Sega Rally 2 Review

The first thing many people will be wanting to know is whether or not it is arcade perfect, the answer is no. This will disappoint many people but the fact remains that it is still the best looking racing game you will have ever seen at home. The detail seems equivalent to that of the Model 3 board but small things like drops in frame rate that occur when you enter a corner. Unfortunately pop-up still rears it's head every now and again which is quite disturbing. Whilst the frame rate and pop-up issues are minimal you can't help but think if Sega had spent a few months fine tuning it the game would be arcade perfect. However that does not detract from the fact that it is the best looking home driving game ever.

As well as the standard arcade mode there is a Dreamcast exclusive 10 year championship mode. This championship consists of 10 years, each with 4 races. The races don't take place solely on the arcade tracks either, Sega have added Isle and Muddy courses and all of the courses have 3 variations, bar the Riviera course which stays the same. Interestingly the first two tracks from Sega Rally have been included in enhanced form, which will impress anyone familiar with the original. As well as adding new courses Sega have also incorporated a rain setting and the courses can also be raced at different times of day. Again this adds greatly to the longevity of the game. It is interesting to note that the arcade courses and those from Sega Rally seem to suffer less, in fact with almost no pop-up compared to the new courses. Another indication that the game was rushed. One thing that has become more important post Gran Turismo is the replay feature. Whilst in places Sega Rally 2's is highly impressive and damn realistic, it has to be said, there are sections where the camera work is poor. But the replays are more than watchable, as well as showing off the new exhaust effect Sega have added

Sega Rally 2 feature all the cars from the arcade original and then some, after winning a season in the ten year championship a new car becomes available. These new cars range from older versions of the current cars, like an Impretza 555 and earlier versions of the Lancers to supercharged Peugeots and classic Fiats and Renaults. Each of the cars handles differently and the exquisite Dreamcast controller with the shoulder buttons used for acceleration and braking, in analogue, mean that controlling them is a joy. Be it the powersliding schinanigans in the Lancia Stratos or the road holding Renault, all are subtly different and great fun to drive. The home improvements come in the shape of a car settings screen that allows you to change a great deal of things from tyre and steering settings to suspension and gear ratios. Unfortunately this is not done in as much depth as Gran-Turismo, but then this game is about fun and is not strictly a simulation.

As I mentioned earlier the handling is superb and not least in part to the controller, the analogue shoulder buttons control braking and acceleration. Initially I was a bit dubious about this but then after playing it I realised what a great control system it actually is. The analogue stick is perfect for this game and the only buttons you need are for the handbrake and view change, unless you use manual gearing. Unfortunately I have not been able to test it with the steering wheel that Sega launched with the game, but I am sure that it would offer the best control for this game. Also of note is the fact that the VMS can be used to view your best times, great for showing off when away from your Dreamcast.

Aurally the game is pretty impressive with good engine sounds and the arcade music with some new tracks added in. The co-driver is of great help except when they express doubt about what type of bend is coming up, which is disconcerting. It is worth mentioning that you get a choice between a male and female co-driver.

The only thing that worried me about this game was the two player mode. The loss in detail is not too bad, but the view distance, and the appearance of a slightly suspicious border in the middle were quite disturbing. Although good fun this mode could have done with a bit of work to polish it off. Unfortunately I could not test out the network play due to having to phone Japan, but if the servers are quick I can imagine it is the best way to play multiplayer Sega Rally 2.

Overall this game is very impressive, despite the very slight graphical problems, but you don't notice them whilst playing and they should be sorted out for the western release. Even if they aren't Sega Rally 2 stands out as the best rally game on any format and is one of the best driving games out there. It doesn't have as much depth as Gran Turismo but it's an arcade game at heart and the additions that Sega have made for this Dreamcast release are much more than adequate for a home game. This game definitely sets a very high standard for any Dreamast developer to match and should be a compulsive purchase for the machine's western launch. A truly great driving game.