Firstly, those cardboard cut-out spectators are back! They may be smoothed by 3D cards and in high resolutions, but if you drive into them it looks a bit iffy. There are only two very minor gripes with the game. There are plenty of nice incidental details - such as the cars acquiring a layer of mud as they tear around the tracks and the cool weather effects. The cars are realistically modelled ( Sega have acquired licences for all 21 vehicles), the trackside scenery is great and, of course, that Sega Rally helicopter is back to swoop over the course.
COLIN MCRAE RALLY 04 ESPAÑOL PORTABLE MEGA PC
The PC version of the game looks even better than the Dreamcast title, but Sega have thoughtfully remembered to retain options to reduce detail levels for those with lesser PCs. Powered by a Voodoo 3, Rally 2 ripped along at a smooth 60 frames per second in 800圆00. If you're playing against poor competition, you can always turn on 'catch up' mode where the losing cars have higher top speeds.
The level of skill required to take corners at optimum speed ensures gruelling contests and incidents of road rage. The split-screen mode has obviously been carried over from the Dreamcast version, but it's nice to see it here as it remains foolish for developers to assume that everyone has access to a LAN! Needless to say, playing head-to-head is an compulsive experience. This is a great addition and works exceptionally well - provided you've got a suitably powerful 3D card to keep the frame-rates high. For those without net-access or LANs, there's a two-player split screen option. There's a network/Internet mode which allows up to four PCs to connect and race against each other. Those looking for head-to-head action will not be disappointed by Rally 2. Combined with precise handling and a vast range of cars which you can set-up yourself, this is one seriously comprehensive rally game. There's no supplement for great course design and Sega have more than delivered with a superbly balanced set of corners, bends and hazards. Each track has been superbly designed along the same lines of the original arcade courses. Admittedly, some of the tracks are repeats with varied weather conditions but, nevertheless, it's an impressive line-up for any PC racer. Sporting a good 40 courses, this is an awesome mode which should keep even the most adept racers busy for some time. Sega have added a ten-year championship mode to the home versions of Rally 2. Of course, there's a lot more to the PC version of Sega Rally 2 than a perfect conversion of the arcade game. If you can get your hands on a steering wheel and a suitably massive monitor, you've practically got the arcade machine in the comfort of your own home. Sharp visuals (although no sharper than 800圆00), fast frame rates, and that slick Sega Rally handling have all been put in place. We extensively previewed a near-complete version of Rally 2 just last month ( click here) and this final version is virtually identical - which is a good thing, as the BETA version of the game was superb! We'll obviously try not to repeat too much of the preview in this review, so we'd recommend referring back to it if you want to read even more about this thrilling racer.įans of the arcade machine will be pleased to see that the coin guzzler has been almost perfectly recreated on the PC.
Quite simply, Sega Rally 2 is one of the best racers seen on the PC and deserves to be stuck right at the top of your Christmas shopping list. It's a shame, as the Japanese giant has finally done itself justice with this stunning racing game. With the Dreamcast console currently flying high, it appears that Sega Rally 2 could be the last PC title to come from their development studios for some time. Conversions of its top arcade games have generally failed to please PC gamers who tend to look for longer lasting challenges than the coin-clutching arcade goer. Sega's track record on the PC has been less than sparkling.