You can’t argue with £18. Not only because it’s a quantity of money, and therefore lacks the ability to formulate – let alone defend – an opinion of any worth. I am funny. But £18 for the Xbox 360 version of Sega Rally wasn’t to be ignored, so it was mine in the winter sale. I don’t know what else to call it – it’s not the January sale, and not even necessarily post-Christmas any more. But I digress. I done buyed it!
It had been a long time since I’d played a Sega Rally game – my last encounter might even have been on the Saturn, as I have a feeling I managed to skip the Dreamcast version. So long that I was surprised that you race other cars around a track. That’s what too much Colin McRae Rally will do to you.
But it wasn’t long before I was power sliding around the place. I remember being pretty awful at the Saturn version, so either this is easier, or I’m better. I’m not better. Though I did buy my Saturn quite late and with quite a few games, so there’s every chance that I just didn’t play it enough to get any good at it. I sold my Saturn for even less though, which turned out to be a stupid decision. I’m sure I only got about thirty quid for it with a load of games. And all to buy a PlayStation. I had Steep Slope Sliders for God’s sake! I loved that.
The ‘thing’ about the game is the mentally deforming terrain. Ruts on the scale of small mountain ranges form on loose surface tracks within a lap, and though ridiculous, it’s good fun trying to keep your car under control. It’s a bit like Wave Race. Asphalt tracks, meanwhile, gain tyre marks like tar spills, which noticeably improve grip around corners. It’s all jolly good fun.