Reviewed: October 18, 2007
Reviewed by: Mark Smith
Publisher
SEGA
Developer
Bugbear Entertainment
SEGA Driving Studio
Released: October 9, 2007
Genre: Racing
Players: 1
8
9
6
7
8.6
Supported Features:
Screenshots (Click Image for Gallery)
I love racing games…street racers, simulations, arcade, and even Indy and NASCAR to some degree, but I have always had a thing for off-road racing, especially the rally games. Most recently I spent a solid month playing DiRT and I still don’t know where the time went.
SEGA has always held their special niche in the rally racing genre, at least in the arcades and a few console titles prior to their next-gen and PSP release of SEGA Rally Revo. After playing the demo and watching all the tech interviews and behind-the-scenes movies I was totally looking forward to this new off-road racing game, and while the 360 version was a major disappointment, the PSP version seems to have fared much better in the capable hands of FlatOut designers, Bugbear.
SEGA Rally Revo kicks serious tailpipe in all departments. It features some amazing PSP-exclusive tracks set in exotic locations, it has fantastic car models, great special effects, challenging AI, and forgiving, yet functional controls that make this racing title a sheer joy to experience on the small screen.
Technically, Rally Revo is a feat unparalleled by any other rally racing game out there on the PSP. While it lacks the track deformation feature found on the consoles, it more than makes up for that loss by including several features inexplicably omitted from the console versions. For starters, each track comes with a bar chart indicating the ratio of dirt, gravel, and pavement for each track and then those tracks are averaged together for an overall surface ranking for the entire three race series. You can then choose from three types of tires, each favoring a certain type of terrain, but the trick is that you cannot change tires in mid-series so you have to choose wisely.
There is a large selection of cars, most of which you will unlock as you continue through the Championship series. It's a shame that most of these cars differ only in make, model, and appearance. There are no stats so the only real way to test these cars is to try them and either win or lose. The only option you do have is between manual and automatic transmission, and of course, the tires.
The game design follows the three-race series system found in the console versions, but on the PSP you are allowed to reset any race at any time within the series, a feature not available on the console that ultimately ruined the entire game for me on the 360. I can now race for hours, comfort in the knowledge that some stupid mistake won't have me repeating a bunch of races I had already won. Admittedly, you can still win the series without coming in first place as long as you place high enough to earn the most points, but each league and event icon displays your score and the total possible score so perfection is subconsciously implied.
Track designs are impressive and large, which probably explains the painfully long load times prior to each race - sometimes approaching 30 seconds or more. At least once the track is loaded restarts are nearly instantaneous. You'll race in all sorts of environments ranging from snow, sand, ice, and dirt, with all the expected slipping and sliding around the tracks. The designers always seem to mix up the environments so tires that work well for one race will cause you plenty of grief on another.
In keeping with the arcade nature of the design, you won’t have to bother qualifying for any race, but this means you will always start at the back of the pack. The AI will always shoot off to an early lead giving you a series of moving checkpoints to conquer during your three laps. You can usually overtake the first few cars early on but the lead car (and sometimes the #2 car) will lead you on a multi-lap chase. Clean driving will almost always guarantee you a win, and with no car-stopping obstacles you merely have to keep off the invisible walls of the track so as not to bleed off too much speed.
SEGA Rally Revo supports online racing for up to four players either through local Wi-Fi or via the Internet. You can setup a lobby and host your own races or find somebody else's lobby and join their races. As host you can pick the track, car class, and number of laps. You can even kick out unruly racers. I was impressed that the online racing worked as well as it did with little lag and some really fun racing against human opposition. There is even a GameShare option so you can share a very limited race experience with somebody who doesn't even own the game.
I was speechless when I played SEGA Rally Revo on the 360 and was just as impressed on the PSP. This has to be one of the best looking racers of any kind on the system. The car models are fantastic with some impressive physics and detailed livery designs. The HUD surprised me with how much information was being displayed around the edges but how you could still look "through" it and really immerse yourself into the racing.
There are numerous key elements that stood out in these environments including some really detailed textures for the track surfaces that almost invariably kicked up clouds of dust or snow that nearly blind you for those upcoming hairpin turns. The environments are fleshed out with realistic details like trees and plants as well as architectural structures and even crowds of spectators.
The camera works exceedingly well whether you choose to drive from behind, inside, or in front of the car. I preferred the hood camera as it offered the best mix of view, control, and sensation of speed. The entire game ran at flawless framerates regardless of how many cars and special effects were being generated on the screen at any given time.
Rally Revo is really limited when it comes to the music, which is mostly in the menus and setup screens. Once in the race you are left with only engine noises, sliding tires, and the sound of your co-pilot reading off the upcoming turns and their severity. This is also shown with various arrows at the top of the screen, so you can learn to tune the voices out if you want.
There is a lengthy series of races waiting for you in the Championship mode and the Quick Race and Time Attack modes offer some easy access to the racing without the commitment, perfect for the PSP gamer on the go, but you’ll have to unlock a lot of the content (cars and tracks) in the Championship mode. The multiplayer modes are great fun and will increase your long term enjoyment of this title, and with Internet support you won't have to have everyone in the same room to race.
SEGA Rally Revo is a great game, infinitely more fun than its console cousin. Bugbear seems to have figured out that arcade racers should cater to casual gameplay rather than demanding flawless perfection. The PSP version has incredible graphics, intuitive controls, and a fun casual design that will keep you playing for months to come. And oddly enough, with some added attention to details like track surfaces and tire selection, it manages to offer a more detailed and immersive experience than the console ever did.