New RalliSport Challenge 2 details @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on December 16, 2003

News: Microsoft lets loose with some new dirt on the Xbox Live enabled sequel to one of the best rally racers ever.

Microsoft has released lots of juicy detailsаregarding RalliSport Challenge 2 along with some screenshots of the upcoming racer.

Product Overview:
RalliSport Challenge 2 is the highly anticipated second installment in the critically acclaimed RalliSport Challenge franchise and the first racing title in the XSN Sports brand. RalliSport Challenge 2 confronts gamers with several new features, including a new graphics engine, online play through the Xbox Live service, the ability to set up leagues and tournaments using XSNsports.com, new race modes, and more cars and tracks. RalliSport Challenge 2 will test every driving skill you think you have and some you don't even know were physically possible. It's about living on the edge and white-knuckled racing that only rally can deliver.

Key Features:

Intense Competition. RalliSport Challenge 2 is the first racing title in the new XSN Sports brand. XSN Sports games let you compete in the first truly virtual sports league for your Xbox. Now you can easily set up a rally league on XSNsports.com, take out your rival over Xbox Live, and track up-to-date stats on your PC throughout your own rally season. All XSN Sports games bring the power of the Xbox and PC together for the first time through XSNsports.com, so you are always plugged into the competition.

Off-road racing the way it should be. RalliSport Challenge 2 features six game modes including Career, Single Race, Time Attack, Multiplayer and Instant Action. It also features five unique rally race modes including Rally, Rally Cross, Ice Racing, Hill Climb and the new Crossover duel that test a driver's skill and stomach for danger with extreme speeds on tracks that could send even the best driver on a collision course with disaster.

Tracks. Featuring more than 90 tracks, nearly double the number from the original, gamers can race on different tracks from Sweden, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, Argentina, Monte Carlo, and really test their skills by racing up the sides of the Grand Canyon in the ultimate Hill Climb race.

Start your engines. RalliSport Challenge 2 will feature more than 40 of the most challenging rally cars including the infamous group B cars that were banned because of the extreme uncontrollable horsepower. Among the new cars featured in RalliSport Challenge 2 are the Hyundai Accent WRC, Renault Megane Maxi, Volvo 440T, Lancia Stratos, Ford GT70 and the Suzuki Aerio P950.

Modify your ride. Gamers will be able to make minor modifications to each car to meet the challenge of each track. Players can modify their tires, dampers, break balance, steering and gear ratio to match the race conditions of the track.

Car damage. From broken windows to scratches in the paint to missing hoods, "RalliSport Challenge 2" features an updated graphics engine with realistic vehicle physics complete with damage modeling and performance degradation to test a driver's mettle. Parts such as bumpers, spoilers and rear mirrors will be able to loosen from the car, dangle and eventually drop off. Debris and parts will fall from the car when crashing to make more of a visual impact on the car.

Detailed Race Environments. RalliSport Challenge 2 features new camera angles and a new windshield view that focus on spectacular crashes and interactive environments. The rally races come to life in incredible detail. As in a real rally race, track personnel will blow a whistle to alert spectators of oncoming cars, and spectators will react more intelligently to the approaching cars. Each track will also have more breakable objects and more on-track hazards like water, mud holes and potholes to challenge drivers.

Availability: Spring 2004