Test Drive V-Rally for Dreamcast

Test Drive V-Rally

Ready for some serious speed? You might be ready to strap yourself into Test Drive V-Rally, part of the time-tested series of ultrarealistic race games. Slip behind the wheel of one of 16 fully licensed rally cars, or earn the use of one of 10 bonus cars, and take to the rally track for a high-speed cruise around the world. V-Rally takes full advantage of the Dreamcast's speed, and it really does appear that your car is screaming along at 130 miles per hour--the road winding beneath your vehicle, and realistically rendered scenery blurring as you zoom past. Unfortunately, controlling your car also can make it feel like you're cruising at 130-plus miles per hour--rollovers are frequent whenever you inevitably leave the road. Crashes like this do more than just delay you. Unlike the vehicles in some racing games, those in V-Rally are far from invulnerable, and show the various scratches, dents, and outright crunches that they suffer during races. Thus, in addition to saving money to purchase a new vehicle, the player also must pay to have damage repaired before the next race. And the next race always seems to be coming, with V-Rally serving up more than 80 tracks that are spread through 12 different countries. If these aren't enough to keep your wheels spinning, try one of the game's strongest features, the track generator, which can be used to create radical tracks that can be saved to the VMU and traded with friends. --Benjamin Reese Pros: Track generator allows players to create custom courses Over 80 tracks in 12 different countries Incredibly fast-paced action Real-time damage shown on vehicles Cons: Annoying soundtrack Vehicles flip easily