Preview

Platform: Xbox 360
Developer: Sega Racing Studio
Publisher: Sega of America, Inc.
Previewed by Justin Fassino on 2007-07-16

Back in the better days of the arcade, Sega Rally was one of the premiere racing games. Then came the Dreamcast, and the Sega Rally franchise made an appearance that was mostly well-received by fans. After a several-year wait, the next Sega Rally came to the PS2, but it was not the same game that originally captured the hearts of racing fans. Now, in 2007, the next rally game from Sega is making an appearance on next-gen machines, and it boasts some impressive graphical upgrades.

Sega Rally Revo is being handled by Sega's European developers, made up of former Codemasters employees, among others. These guys know their racing. And they also know that arcade-style racing in some of the planet's fastest off-road vehicles is what fans want. They have complied with fans' wishes and included 30 different licensed vehicles, from Peugeots to Subarus to Mitsubishis and beyond. Unlike traditional rally racing, which features point-to-point time trials, Rally Revo is more accessible to the everyday racing fan and will focus on circuit racing with multiple cars on the track at once. There are no complicated handling physics here, either; it's a pick-up-and-play game with primarily three controls: accelerate, brake, and steer.

So what separates this from other arcade racers? Well the graphics for one, and those graphics are tied-in directly with the new track deformation system Sega is really proud of. You see, the tracks aren't on boring old pavement. Instead, you'll be racing through mud, dirt, snow, and other unfriendly terrain types. What Sega has done with the track is nothing short of beautiful; it deforms and changes in real-time based on how the cars drive over it, spraying mud onto bumpers and making uneven ruts in the road. Not only will you have to navigate around other cars, but you'll also have to keep an eye on the racing line your competitors have left on the track. Taking the undisturbed line through the corner will mean you go slower as you get bogged down into the deep stuff, while keeping your tires in the grooves will give you more speed.

And it looks absolutely fantastic. Puddles of water shimmer and reflect when still, and splash realistically when driven through. Cars get debris all over their bodies that really shows they've been taken through a messy environment. There hasn't been an arcade racer that looks better than this.

You'll be able to take Sega Rally Revo for a test drive on the PSP, PS3, Xbox 360, and PC later this year.

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