Ordinarily new consoles launch with a quality driving game that acts not only to diversify the range of launch games (not everyone likes FPS and fighting games) but also serves as a technical demo that shows off the power of the new machine. In the instance of the X-Box, Project Gotham Racing is an excellent example of what the X-Box is capable of and sets the mood for all the driving games that are sure to follow. However, the X-Box has another superlative racer in the form of Rallisport Challenge (RC) at launch that not only surpasses PGR for graphical excellence, but also is actually more enjoyable (IMO). Some reviews out there have criticised RC for bringing nothing new to the rally sport genre, but who says you have to reinterpret a work of art when the original is so attractive? What RC does is refine the aspects of other quality franchises (see the V-Rally and Colin McRae series) and presents a well-rounded package that is hard to fault.

Gameplay:
RC can be best described as a marriage of V-Rally 2?s arcade style action (4 cars on the track on some stages, high speed racing) and the simulation of Colin McRae (difficulty, technical aspects of driving). For all intents and purposes this is the perfect match as there is something in RC for the rally junkie concerned with the pure side of racing and the arcade player looking for a quick fix. The cars handle superbly. The in-game physics lean more towards McRae as the cars have definite weight and are quite hard to flip, a trait that afflicted V-Rally 2 and stopped that particular game from being great. On the other hand, RC borrows a lot of the speed that made V-Rally 2 so fun allowing for more forgiving split times and a generally more accessible game that takes it away from the purists and puts it back into the hands of the casual driving fan.

RC is a conventional game in regards to features and races. The bulk of your time will be spent in the Championship mode unlocking cars and tracks, both of which are classified according to their difficulty. That is to say at first the majority of the stages are locked and can only be accessed after each stage is won. After which different classes of cars are made available as you progress. Stages are won by accumulated points that are determined by your finish place, the amount of damage your car took at the end of each race and your top speed reached (predominantly). The variety of stages is great and you must adjust your tactics for each stage. There are four basic types of stages: Rally, Rallycross, Hill Climb and Ice. The type of car you select also affects your performance as some cars are better suited to stages and not to others (all the major rally manufacturers are represented). For example, a high horsepower car on ice tends to be harder to control although it can be invaluable on the hill climb stages where good acceleration from a standing start is a must.

There are some problems though. Like most X-Box games (that I've played), the main game ends a bit too quickly. Compared to V-Rally 2 and Colin McRae 2, RC has relatively few stages. Although the game gets suitably difficult on the expert courses, you'll soon finish them and be left wondering what to do next. Also, some countries have been omitted altogether. It's obvious RC doesnt have the official license and it disappointing not to see some of my favourite rally countries in Argentina and Australia but this is only a small criticism as the Kiwi and Safari stages make up for it. Another sore point is when you leave the track the game automatically resets you on the track with zero momentum. I've read this was implemented to stop people cheating by taking shortcuts. I agree with the principle, but they need to set the boundaries out further as sometimes you might overshoot a turn and leave the track only to have your car reset to a dead stop. On a number of occasions this has lost me races and in my opinion something that could use improving for the inevitable sequel. However, with this in mind, it's easy to RC is a fun racing game that has no pretensions about what it hopes to achieve, a good driving experience.

Graphics:
RC has been described as the Halo of driving games and I have to agree with this statement 100%. The visuals in this game are top draw and will make your mind boggle at the power of the X-Box. The stages are consistently jaw dropping. Trees shake and sway in the wind, leaves fall to the ground and dust is kicked up in your wake all at a consistent 60fps without any slowdown. The morning stages on the Ice stages in particular are beautiful with the appropriate amount of lens flare from the sun and the light reflecting dully off the ice. It's hard to describe in words, but when you see RC in action, prepare to have your mouth hang agape. It's not until the replay that you can truly appreciate the effort the developers put into this game. If there was thing that could fault the graphics in RC, it is the aliasing on the cars themselves (it's not bad though). But when the rest of the game looks so good, it can be overlooked.

Sound:
The background songs are typical technopop and can be annoying sometimes. Fortunately you're given the option to turn them off. However, RC is one of the growing number of X-Box games that allows you to use music you have copied to the HDD. This is an excellent feature for all budding DJ's and allows you to have a little fun with the driving music. The ingame sounds themselves are great, the cars have a suitable grunt and you'll find yourself wincing when you crash the car. Standard rally fare of a high quality.

Longevity:
In what seems to be a facet of X-Box launch games thus far, RC is over all too soon. The bread and butter of the game are in the Championship mode and while it is challenging on the higher levels, the main game is soon finished. However, the tracks are of a consistently high standard that will have you coming back to improve your records and the multiplayer mode is superfluous, playing with friends is good fun. Hopefully RC2 will be longer.

Round Up:
Another quality launch game for the X-Box. It's now represented in all the major genres and proves you don't have to be Sega or Nintendo to release quality in-house games. Driving and rally fans alike must get their hands on a copy of RC. Along with JSRF (in the PAL territories at least) and Halo, the X-Box's launch looks to be the best in the history of the console market.

Pros:

• Phenomenal graphics, best I've seen in a driving game.
  
• An excellent rally game that combines the best elements of V-Rally 2 and Colin McRae 2.
  
• Well thought out stages, particularly the hill sections.
  
• Great multiplayer game.
  

  Cons:
  

  • Could have done with more tracks.
    
  • Main game is over too soon.
    
  • Rally purists will dislike the arcade speed of the game.
    
  • Car resetting system.