As a seasoned gamer who remembers the days when “The Crow” was a cinematic sensation and Oasis dominated the airwaves, I must say that #DRIVE Rally has brought back some nostalgic vibes with its arcade-style rally racing reminiscent of Sega Rally Championship from 1994. It’s like stepping into a time machine, but with gravel flying and adrenaline pumping.
I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia as I play #DRIVE Rally, reminiscing about Sega Rally Championship from 1994 – a time when “The Crow” was on the big screen, Oasis ruled music charts, Sony introduced high-end home consoles, and arcades were still a common sight worldwide. This could be a hint that I’m growing older!
There’s certainly a lot of common DNA in the moment to moment experience. It’s bright, it’s bold and it’s most certainly instantly recognisable. You’ll hammer around hairpins in your seeming indestructible death machine of choice, shaving inches off the apex to shave tenths off your time. This is much more of an arcade experience than something like your Colin McRae titles or WRC games.
In this race, the driving style is quite freeform compared to what I anticipated, requiring frequent use of the handbrake to navigate tight turns, causing debris like gravel, snow, or dirt to fly. This race doesn’t tolerate cautious braking distances; instead, it’s all about speed and position. However, the cars often stop suddenly when they touch even the slightest barrier or fence, which can be frustrating near the end of the course as the finish line approaches. Despite knowing not to hit things, sometimes avoiding them can be tricky, especially when pushing the car to its maximum to recoup precious seconds and secure first place. A ‘rewind’ function, common in racing games, would have been handy in a few instances where I made mistakes, like missing the last corner early in the race.
Four titles are up for grabs at an early release stage across four unique settings, with additional options coming later. These settings range from a frosty tundra and a scorching desert, to dense alpine woods and lush tropics, each presenting its own set of difficulties – whether it’s slippery ice patches, tight corners, or poor traction on sandy tracks. As I’ve played using a controller, I haven’t found a significant difference in the feel between these environments, but I am optimistic that future updates will make these distinctions more apparent, creating a more distinct atmosphere for each area.
In these championships, you can acquire components for your preferred vehicle and fresh engines for exciting rides. You’ll find numerous customizable parts to buy, allowing you to add a unique artistic touch to your car. And let’s be honest, looking good while racing down a steep slope is quite important! With twelve versions of real-world rally cars to choose from, there’s bound to be something that appeals to you and your budget. The vehicles are categorized into three classes (fast, faster, and astonishingly fast), each offering distinct handling characteristics to master, adding the variety that I think is missing in each individual stage.
In addition to the individual player championships, there are ghosts to pursue and leaderboards to surpass. The translucent silhouettes of other racers serve as challenges to prove your skills, fostering a sense of community and connection between players that would otherwise be absent in this primarily solo game. This aspect is typical of the genre itself.
The visuals are stunningly beautiful and distinctive at times, featuring picturesque landscapes with a unique touch. Although it shares similarities with cel-shading, it’s slightly softer, as the harsh black outlines of that style have been softened to offer an enjoyable viewing experience, even when zooming at 140mph. Consequently, the built-in photo mode is highly recommended, a chance to unwind from the action, pause, appreciate the exhaust fumes, and truly admire the world meticulously crafted by the developer, Pixel Perfect Dude.
The game is brimming with character, and this becomes especially evident through your copilots. They provide real-time guidance on maneuvers, criticize your suboptimal cornering or praise your first-place finishes, always speaking in your ear. Each of the four game locations has a unique copilot, all fully voice-acted, offering critiques of your actions with their own distinct personalities. At first charming, one copilot did start to get on my nerves after a while, but overall they add humor and vitality to what could become monotonous driving instructions by making them more lively.
The DRIVE Rally offers an engaging, enjoyable rally adventure that still has room for improvements before its final launch in 2025. Distinguished by its distinctive artistic flair, arcade-like control, a quartet of charming co-pilots, and numerous stages, this early access version caters to both newcomers and seasoned rally enthusiasts alike.
Drive Rally is hitting early access on PC via Steam on September 25th.
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2024-09-23 18:16