Art of Rally, from Funselektor, is an interesting title – it’s a rally game, so already a bonus, but heavily stylised, covers the ‘Golden Age of Rallying’ and from a developer who already had success with Absolute Drift.
Art of Rally is a coffee table book of rallying. The developer, or artist, knows the subject, is passionate, and a master of using white space. On the contrary, it doesn’t have that pomposity you might associate with the art world – this is very much a title for gamers, it just so happens that it’s quite the modern masterpiece.
If you can think of a car from the illustrious days of rally driving, it’s likely here, captured in its immortal glory with the same engine sounds as its real-life counterpart. This game isn’t about realism, so if you’re looking for a style that will blow you away, check out WRC 9.
Art of Rally Review – PC via Steam
The car model aesthetics resemble an arty Super Skidmarks. They’re pretty basic, but elegant at the same time, and excluding the various vehicles with unofficial names, it’s immediately evident what they represent.
That said, expecting to get in a Mini and tear up the tracks isn’t as easy as it sounds. Art of Rally is between arcade and simulation. It has arcade simplicity, but to master it and achieve enviable times, you must apply the acceleration at the right time, take corners with surgical precision, and know how your car handles inside out.
There are plenty of options, such as four difficulty levels and a damage indicator, meaning you can punch above your weight while you learn the ropes, but it’s recommended to keep to the default. That said, lowering the damage and driving while entirely on fire was brilliant.
Can’t Handle It
My biggest criticism would be the handling. It can be quite deceiving as Art of Rally looks so simple in design, you’d think you could glide around the corners without consequences and perhaps use a nitro boost. Fortunately, there are no nitro boosts. A lack of a first-person viewpoint was also missing.
Art of Rally has one of the best UIs, and with the added photo mode, you can capture some awe-inspiring ‘poses’, which is something else. If you’re a car fan, pulling up in your Lancia next to some sakura and taking a low-angle shot with just the right amount of filters produces some fantastic results, and it’s not just the overused vignette you’ll see on Instagram.
Photo modes don’t make the game, and I seldom use these features, but this game is an experience. It’s on par with GOTY, Lonely Mountains Downhill, with the same nuanced low-poly visuals, and snobby terminology – mise-en-scène.
Art Of Rally Review Summary
Let’s cut to the chase: Art of Rally is stunning on every level. From the insights of famous championship vehicles to the superb soundtrack, everything about the presentation is a work of art. Most importantly, once you get the hang of it, the gameplay is fantastic and hands down one of the best racing titles I’ve played.
