Meanwhile, newcomers to rally–or even racing as a whole–are given a creative, inspired and thoroughly enjoyable alternative to everything that may have dissuaded them from driving games in the past.Īll in all, Funselektor Labs has absolutely smashed it. Rally nuts get a new, unique experience to add to a surprisingly busy market that seems to stick to a rigid formula. Controls are intuitive but challenging, giving you constant satisfaction of nailing a corner, even if you only do it once a race.Īt its core, Art of Rally occupies a perfect middle ground. Stages are short and usually sweet, making it the perfect game to dip in and out of. As you advance through the years, you uncover new machines with exciting histories, while the game coughs up more delightful tracks to test them on. Lower difficulties pose almost no challenge whatsoever in single-player–the standard level will see you routinely beating AI by two minutes or more–but once you raise this bar, it provides a tough trial.Īnd yet, even if you don’t win a stage, it never feels like a failure.
Playing Art of Rally with a keyboard is a mug’s game, not least due to the lack of delicate throttle and brake control, which is critical at higher difficulties. The photo mode is often the game's biggest draw, and never gets old. Some cars can also feel remarkably unbalanced around corners, especially with twitchy handbrakes, so you may find yourself regularly testing other available vehicles to better match your preferred driving style. Screen tearing can be a real issue, especially with wider camera angles, which can be a real shame as it disconnects you from an otherwise hypnotizing experience. It often feels more important than the game itself–I spent more time photographing than playing, though this may be to do with the mode’s confusing UI–but when the game is this beautiful, it becomes a core part of the experience.Īdmittedly, Art of Rally’s in-race performance can occasionally take a hit. The art direction of the game means that one of the game’s strongest assets is its photo mode, which can turn even the least impressive corner of the most boring stage into an art book cover. Stage designs are also quite true to life, even evoking the likes of modern WRC games from time to time with sharp, right-angle turns, hay-bale chicanes, and archway-marked jumps. Sweeping Italian vistas are matched by tough, stone-lined forest trails of Germany, or the sheer beauty of Japan’s rolling hills. Funselektor LabsĬourses have clearly been chosen with an eye for the spectacular. Cars like the Lancia Delta HF Integrale are represented without a license, but it isn't needed.
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