Rally Simulator

Copyright : Zeppelin Games | Reviewed by : Ritchardo

One of Zeppelin?s first forays into the games market, Rally Simulator is a high octane race around the city streets. Have you got what it takes to sneak into pole position or will you find yourself limping in to the pit lane?

Graphics

Despite using a viewpoint that would make Codemasters a fortune for Micro Machines, Rally Simulator does not fare well from the overhead view. The perspective makes everything seem out of proportion and blocky. There are some nice graphical inclusions (see for instance the shadows that are extended out from the back of the buildings?) and the developers deserve credit for attempting something different but the layout of the roads and the signposting can become very confusing and they are not clearly marked enough.

A nice colour scheme is used throughout, although the opposition cars are not given any sense of personality by looking different from each other. Even by making each car a different colour this could?ve added to the experience.

Sound

The game is chock full of sound effects and the motion of your car is accompanied by plenty of screeches and whizzes. The noise of the engines do become grating after only a few moments of playing and you?ll find your hand instinctively reaching out for the volume control, and doubtless force you to crash into a wall?

Gameplay

Very fast motion certainly gives a strong feeling of speed and you slip and slide your way through the maze like street course. The speed of the game, and your computerised opponents makes the game very challenging particularly when trying to remember the correct directions and turns you should be taking.

It will take a good three or four attempts of going around the course before you are able to have a decent stab at playing for real. This, however, is where the problems creep in ? the course is very confusing and the skill level of your computer opponents is such that you will struggle to keep ahead and it is near impossible to catch up after lagging behind. If you fail to move up a position in the grid after each lap then you will instantly lose the game. This makes progressing to the higher levels a near impossibility and despite some serious playtesting, I have never made it on to the next level.

Realism takes a back seat (despite the simulator title!) as cars accumulate damage but can still travel through each other, bushes, etc.

Overall Rally Simulator is a decent enough little budget game, not particularly exciting or offensive. Just average overall?