SEGA Rally Revo

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Release Date: October 9, 2007

SEGA Rally AU Review

Blisteringly fast arcade racing heaven? The classic series is back.

And taking the action to another level is SEGA's terrain deformation tech. Unlike Motorstorm's wide open paths and multiple routes, SEGA Rally's courses are generally pretty narrow, so when five cars are ripping up the earth in front of you, you can really feel it. It's not like it drastically affects handling - it's subtle, but when combined with rumble, the immersion levels go through the roof. The effect looks great too, really giving texture to the racing surfaces. There's nothing like watching the cars ahead carve through freshly fallen snow or spray up a stream of mud, and when you move from fighting ruts in the dirt onto smooth tarmac, the contrast is amazing. Suddenly you're gliding.

I think it was the Chemical Brothers who wrote, "Afri-ca-ca-ca-ca-ca-ca". Wise words indeed.

You'll revisit each course a number of times across the three classes, but the changes to handling and difficulty as you progress are something of a mixed blessing. Moving from Premier to Modified, for instance, sees a marked change in the handling. Suddenly the cars at your fingertips (moving on from a range including the Subaru Impreza WRX and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX in Premier, to the likes of the VW Golf GTI and Peugeot 207 Super 2000 in Modified) have much more weight to them, meaning that you can't fling them around corners in quite the same way - it's more of a battle against the terrain, and sticking to a good racing line becomes even more important. This feel flows on to Masters, which features rally classics like the 1976 Lancer Stratos and that SEGA Rally icon, the Toyota Celica ST205. So far so good.

The way the AI ramps up, however, is a potential source of frustration. It's only gradual, but by the time you're well into the Modified class, the opponents have become seriously tenacious, unwilling to give any ground. At least, sometimes they are. The tuning of the AI seems a little uneven to us - on some courses you won't have too much trouble coming first, but on others (such as Alpine 1) you'll be lucky if you even see the guy in third place. It's a shame, because when the AI is somewhere in between, the tussle is never less than compelling, and you have to be on the money for every turn to come in first. Still, the points structure means even with a few embarrassing finishes you'll be able to play through the vast majority of the game, but unless you're some kind of rally guru, it's going to be tough going if you want to play through the Final GP in each class. But hey, when the frustration levels start rising, take a break and get together with some friends online.

Good to see SEGA lowering its in-game carbon footprint.

And you know what? The somewhat uneven AI isn't a deal-breaker. While it is the major thing holding this title back from a 9 or higher, there's just so much else to love about this game that it's still a must-play. In particular - for my sensibilities at least - I love the combination of unapologetically arcadey elements (no stats or damage for the cars, and barriers at the side of all the courses) with surprisingly deep gameplay and a meaty championship structure. And if we haven't made it clear already, this is a gorgeous looking game; quintessentially SEGA in its stylings.

The Verdict

If this is what happens when SEGA takes a beloved franchise and hands development duties over to a carefully constructed studio outside Japan, then perhaps they should do it more often. The UK-based SEGA Driving Studio has managed to capture the essence of the SEGA Rally experience, while also integrating stunning new tech and giving gamers a serious challenge. It’s not perfect, but it is criminally fun. Get it.

IGN Ratings for SEGA Rally Revo (Xbox 360)
Straightforward but bare bones presentation. Great overall art direction.
Stylised and gorgeous. The game whips along too with a great sensation of speed and motion.
An average soundtrack, but meaty engine sounds and effects that make good use of surround sound.
A spot on marriage of arcade accessibility and challenge. By and large the course design is excellent too. This game just screams ‘fun’. (But do yourself a favour and play from bonnet-cam).
Lasting Appeal
Even though there aren’t that many courses, the Championship structure is pretty full on, and you certainly won’t breeze through the single player game. Online is the icing on the cake.
(out of 10, not an average)
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Game Details

Published by: SEGA
Developed by: SEGA Racing Studio
Genre: Racing
Release Date:
United States: October 9, 2007
UK: September 28, 2007
Australia: September 27, 2007
MSRP: 59.99 USD
Also Available On: PS3, PSP, PC