Sega Rally Championship 2

"Sega Rally 2 demonstrates how well Sega can make the best even better"

For years the Sega Rally name has been respected as the pinnacle of 32-bit Rally racing. Fans were more then excited when Sega released news of a sequel for the Dreamcast but with the announcement of delays and finally the reality of no online play does Sega Rally 2 hold up to expectations?

Those disliking the original rally for being to arcade-like have no problems. The home port of Rally 2 features many more tracks and cars. Instead of opting for a high amount of tracks Sega decided on 6 tracks that had different sections similar to Ridge Racer. Tracks are highly detailed with seamless geometry, high quality textures, and a polish the AM team has been known for. Frame rate however is a serious issue that plagues what could be a perfect game. Sega should have aimed for 30fps, but instead shifting between 60 and 30 and sometimes even less. Car selection has been beefed up with well-known manufacturers such as mitsubishi, subaru, toyota, and lancia. The lower amount of cars and the simple adjustments that can be tuned enforce that deep down Sega Rally 2 is a racing game and doesn't try to be anything else.

SR2 is no slouch when it comes to gameplay either. Arcade mode contains the meat and potatoes with a 4 track run. Time Attack returns as the general practice mode. Although it would have been a good idea to include the option of selecting weather for each track because rain and visibility play a large part of the race. 2-Player mode being the only way for 2 racers to compete is not up to par. Frame rate, an already pronounced issue, stutters greatly but forget the 60-30fps shifting anymore. In fact not only does frame rate suffer but also pop-up is increased. The only tracks worth playing are the desert course; because of its simplicity the others were too far-gone. This mode should have been shelved altogether as Sega seemed to scrap the Internet code, offering gamers a cheesy 2-player mode is not needed.

The 10-year championship is what most will be spending their time on with 10 races consisting of 4 tracks each. Placing first will open up a new car but SR2 is one tough game. After the 5th year many drivers are feeling the pressure, as either being out ranked or running out of timer is very common. The learning curb is not bad but if frustration is a problem its best not to buy this game. Hard core racers will find the challenge enticing though.

Control is key to any racing game and SR2 is no exception. Powersliding is still key and while the cars physics haven't strayed much from the icy road style of driving everything feels just right. The face buttons control shifting and the hand brake while the triggers handle acceleration and braking. And for those veteran rally drivers the digital pad is just as responsive as the analog, way to go Sega! Jump pack users will appreciate the adjustment options, which need little work considering SR2 rumbles only when it should.

The all too familiar announcer returns with their lingo, “Very Easy right, Baby!” The co-driver (announcer) can be chosen as male or female. Personally the female is a better choice because she seems less annoying then the male. Sound effects are average even sounding like a rehash of the previous games sounds. The sound effected used for rain was horrid, just be thankful that is only has to last for a minute or so. Music seems to be the usual Sega style tunes but with a more techno feel to everything.

Sega Rally 2 demonstrates how well Sega can make the best even better. A perfect balance of fun and challenge it doesn't get much better then Sega Rally 2. Lets hope Sega's AM team can pull off the sequels to other games as beautifully.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 04/13/00, Updated 04/13/00