Rally Cross 2

by Playstation

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00002STST
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: July 20, 1999
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,478 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

GameSpot Review

In many ways, Rally Cross is still one of the most unique racers out there. It had a fine balance of flash and skill, while retaining a learning curve that made it a cult favorite among racing fans. Behind its over-the-top monster truck persona was a subtle physics engine that would stand unsurpassed in realism until the release of Gran Turismo. The sequel, Rally Cross 2, was developed by Idol Minds, an independent software company started by Mark Lyons and Scott Atkins (the lead programmer and artist on Rally Cross) after they splintered off from Sony Interactive Studios America. At a glance, Rally Cross 2 may bear more than just a passing resemblance to its predecessor. As a sequel however, Rally Cross 2 improves upon almost every aspect of the original.

The premise of Rally Cross 2 is very simple - place first in three seasons of rally racing while unlocking all of the tracks and cars. You have the opportunity before each race to fine-tune your machines for the punishment dished out from each of the tracks. The option to customize your vehicle's performance was conspicuously missing from the first Rally Cross, resulting in complaints from gamers that the game was too cookie-cutter and bland. While the amount of tweaking in Rally Cross 2 isn't nearly as detailed as Gran Turismo, it still allows for quite a bit of control over how the car will react on any given terrain. There is a total of ten different car types, while only three are available at the start of the game. You will need to unlock them as you progress through the seasons. The aesthetics of the cars have moved away from the original mock rally designs to more contemporary models that mirror real-life counterparts (BMW, Audi, Jeep, Subaru, etc.). There are varying chassis types, which affect performance according to their weight and build. Lastly, you can customize the intensity of your cars with a flexible palette of colors.

At its inception, Idol Minds' goal was to make Rally Cross 2 a less frustrating game to master and learn. The first Rally Cross was notorious for cars that were frighteningly top-heavy and rolled at the first sign of an ill-timed drift. This time around, cars have been stabilized enough so that most players can concentrate on pacing and racing, rather than worry about constantly flipping over. In a way, this modification to the game's physics engine makes Rally Cross 2 immanently more playable. But for someone who's had a taste of Rally Cross' challenge may find the sequel to be stripped of the charm that made the first game so unique. With that in mind, the gameplay in Rally Cross 2 still retains that feeling of getting behind a rally workhorse and conquering the terrain ahead. Each bump and mogul causes your vehicle to react the way it would in real life. Equally realistic is the terrain, which varies from track to track and affects how well your car controls on snow, gravel, dirt, and asphalt. Altogether, Rally Cross 2 has a total of ten tracks, with two of them being secret tracks. The track designs are thoughtful and visually appealing. Each track contains plenty of alternate routes you can discover (which may or may not always save time). Lastly, there is the now requisite track editor, which allows you to build and save the tracks of your own design. The track designer has an easy-to-use interface and is flexible enough to create some fun and outrageous races for Rally Cross 2's multiplayer split-screen mode. The addition of a track editor really helps to increase the replay value of Rally Cross 2 and makes it a title worth owning. --Chieh Chou
--Copyright ©1999 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited. GameSpot and the GameSpot logo are trademarks of GameSpot Inc.

Manufacturer Description

Thunder down the track en route to the Rally Championship in Rally Cross 2. Put the petal to the metal and rip through all new treacherous terrain including steep mountains sandy deserts tropical jungles panoramic coastline mud snow and ice.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Basic Good Fun, January 25, 2000

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Rally Cross 2 (Video Game)

RC2 is a fun way to go off road. Race against the computer to win new tracks and cars, then customize them with a new paint job and go have some fun. Race against friends in the two player split sceen mode or against the computer in single player mode, either way this game is fun for all ages.

4.0 out of 5 stars It's fun if you like PS1 games and racing., October 21, 2008

By 

Mason Prenevost "Living Proof" (King's Canyon Nat'l Park, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Rally Cross 2 (Video Game)

So the one I got didn't have the proper case or booklet. In fact, it came in a little square paper envelope. If you want everything including the game, get it new. If you don't care, get it used. It's the same game. It's a good racer for the PlayStation. All the vehicles turn really sharp, but you adapt quickly. Plus you can create your own race course with different themes. You can even edit main and trim colors on your rally cross vehicle.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Alright, February 2, 2000

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Rally Cross 2 (Video Game)

I was really disappointed at this game. The first Rally Cross was outstanding and it's one of my favorite games for the Playstation. Rally Cross 2, on the other hand, just is not good at all, the only reason I gave it 3 stars is becuase the track editor is awesome. The control, gameplay, and tracks aren't good at all. If you want a good rally racing game stick with the original.