Not only is it the best Rally simulation ever, it's also one of the best realistic driving experiances on the PC today.
User Rating: 9.5 | Richard Burns Rally PC
Richard Burns Rally was released last year in Europe to mixed reviews. People that prefer their games easy and simple (arcade and CMR fans) didn't know what to make of it and thus gave it harsh reviews. On the other hand people that have always loved racing and were waiting for the next simulation that would push the boundries of realism in the gaming world were pleasently suprised to find a game that does just that. I highly recommend a steering wheel (Driving Force Pro, Momo or better) if you are going to buy RBR. I would go so far to say that if you don't have one it's not worth buying but I know there are a few crazy folks out there that actually prefer keyboards over wheels. :) Gameplay: The physics are amazing. A new standard. I regularly play sims like NR2003, GPL, F1C 99-02, GP4 etc...RBR's physics easily competes with (if not beats) them. The feel of the car sliding around on gravel is unmatched. The tight, snappy feel of tarmac is pure joy. This is one of the few driving games in which the feel of driving is so addictive you almost never tire trying to set a new record. If you love a spirited, believable, and challenging drive this is the game for you. Speaking of challenging RBR is among as challenging as they get. Yes, that little thing called "a challenge" and the subsequent feeling of accomplishment that gamers seem to have forgotten about. Mastering techniques and learning to navigate the treacherous stages will require practice and effort. One thing about the challenge is that because the physics match very close to real life if you have a good feel for driving in real life you can translate that knowledge into the game usually with excellent results. This sort of "real world" translation actually makes for an easier time than an arcade game where you have no idea what to expect in how the car reacts to various inputs. That fine, addictive line between control and no control is here and better than ever. My only complaint about the physics is that sometimes the cars feel too light when crashing and rolling. Car damage is very nice on the highest level. Your steering and engine will suffer. You can see steam from the engine when you drive through water and when you break the cooling system. Doors, bumpers, side panels, roof, and windows can be deformed and broken. Doors can actually come loose and swing around as you drive through the stage. If your swinging door catches a tree...bye bye door. :) Sometimes the engine will burst into flames in a particularly nasty crash. Strangely the headlights can't be broken and tires can't be deformed in any way. RBR allows you to tune the car to your hearts content. Nearly every tuning option found in an actual WRC car is in RBR. This is another place where real life experiance translates perfectly to game. A friend of mine that races motorcycles but rarely plays games was able to hop in, tweak the suspension, improve the handling, and my stage times right away. Graphics: RBR's stages are derived from real world stages and lovingly modelled. You can tell whoever designed them put great care into crafting each section. Every track has a unique spattering of bumps and elevations. One thing they did was model a fair distance of the trackside area so you aren't always looking at a 2d bitmap wall of trees on every side. Large open spaces are quite difficult to model in games with limited processing power but they have pulled it off better than any racing game has before in my opinion. While the graphics themselves are not mind blowing they look excellent for this type of setting. In rain potholes and ditches actually fill with water that realistically splashes about as you drive through them. Stages in the championship mode actually have various levels of grip and wear on the road based on how many cars have passed over them. The France Rally in particular has exceptional graphics for a racing game. The way they layered the trees, countryside and horizon looks very believable. The tarmac has a pleasing shiny surface in the sun and deep, dark shadows cast over it in the wooded areas. Car reflections are nice and not overly shiny so as to look fake. The cars are of adequate detail but thier proportions look great have 3d interiors. Particles are nice. Finally a rally game that has long, flowing dust trails! Anyone that has ever watched an actual rally in a dusty stage will know what I'm talking about. The tracks also have camera men and spectators scattered about and some wildlife (deer, birds, rabbits) that you can sometimes run over....oops. :) Sound: Sound is also an area where RBR is impressive though not quite as much as the graphics and gameplay. The best thing about the sound is small details that most other racing games leave out. Like the whoosing sound a car makes as it moves over tarmac and the creaks & squeaks of the suspension and the whine of the turbo. The sounds of gravel and various impacts are also very well done. The main problem is the engine sounds are more or less the same sound for each car and though decent, are too weak for my tastes. The sounds for the codriver are adequate. Thankfully there are some sound mods out there that really improve things and add even more detail. Value: RBR has 36 very nice tracks and 8 cars. I think it could have had a few more cars. The championship mode is decent but not too absorbing after many months. The heart of the game is just the feel of driving. It's unmatched in rally games. There is a great community out there (mostly at blackhole motorsports) that has released tons of great tweaks, mods and utilities. New cars and physics are able to be modelled and added and some great cars have been released like a 2005 Impreza, 2005 Xsara, 2005 307, Skoda Octavia and more. The community behind RBR is one of the best in all of gaming! A lot of people have likely glaced over this game. (RBR has not been released in the US) I would advise you to check it out now if you have any interest in the sport of rallying or are looking for a definitive driving simulation on the PC. RBR is one of my favorite racing games ever and IS my favorite rally game of all time and will no doubt go down as a classic among rally sim fans the world over.
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