 3 is to the Playstation 2: the absolute best driving experience on the system. What you may not expect to hear is that Rallisport is the better game…in terms of pure fun factor.
Not much can be said about Rallisport's visuals that has not been said before…they're gorgeous, give DOA 3 a run for its money, and they make that "other" racing game's graphics look like those of an old mode 7 SNES game. Well…ok…Gran Turismo is still hella pretty. That being said, Rallisport Challenge blows away absolutely everything you've ever played before.
Rallisport's soundtrack is comprised mostly of techno, which is popular over in Europe…much like rally racing itself. Personally, I prefer my techno in one of two situations: within heavy Frequency sessions, or while watching Wesley Snipes whip some vampire ass. There is an option for ripping your own soundtracks, but truth be told, you won't really be paying attention to the music. That's because unlike in most forms of racing, rallies require the driver to navigate terrain that is rugged, uneven, and often not visible over the next bend. Thus, it becomes very important to learn how to listen to your crew chief's commands and execute them in swift succession. It's quite frustrating at first, especially to those whose definition of racing is 40 cars going in a circle for 200 laps. But it's fun, it's addicting, and it grows on you quickly.
The big difference between rally and traditional circuit racing is that in circuit racing, you're racing wheel-to-wheel against opponents, ala GT3 and NASCAR. In rally racing, you compete one at a time on a stretch of track composed of varying materials. There's also a form called rallycross, which is NASCAR style racing on rugged terrain. Rallisport features both forms of racing, and although the emphasis is put on traditional rally, both are extremely fun and addictive.
About the only downside to Rallisport is the fact that the customization is kept to a minimum. If you're looking for a game that lets you tune and tweak your car to real-world levels, this ain't it. A lot of gamers might also be put off by the fact that there're only 25 cars in the game. But you know what? When you take in to account that they're all great, high-end cars, and that any one of them would eat the highly expendable starting cars in GT3 for Fruhstuck, things kind of fall into perspective. Things also fall into perspective when you realize that there're over 40 tracks in the game, all of them are beautiful, and the AI during the circuit races isn't lamer than the rubber band that was its foundation.
If you own an X-Box, you need Rallisport Challenge. It's as simple as that, and there's no other way to put it. This is a great game, and the best of its kind. Even if you don't like rally games, or even racing games in general, Rallisport Challenge will make you quite the speed freak. Rejoice, fellow "space heater" owners, the X-Box has one more piece of evidence as to why it will be around for some time to come.
-George
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