If you’re not interested in modern machines, you can also drive older cars (and back then, the Paris-Dakar rally was held on much rougher terrain).
Off-road cars, motorbikes and trucks drove from Paris to Dakar in Senegal. Still, in 2008, instead of the threat of terrorism, there was a Central European Rally on Hungarian and Romanian soil, then a decade of racing in South America, and since 2020, the event has been held in Saudi Arabia. It’s a little anachronistic to drive two classics from the 1980s, as shown in the video below: the Peugeot 405 Turbo 16 (driven by Finnish rally legend Ari Vatanen) is joined by the DAF Truck Turb-Twin, presented in a VHS-like style, fitting the era. They are only available with the Deluxe Edition version of the game…
As we wrote when the game was announced in December: “The game is made by Saber Interactive (the team responsible for the technological marvel of the Nintendo Switch port for The Witcher 3; after that, the PlayStation 5/Xbox Series version will be an easy job for the team), and they will also publish it (so technically, it’s an Embracer Group title). Dakar Desert Rally, following the trends, will be a cross-gen title, and only one platform will be out of the question.
The game’s Steam page reveals further information: “Dakar Desert Rally is the biggest and most epic off-road rally racing adventure ever developed. Dakar Desert Rally captures the genuine speed and excitement of Amaury Sport Organisation’s largest rally race on the planet, featuring a wide variety of licensed vehicles from the world’s top makers, including motorcycles, cars, trucks, quads and SSVs. The game offers unique challenges for off-road simulation diehards and casual racing fans. Compete in fierce online multiplayer races or navigate the vast wilds in single-player offline.
There are over 30 stages of full rally racing from the official 2020 and 2021 Dakar Rally races with officially licensed vehicles, teams, and pilots across multiplayer and single-player modes. All across a big open world that doesn’t limit you to tracks and roads. The game also supports a wide array of steering wheels for the ultimate driving experience.
The game features all four seasons and a complete day-night cycle. Whether facing billowing sandstorms, blazing desert sunlight, gruelling rain and snow, or deep mud, you’ll need to overcome the elements and your competition to win. In true Dakar fashion, you can tow and rescue a competitor out of a jam for extra repair points. Who knows—you might need the favour returned down the road,” the Steam page reads.” Since then, the 2022 tracks have been added to the pack, and multiplayer allows four of us to race in Saber Porto’s game.
Dakar Desert Rally will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), PlayStation 4 and Xbox One from October 4.
Source: Gematsu
