Is this game more realistic than the real thing?

I've owned an Xbox since February - easily the top Valentines Day present I have ever received. I've also played much of the standard fare for the console, including Halo, Project Gotham Racing, Amped, Bloodwake, etc. Each of these games is impressive for a number of reasons, but a game like Rallisport Challenge gives you a taste of what the Xbox is truly capable of.

After reading the reviews on Gamespot, I decided to see if the game lived up to the hype. The opening credits looked decent but were unremarkable. I selected the instant race feature, eagerly anticipating the promised graphical experience. The game loads, and you are transported to a photo-realistic world so intricate, you almost want to just to look at the scenery than play the game. I really cannot do justice to the way the game looks on the screen. Birds fly in lazy patterns on the track, the grass sways, the dirt flies up (but the spectators surprisingly look terrible). It's at least worth renting just to see the effort that went into making the game.

After the initial race, I began exploring the Career mode, where you earn points for finishing well in the race, hitting a top speed, and not damaging your car.

Speaking of which, the cars may surprise those uninitiated with Rally type racing. They are not supercars like Ferraris, but rather highly modified street cars like the Subaru Impreza, Nissan Skyline, and Ford Focus Cosworth. The detail is fantastic in the game, right down to the damage that appears after you accidentally drive off a cliff :)

Several race modes exist, including an ice racing mode that is just flat out fun to play. Slip sliding across the track takes a certain amount of dexterity, but is actually quickly mastered. The tough part of the game is the rally courses where you get one chance to beat your competitors. You can restart the race in Beginner mode, but Normal mode locks your time in unless you restart the level that you are on.

Cars and new tracks are unlocked by using the points gained on previous levels - a standard convention of most racing games. The aforementioned ice racing is against other cars at the same time, while most of the other levels are time trials. I haven't beaten the game enough to get to the Rally Challenge, which is another level racing head to head against computer drivers.

The game also offers multiplayer, similar to the split screen format of Project Gotham.

Overall, this game is a blast to play, although initially very difficult due to the completely different driving style required. If you like games that are graphically stunning and have an interest in racing, I highly recommend this game.