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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A new benchmark in realism, October 24, 2004
How can I explain... I have tried to define to friends how accurate and realistic the cars handle in this game and how this simulation has achieved a level of excitement and fulfillment that stands apart from all other games, but it is not until they finally come over to drive it that they say "..now I see why you could not explain this!" or as one girl said.. "I could just keep driving...!"
It takes some time to learn to handle the cars well. The included driving school and it's advanced techniques is a must for good stage times. It could actually take years of intense white knuckle fun to master this game.
I have about thirty driving games including all types of racing along with two computers equipped with Force Feedback steering wheels (FF is a must to fully experience this game) Before the arrival of Richard Burns the most realistic and fulfilling for myself and friends continued to be Grand Prix Legends, Nascar Racing 2003, SCC mod for F1 Challenge 99-02. These games along with others keep you coming back and drawing you in for more where others in comparison like the Colin McRae series seem "two dimensional", flat and have canned predicable responses that quickly become boring at best.
The dynamics of Richard Burns cars and tracks are on a whole new level of refinement such that you can really feel the mass of the car change in how it reacts to the suspension at different speeds and angles to the road and road conditions. Get unstable from hitting ruts and potholes at high speeds or bumping a berm on the edge of a fast narrow road. Use the crown of the road to your advantage while hooking your inside tires into the low side of a turn. And, while keeping the gas on at varying levels, use your left foot to work the brake into a turn keeping your power up while throwing the weight of the car forward to loosen the rear grip a little and increase traction on the front tires. Then, power out of your turn in a four wheel drift as you try to focus on what the co-driver is saying as he calls out the turns ahead while you are working the wheel and throttle feverishly trying to get this corner just right. Watch the realistic replay with long hanging dust trails for those one or two corners where you did get it just right and you scream "YES!" in awe of the beauty and fulfillment of a perfectly executed corner. This game is very challenging in the best sense of the word. It is very dimensional and is simply fun to drive at any speed and yet the more you choose to work and focus on increasing the challenge for better stage times, so will increase the depth of deserved satisfaction.
It goes on and on. As you will too into endless captivating hours of amazement and fulfillment. Grand Prix Legends still holds the dearest of places in my heart for what they did to make those classic racers handle in a way that is so sensitive and alive. Richard Burns Rally has just made my heart much bigger! GPL was created in 1998 and six years later still holds a huge following with hundreds of added tracks created by others. I am confident this game will also bring you many years of awe, amazement, and totally immersed enjoyment. I have complete admiration and appreciation for what this team has done in their attention to every detail in getting it right; from the photo realistic graphics to the intricate detailed sounds to the amazingly interactive suspension working in real time over long and highly varied roads and road surfaces.
This game it as pure 10. As pure as it gets. I can truly recommend this to anyone with a computer and graphics card, not just to those already enjoying 3D games and/or racing. If you don't have one, spend the extra $20 as soon as you can for a Wingman Formula Force or similar force feedback wheel on ebay or from here at Amazon to fully unlock what this game has to offer. You can experience and feel the best of racing without having to pay for crashing your car! ...and believe me, you will have many terrific tumbling crashes!
Good luck and the happiest of trails...
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The GPL of Rally Sims ..., January 3, 2005
I have to add my praise for this game. I have been searching long and hard for a rally game that is not a 'bounce off the walls and carry on' arcade game. This one has hit the mark. It is a fabulous sim, the physics are amazing and the handling of the car feels as realistic as it can without the bumps and crashes of really being out there on the road. This one has the 'crash and you're out' realism of the early Geoff Crammond F1 sims and which is lacking from most other games. For those who do not like this, you can also choose a no damage option. The damage model is the best one I have seen and I am comparing this to Rally Trophy, Rally Championship, Colin McRae, WRC (PS2), F1 2000 through 2003 to name my favourites. The only one that is on a par with this is GPL and (for the physics) Live for Speed which is a work in progress.
The menus are a little clunky and could be more refined but they work. I had some trouble assigning functions to my ActLabs ForceRS wheel, pedals and shifter set up. I eventually had to unplug the shifter, do the assigning and plug it in again. For any who use a shifter the game only supports a sequential shift so a standard H pattern won't work. But this is realistic as 'in car' footage of real rally stages shows the drivers using sequential shift anyway. For those who do not want an arcade game and want a real sim I would highly recommend this one.
The driving school feature is excellent and gives a good introduction to rallying for any who are not familiar with it, although it is not as challenging as the licence acquisition of Gran Turismo.
Excellent job by the development team .. fantastic product.
May 2005 bring Richard Burns a return to good health.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Half-Life" on wheels, November 21, 2004
This game teaches you how to be a professional rally driver. The techniques you will learn within can easily be applied to real life driving. This can be very useful if you ever wanted to know what it is like to take your everyday car on remote back country roads and drive on the limit, minus car repair costs and medical bills of course.
You start out at the Forest Experience Rally School. Here Richard will teach you the basics of car handling as well as some of the more advanced lessons (lessons that the driver's license people conviniently forgot to mention to you during your driving test.) These lessons are short and to the point. Not to mention loads of fun if you have a force feedback gaming wheel, as this game offers truly some of the best feedback effects around. We are not just talking about your basic rumble effect here. Your steering will tense or lighten, it will jolt to the sides, you will feel the road as you can expect in a real car.
Graphically and sounds wise, Richard Burns Rally holds its ground. The purpose is to convey realism and this simulation does exceptionally well. Whether it is birds flying about or camera guys running off the road as you chase past them. You will hear a MULTItude of sound effects. It is such an incredible depth to this game I can't believe anyone can ever get bored of it. It will take you literally months to master this, and even then there is still the car setup area where you can tweak things like tire pressure, suspension, differentials, etc.
As I see it Richard Burns Rally is definately a landmark in driving games. It is worth every penny and then some, simply because of the Rally School alone. It would cost you hundreds of dollars for real driving lessons! But if you are a fan of the WRC or just happen to adore real world physics you are in for a treat.
Recommended system specs : 2.6 Ghz processor, 512 Mb Ram, 128 Mb graphics card with pixel shading support, Audigy 2 ZS, and FFB steering wheel.
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