V-Rally 3

"A good rally game that will keep the player hooked"

The exciting motorsport of rallying hits the PS2 with V-Rally 3 portraying the real life sport great but with a few flaws.

As the game starts up with the feel of rallying in the air as the decent intro plays with music that fits the mood and you know you picked a winner.

At the main menu you will be able to choose from 3 different playing modes. V-rally mode, Challenge mode and finally Time Attack mode.

The majority of the game will be spent in V-rally where you portray the career as a professional racer in continuous seasons. You start of in the career mode taking test drives from different sponsors in the 1.6L racing category and signing contracts with sponsors and racing there chosen car threw the season. The sponsors will set goals for you to accomplish at the end of the season and as you advance in your career you will receive other e-mails from sponsors wanting you to join their team and eventually you will enter the 2.0L category. That is pretty much the extent of the V-rally mode but it keeps you wanting to play more.

The challenge mode just puts you in a selected car and throws in you in a few courses and asks you to complete them in a time limit until you accept the next challenge.

Finally the time attack is just a select a car and select a track and race in a time limit. Not much replay value here.

Graphics-8/10Here is where V-rally 3 excels. All cars and environments are in the league of Gran Turismo 3 graphics. Only downsides are the people and small plants look like cardboard cut-outs and the occasional background pop-up.

Gameplay-8/10Another high point in the game. The actual racing is nothing you've experienced before as you hurtle through the forest at 90mph while co-driver barks out commands and you struggle to keep control. The cars take damage and and fly off the track and hit objects such as trees causing visible and performance damage. The cars also have a sensitive steering problem.

Sound-8/10 The cars crack and bash as you hit objects in courses and the cars scream and stutter down the track all in good sound.

Challenge-5/10 The V-rally mode seems incredibly easy because the first couple of races I was already minutes ahead of the competition but the 2.0L can provide a bit of challenge as crashing is not forgiving.

Overall A great game with a few flaws that prevent the game from being perfect.

Buy or Rent? If you like racing games Id say buy because the game is only $20 and is one of the best on the PS2. Rent it if don't have an interest in racing games but want to give it a try.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/11/03, Updated 07/11/03