Please note, this is a hands on experience review and not our final review of this product. Code of games played at the X01 event may not be final.

Wow, Rallisport challenge, this title takes the Racing Genre and Rally games to the next level and still a little bit more. Straight from the off Rallisport challenge is an amazing visual treat, with some of the highest detailed environments and cars ever seen in a racing game. Digital Illusions are on course to not only compete but blow away the competition from the Colin McRae series, V-Rally and even the new World Rally Championship game available on PS2.

Think about the replays and FMV sequences seen in games such as again V-Rally and Colin McRae Rally and then imagine actually playing in a game of that quality, this might bring you near to the experience, which awaits gamers under the bonnet of Rallisport Challenge.

Ok from the off the controls used were your standard Right Trigger Accelerate Left Trigger Brake Left analogue steer etc, this makes the game as easy as poring a glass of water to pick up and play, packed into the game are 4 types of rallying which include Ice Racing, Rallycross, Hill Climb & the inevitable WRC-Rally. The game at X01 was set to feature 25 licensed cars including some from Audi, Mitsubishi, Ford & lancia All the Vehicle manufacturers have handed over there vehicle specs which has enabled Digital Illusions to make this game as real as possible in every department.

Just to name some of the major differences featured in this game over it's rivals previously mentioned, players are able to venture further off the track before the inevitable Clear wall stopping you in your tracks, to be honest after saying that, the area which you can drift off the circuit is quite substantial and in reality you should never collide with or notice the invisible wall. This had to be restricted to stop cheat's cutting half a circuit we were informed by Peter Wong 'Program manager of Microsoft's racing Games groupö

Each and every Tree, Bush, Hedge and most rocks in Rallisport Challenge are all individually created and you can drive over the smaller ones but watch out cause the bigger one's will stop you dead and cause subsequent vehicle damage. When you collide (and you will) with a tree leaves & snow etc actually fall from the tree recreating of the event. Peter Wong explained that Digital Illusions have really done an awful lot of particle effects which feature throughout the game.

Collision Damage is also featured within the game although only vehicle deformation rather than bumpers flying off etc as seen in Colin McRae 2, The effect crash's will have on the vehicle will effect the performance and handling of the vehicle although there is no garage to repair your damaged vehicle you simple start with a repaired car.

The market which is pretty well defined has a new boy in town and Rallisport Challenge aims to deliver not only a realistic experience but also a much more fun game. From our play test at the X01 event I can say this, that although we only managed to try time attack mode but from our experience this is certainly shaping up to be a bench mark in the Racing genre and the previous big boys now have a goal to aim for and it comes in the shape of Rallisport Challenge.

This game is certainly a must have for all racing fans and especially fans of the type of racing game, If you loved or liked Colin McRae, V-Rally or even the other new boy on the field World rally Championship (WRC) available on PS2 you will simply be blown away by the treat that lies in Rallisport Challenge