grimjack2's Full Review: South Park Rally for PlayStation 1
It is probably a bad sign about the success of this game that there isn't a separate category for the Computer version on Epinions, just the console versions. I only played it on the PC, so that is the version this review is based on. I'm sure it is close enough in quality to make a valid comparison simply because this game definitely feels like a console port, and it doesn't really take advantage of the fact that it is on a computer at all.
Like the cartoon, the graphics are very simple. It is smooth, and colorful, but there is nothing in the engine that is very revolutionary. It should run fine on a computer that is even more than just a few years old. The courses are very similar, with almost no visible variations. However, many races takes place on the same course with checkpoints moved around, and different streets blocked off, etc.. The graphics do make hitting some checkpoints very tough. Coming over a hill it is very easy to go around one, and not realize it. There is no notification when you miss a checkpoint, and it took me a while to recognize Cartman's "Sweeet" as letting me know that I had successfully crossed it.
Each racer is a character from the show. The graphics aren't much more complicated than the simple animation of the TV show, but there are many sounds associated with all the major characters. I would be lying if I didn't admit to getting a big laugh when I first passed a wreck of cars using Cartman and he yelled out "Out of the way Hippie!". I'm surprised there is as much swearing in the game, considering it looks like the kind of software aimed at kids, but then again, even after four years, I still think that about the TV show as well. Some of the characters aren't regulars on the show, so I have to admit that the game scores some points for letting you race Jesus and Satan at the same time. This is not something video games have offered us before.
The controls are straightforward (I played it with a joystick), but there could have been more programmable options to fire specific weapons. The weapons are very varied, but they are almost impossible to use properly. They are hard to aim, hard to select, and the visual representations don't always remind me of what they do. None of the various characters have a different feel when racing, and none of your opponents do as well. They are all interchangeable except for the graphics and sounds.
The physics aren't very realistic either. Hitting a cow feels pretty much the same as hitting a bus. Faster speeds don't seem to really matter. There is no force feedback, and little reason to slow down except for on the 90 degree turns.
The weapons are varied, but almost impossible to use properly. You can send a woman infected with herpes after your opponents, and even a dog that will try to hump an opponent. Both these will slow him down. You can throw turds and other oddities that will slow down or disable your fellow racers. And of course, you can fart, which is the equivalent of a short turbo boost. One of the most unusual random pick-ups makes the screen rotate colors and four or five faces of Saddam Hussein move around the screen.
The game was odd to me because it feels too difficult. If you are in the lead it is very hard to stay there because most of the weapons fire forward. You have to come in first to win, which is how you also open up the next track. That means if a particular race is giving you trouble, you won't even be able to just jump in and play it in arcade mode. The computer racers all seem to race almost too good to be enjoyable. They seldom make a mistake, so the only time I could get a true lead is if another computer racer or I used a weapon against an enemy. The random obstacles on the track, like a train crossing or the cows, seldom make any difference. I wish I could say the learning curve is too high, but there really doesn't seem to be one. It is hard, and stays hard, even after repeated plays.
Although it initially appears straightforward, there are different types of races. Actually, they aren't that varied in gameplay, but since most race games are simply trying to out-race your opponent, it does deserve some mention. Aside from the standard checkpoint races, there is also trophy racing which means you have to find the trophy and cross each checkpoint in order. Getting hit by a weapon means you drop the trophy and someone else can make a run for it. Halloween racing has you trying to collect the most candy around the course. There is also a chicken race where you have to collect multiple chickens scattered across the track. Valentine racing has you collecting a separate bow & arrow to use against your opponents. One of the more unusual games was Cow Days, where everyone including you has Mad Cow disease and has to collect as much antidote as possible. The first to cure themselves completely wins. This is not something I've seen before in a race game, and for that I should give it credit.
I've never been able to try multiplayer, and maybe human opponents would have been more fun. The computer racers all tend to race alike, seldom making mistakes and never making any random moves or patterns. I've become spoiled with the A.I. of some recent shooters. And I'm sure it's more satisfying to fart on your friend than a computer opponent.
I have to admit that the game did make me laugh at various times, but the enjoyment will stop after you've recognized all the stuff from the show. And of course, racing Satan vs. Jesus. What other race game offers you that?
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