Rallisport Challenge 2

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Graphics looked much improved to me.

[PeteJ]

Yeah I think the graphics are quite amazing this time, much better than before (though as someone has already mentioned, the Ice Racing doesn't look as spectacular). One of the UK rally stages is incredible to look at.

[Prine]

UK stage is quite something isnt it. I think the track was Oxford. Beautiful stage.

[jcee]

Played both versions 1 & 2 games when I visited Kingston LJ today.

Oh dear. Graphically it's not as good as Ralli Sport 1 (no bump mapping,
lower detail cars, lower quality decals) what a pitty. Maybe a better game
playwise, but I'll never get to know, I'm not getting younger and playing
**** graphic games isn't what I'm about.

You sir need glasses.

[Prine]

Im really, really enjoying this. Its my first Rally game since GT3 (well Rally mode in GT3 was my fav) just so glad that its extremly arcady. Far better than i expected, the thrill of racing through Argentina,Austrailia and UK at insanly high speeds is incredibly exciting. Online mode is great too, though i've only played with 4 players.

already signed up for an XSN tournament at gaming-age which starts tomorow!

[Brats]

I have to say, I'm really enjoying this. I never played the first game, so I have no frame of reference. Most of the opinions I read of it said it was pretty average, so I stayed away. This time round the lure of online play and XSN were too much.

Shortly before it arrived, I tried a game on a demo pod in Game and wasn't impressed. Oh dear, had I made a big mistake? The handling seemed off and not at all slidy like a rally title should be. Lesson learnt: Demo pods are worthless.

The night before it arrived, a chap I was playing PGR2 with was singing up the praises of the first game, saying it was one of his favourite games of this generation. He loved the arcadey handling, the speed and the multiplayer mode. I have to say, if the original is anything like the sequel, he was spot on. I don't know about best game of this generation, but it is immense fun. It demands to be played in bonnet cam as the awesome impression of speed makes it much more exciting and the handling is simple enough that you can wang the car round hairpins without the lack of peripheral vision being a problem.

So the handling is arcadey? So what? That never harmed Sega Rally. And the handling is a bazillion times better than the rally modes in games like R:Racing Boredom and Race Driver 2. Some of the cars (I'm looking at you Evo VI) and very much like Sega Rally in their handling. It's possible the lack of depth in the handling may dampen any long term playability, but I don't care because the game is great fun right now. Besides, I enjoyed CMR4 a great deal, but after completing the 4WD and 2WD rallies, I never reurned to it.

And it looks amazing, especially through prog scan. I haven't seen so much gratuitous eye candy on display since PDO. The courses are suitably gritty, but the environments are amazing, with beautiful waterfalls, deep canyons and the setting sun just peeping through the treeline. The hill stages in particular are just wonderful. They may not be real and it may be illogical moving around different countries like Pete J says, but I don't care.

The sound too is awesome. The engine noises through 5.1 sound better than anything else and the echo that you get when passing through a tunnel or near a canyon is spot on.

The co-driver is a bit of a spaz, often saying things like 'Right 1 tightens' at different times. Listen pal, there's a difference between a 1 turn tightening into a 2 turn and one that tightens into a hairpin from hell, okay? The map is more or less a requirement.

I so nearly didn't buy this because I had CMR4, but I'm glad I did. they actually sit quite well next to one another. I can't wait to try it online once my replacement XBox arrives .

[VR46]

I quite agree, I love CM04 and unlike you have completed at stages on time attack in all 4 classes of car.
The pace-notes in CM04 are spot on but in RSC2 they are a bit of a joke sometimes unfortunately.

[PeteJ]

Brats, Rallisport 1 doesn't handle as well as its sequel. I always felt out of control and it really did feel like you were just a rocket flying across the tracks. It was enjoyable because it was so crazy (especially the multiplayer, which had no pace notes or map), but the enjoyment ran down fairly quickly.

This sequel is far better, though I have to say that I like McRae 04 more.

[Ginza]

Right im selling CMR04 and getting this in a month after my exams are over.

See you on soon!

[MikeRox]

The first one was arcade style handing? cudda fooled me, felt more like it was constantly on an ice rink, I've held off buyin the 2nd after finding the original the most over rated dross in history. (bar Gran Turismo 3) If they've tightened the handling and made the courses a bit more interesting, I might be tempted to pick it up again then.

[Commander Marklar]

No they ain't Smega, it's still bollocks. If the first was rated on a scale of ten (1), this would be a 3.

[Brats]

I haven't played the first game, so I can't compare, but the handling in this is very arcadey. Some of the cars are nicely slidey, but it's a doddle to put your car where you want it after a few goes.

The handling kind of makes me think of what a rally version of Burnout 2 would be like. The cars have quite a light feel, but the handling is precise and quite easy to get to grips with.

[PeteJ]

Hill Climb + B class + no pace notes + complete darkness = stupid.

First race I've lost. Bah.

[Brats]

Use the map, dude.

[VR46]

yeah you can switch the map on in the options when you press pause, is it only me that finds the map is right bang in my line of vision when trying to "see up the road"