The Art of Rally
Racing Made Colorful
In 1999, Gran Turismo 2 arrived and it introduced many of us to a new realm of automotive culture. All your favorite cars are now in high resolution, race tracks from around the world in stunning detail, all accompanied by the sexy sounds of the Cardigans. Racing side-by-side or against the clock. All the thrills, all the crashes, available right at your fingertips. Hours ticked by in a blink with that game.
Knock the dust off your old Playstation, find something that takes RCA inputs, and reboot your days of wonder. You’ll probably get an error screen, clean the laser a few times, reboot the console several times, eventually you’ll be feeling the speed. But now those once high resolution graphics now seem blurry and pixelated. Controls vague and unforgiving. After about five minutes you’ll likely shut it down and let the memories remain just that.
Enter The Art of Rally, retro video game racing in a pure, beautiful form. The controls are easy to use, though difficult to master. While the game can be played by keyboard, it’s a far better experience connecting a controller, might as well make it a Playstation 4 controller. To get your bearings the game starts you off with your choice of a MK1 Ford Escort or a Mini Cooper. Then promptly places you on a dirt autocross course. Soon you’ll be hanging the back end out, clipping cones. Leaving the once clean autocross course just a smattering of cones you may notice there's a gap in the fence. Escape the confines of the course and you’ll soon realize this game has far more to offer.
Twisting dirt roads wind their way through the Finish hillside. Lush green blades of grass give way to dense forests of poligonal color. In the Art of Rally, you’re free to roam. It's an open world driving experience at its purest. Stickman bystanders be damned, you’ll find yourself doubling back through the chicane to find the apex and drift right to the edge, splitting crowds just like the glory days of Group B. However, dip a tire off in the wrong place and you’ll be sliding into the trees on your lid.
To progress your skills and unlock the wealth of off-named rally icons you’ll need to enter the career mode. Here you’ll come to appreciate the 3rd person perspective. Driving roads for the first time, the bird's eye view helps you set up for the next corner in a way similar to having a co driver calling out the road ahead. Thread the needle carefully and keep it dirty side down, this is a game that rewards those who mind the car. Continuing up the ranks you’ll unlock new maps from around the globe. Opening up new terrain and new challenges. Snow, rain, fog, and even night stages will challenge your skills.
Crank the music and enjoy the slide. You can also venture into the photo mode, which allows players to freeze time and move around outside the car freely to snap a photo of that perfect exhaust pop. This little game may not be the racing simulator you were looking for. But it’s the arcade game you need.
