This is not a pedal-to-the-metal racing game. Keeping control of the car is difficult, and drivers will quickly realize that success depends on literally crawling around corners at low speeds, then accelerating madly on the straights to the next set of curves and turns. Both the arcade (less sensitive controls and physics) and championship (heavy on the real-world simulation) modes demand a light touch on the accelerator and brakes to remain upright and on the track. Luckily, controls are quite intuitive and easy to learn.

However, the car's reactions to road conditions and bumps, dips, banks, and turns are very often unrealistic. Gravel and dirt tracks are too slippery, more closely resembling an ice-driving experience. Driving over an imperceptible bump may inexplicably send the vehicle into a ridiculously dramatic series of spins. Choosing the less-sensitive arcade mode provides a bit less frustration, though we certainly hope future renditions of V-Rally tone down the physics and shift the fun factor into a higher gear. --Eric Twelker

Pros:

• Over 50 tracks in such exotic locales as Corsica, New Zealand, Indonesia, and Kenya
• Good selection of cars
• Players can customize car handling and appearance features

Cons:

• Over-the-top physics model; keeping control of vehicle very difficult
• Anticipating turns difficult due to close horizon
• Multiplayer mode not overly exciting