Early Access Review | #DRIVE Rally - Off To A Strong Start
Motor racing is easily my biggest interest outside of video games. I'm not sure I'd call it a hobby since I'm hardly burning rubber across the tracks every other weekend. If I do, that's usually confined to the digital walls of F1 24 or Gran Turismo 7. Circuit racing is my usual choice, yet after recently trying EA Sports WRC, #DRIVE Rally grabbed my attention with its retro-inspired visuals and arcade gameplay. While it's slightly bare in early access right now, there's a good foundation upon which it can build.
Early Access features two gameplay modes. Quick Race is a great way to learn the ropes and online leaderboards add a nice competitive touch.And championships are where you'll likely spend most of your time, though it's not much more than an excuse to take you from one level to the next with fancy window dressing. You won't directly be getting your elbows out against other competitors since this is a time trial racer. That said, both modes feature optional "ghost" racers that show the fastest lap from another driver.
No matter your choice, the goal remains the same: clear the course quickly as possible. Time penalties of varying severity are incurred for hitting obstacles or taking a more ambitious shortcut across the stage, the latter being understandably severe as it's very unsportsmanlike. A helpful co-driver is always present who acts as your navigator since your route ahead isn't always clearly visible. Humorous feedback that's never afraid to criticise you often follows upon making errors.
There are four locations with 24 tracks each - 48 if you include the mirrored variants. However, overlapping routes between courses means this does become slightly repetitive. Each location hosts unique challenges to offer more than a simple visual change. Desert tracks are more liable to make your car slide, which often requires precise use of your handbrake, while forests have narrower paths and increased obstacles to navigate.
Handling takes time to get to grips with it and once I started hitting my stride, clocking those fast laps feels great. Though I was immediately comfortable using an Xbox Series gamepad, my Thrustmaster T248 steering wheel needed some adjustments, and I appreciate how much you can tweak the settings. Your turning sensitivity can be adjusted, something my T248 benefitted from considerably, and swapping the pedal inputs via fully remappable controls is the sort of accessible design every game would benefit from.
You can select 12 different rally cars that offer legally distinct parodies of real-life models, like the "Das Holzwagen," and each comes with three different classes. There's some great cosmetic customisation here for vehicles as you unlock new items bought using currency earned in championships or simply beating levels. There's character to each vehicle beyond the visuals; you can feel the differences between them with speed and handling to varying degrees.
As an early access release, it's worth highlighting the promised full-release changes. The developer, Pixel Perfect Dude, states future additions include new cars, additional maps and tracks, more co-drivers, and further customisation options. I'll be interested in returning when we reach Version 1.0, but what's currently here is reassuring. Racing in #DRIVE Rally isn't the most remarkable experience I've ever encountered, yet it's engaging enough that I keep retrying stages to beat my high scores. Right now, I'm having fun.
