RETRO – One of the most popular car racing events is the rally: the sight, as the clean cars get dirty in the dust, mud, snow, fighting to be the first while the engine is barely alive.
The genre had a lot of classics – it is easy to remember Codemasters’ recent Colin McRae Rally or Screamer Rally. Is V-Rally able to surpass the competition, or is it only a third runner up in the grand race of Rally videogames.

Although PC gamers might not know about it, but V-Rally has had a bit of a legacy on the consoles. It was released in 1997 for the PlayStation, and was an instant hit. As for why the PC gamers had to wait two years for their version, well probably only the developers know that. Since then PC technology (and even the PlayStation) evolved.

Slaloms in African sand dunes, or amidst snow storms in the Alps

What the V-Rally absolutely excels in is the variety of levels included in the game. Besides the good old British locations we can race in Indonesia, Corsica, Sweden, Spain, Africa, and in New-Zealand. Thanks to the different country’s climates our little car will suffer along the way: in rain, snow, sand storms, these elements will hold us back as we try to be the first in the races. While our AI friends do not really seem to be bothered by these elements. Rally game enthusiast or those who watch it on Eurosport will be familiar with the selectable cars: Toyota Corolla, Ford Escort, Mitsubishi Lancer, Reanault Megane, Peugeot 106, and 306, Skoda Felicia etc. Those who want a real challenge will try the Skoda Felicia against the Ford Escorts.

Left corner high!

V-rally in terms of driving is more of an arcade game, so it does not have much realism in it. Although the cars are difficult to keep on track “luckily” we only get knocked against the railings, and we rebound like a rubber ball. If we accidentally skid on the track the AI cars will get far ahead of us…. . The game screams of a PlayStation port: as although it uses 3D cards, besides a few effects it does not know too much, and it can only be played in 640×480.

The lower-end PC users will be happy about this as V-Rally runs at a stable framerate on this old game. While it is not a too original game V-Rally look rather great, while even P130 owners can play with it

Opinion

The makers of V-Rally hopefully did not want to become world famous, as I feel other developers are better at this. The game is one point below mediocre, the graphics are okay: although not the most refined, for example the crowd is one big graphical mush of mass thingy, well at least it is fast – the simple gamer. What is annoying is that the controls are unbearable. Those who are used to Toca Touring Cars will be really annoyed: it is one thing to control the vehicle like a pro, but at least the simulation of the cars should be well done. I think I told everything about V-Rally, and it is no TOCA 2 or Colin McRae Rally, and for those who have a weaker PC should try Screamer Rally

-Bad Sector- (1999)

Publisher: Infogrames Entertainment SA

Developer: Eden Studios

Genre: Car racing

Publication: 1999