Rally Fusion uses an interesting blurring effect to simulate distance and speed that will be a hit with some and a miss for others. I liked it, although at times I wondered if my eyes were starting to glaze over from staring at the screen for too long. The effect is similar to what Ico used to give the impression of far away size and immense surroundings. The level design is great, and many small touches show a loving hand for detail. Nine different environments allow for racing on different terrain, and of course, there are an obscene number of tracks to try in each setting, according to the mode you choose. The cars really look sweet, and there are lots of juicy models to choose. The replays look fantastic, and the view from the cockpit is great. Rally Fusion pulls together not only traditional Rally racing and less traditional multi-car challenges, but also lets up to 8 players compete in simultaneous or 'round robin' modes, depending on the track and mode. The collective effect is miles and miles of replay value. If you find you enjoy the presentation here, which we found to be one of the best-looking off-road racing experiences this year for PS2, you'll never be bored. The difference between modes like a traditional race and the riotous Hill Climb are significant in both look and feel. Unfortunately, mediocre music is a chink in Rally Fusion's armor, but that's being nitpicky. All of the co-driver cues are good, and the visual hints for what lies ahead in each track are right on target.

Like most good Rally games, Rally Fusion offers loads of 'you against the clock' action, but adds the dimension of 'team' play for multiple players. Up to 3 players can enter competitions as a team for cooperative play, and up to 8 players can represent teams competitively driving against other racers. The depth this offers is nice, but your jaw will drop when you see the list of game modes. Overall, the big divisions are between Race of Champions Mode, ROC Challenge Mode, Quick Race and Custom Championship Mode. Each of these, with the exception of the obvious 'roll your own' Custom Championship Mode, has a slew of individual segments, tracks, challenges and mini-modes that contribute to the bigger picture. You could easily spend all your time just rolling around in one of these modes and have one heck of a lot of fun playing Rally Fusion.

Digging into Race of Champions Mode, you find 3 separate competition stages between 8 teams on one of the tracks. The constant is the track and the teams, but the challenge level ramps up when different cars become available. Think of it as graduating from Little League and having a chance at the Minors, then going Pro. Little League has Kit Cars, small-horse wonders like the Ford Escort; Minors, or Class B, offers more well known Rally cars; and Major League gets you a bunch of big, powerful cars you'll have to tame like wild broncos. As you race through each Class, you're learning different vehicles and unlocking some options, but most of the unlocking happens in ROC Challenge Mode. Here, you can enter almost 10 different race styles, from traditional Rally to crazy hill climbing or automotive obstacle courses. Good fun. At first, the profile you create comes equipped with few cars, but by winning and placing first throughout these ROC Challenge races, you'll unlock a lot more of the game. Before that happens, and if you may just be curious and want to try Rally Fusion as a rental, Quick Race Mode shows you most of the challenges described above, but with a limited choice on cars since you haven't really proven yourself already in the other modes. The cooperative 'team' gameplay is lots of fun, and is easily accessible. Holding this up against other similar games out there, race fans with friends who want to get in on the action will find Rally Fusion hard to beat. It's not only a multiplayer gamer's dream, but it kicks a lot of butt even when it's just you playing alone. There are plenty of famous Rally racers depicted in the game who are capable of handing you your you-know-what on a sling if you slip up.

There is no question Rally Fusion wants to be taken as a fun game that doesn't shy away from presenting a realistic challenge. Getting first-place can be tough until you really understand each car's handling and the exact feel of the track you're trying to beat. Rally is and should be more of a competition between you, your car and the track, compared to NASCAR with its 'turn left' mentality. Mastering the tracks, learning your car and defeating the competition is no easy task, but Rally Fusion feels fair in how it balances the AI. Very little accommodation is made for those who want a dumbed-down racer, and don't think this is some kind of Arcade racer, so the sense that you're going very fast and have several very competitive racers on the track with you is made real here. Especially with damage taken into account, the lack of garage tweaking is entirely made up for, since you have to take great care of your car through long competitions to stay competitive.

The major effort from the development team seems to have been throwing as many modes into the game as possible. Getting the multiplayer 'team' idea kicking was great, and the execution between handling and the stats you see for each car is solid. So, the last piece is just getting through levels with a sense that there is some tangible challenge or realistic progress being made. Little 'trophies' help give you a sense of your accomplishments, and you're notified during a race if you happen to do something extraordinary like make the longest jump or do the biggest crash. These are personal records, mind you, collected for your profile. Modifying the setup of your car before the race is always possible, and the game does a good job guessing the setup you'll want which is great for beginners. Damage is handled nicely in both the look of the car, and how it responds. Pile on the dents, and you'll find the car missing top speed, lagging on acceleration and sliding out in curves. In at least one challenge race, you actually see a 'health' meter for your car that goes down when you aren't in first place during the race. So, being one of those people who hang back and jam on the gas to slide over the finish line at the last minute or sideswipe other cars in the last turn won't help you here. Variety and creative gameplay are coupled with solid control and a set of good (not great) options for car modification. More often than not, the focus is on picking the right car for the course and making basic changes depending on how you want to race. I would have liked to have seen a more well developed system for earning and buying parts, upgrading cars and forming more of a garage, but the presence of many good cars and good, solid control means this game still falls at the top of the list against its competition.

Seeking a good Rally experience? You can't go wrong with Rally Fusion. Other games may have tracks or cars you like, but they probably can't match the overall depth here. And, if you like the idea of deep multiplayer and the chance to customize tournaments and races for you and your friends, this game does everything but let you build the track and the car from scratch. A very nice entry to the field, and a complete winner as Rally racing goes!