1997 witnessed the first sighting of the V-Rally series. After its success on PlayStation, V-Rally and its immediate sequel appeared on all the popular platforms. Fans of the series will be delighted with the news that V-Rally hasn’t gone away: in truth, it’s back with a bang. V-Rally 3 for PlayStation 2 brings all the gravel-popping, mud-spattered action of rallying to the PS2 with a huge number of tracks, lovingly detailed cars and a game engine dubbed ‘Twilight’ that shows off the stunning detail. With between 15,000 and 16,000 polygons per car, including multiple layers allowing reflections and dirt to be accurately displayed, and over half a million polygons per track, V-Rally uses the power of technology to create an exhilarating race feel that’s both smooth and thrilling. This makes for a variety of racing experiences with enhanced interactive features. There are many elements of the track that are destructible, breaking apart when speeding/skidding cars slam into them. Once again, the detail is key to this game, with high-resolution cockpits and all the progressive damage you’d expect driving at high speed through a range of hostile landscapes. To be able to play V-Rally 3, you first have to create a driver. This is the guy through which you shall live your rallying life. After creating your driver, you’ll be faced with a number of options. In Quick Race, you’ll find Time Attack and Challenge modes. Time Attack is an ideal training solution for improving your track times, whilst Challenge is a series of competitions in which you have a certain amount of time to race around a course. Both Time Attack and Challenge modes accommodate up to four players. VR3 really comes alive when you enter V-Rally mode. Your driver will receive a number of offers to drive for teams such as MG and Volkswagen, but you will have to convince them that you’re their best driver option. You’ll have to prove it to your prospective employer by taking their car out for a drive around a certain track, finishing within a specified time limit, and doing as little damage to their car as possible. You have an unlimited number of chances to impress the team bosses, and believe us when we say you’ll need them. Success in V-Rally 3 does not come easy, but when it does come, it’s all there in detail on screen. Between rally stages, you can keep tabs on how you’re performing as an individual, and how well (or badly) your team is progressing as a whole. In the end, it’s down to you how well you take to VR3. If you’re in for the long haul, you’ll get so much more out of it. The PS2 version has definitely been worth the wait as far as we’re concerned. For starters, it handles differently to the likes of GTC Africa, Paris Dakar Rally and WRC (that’ll be its Twilight game engine doing its thing). Another subtle difference is what can only be paraphrased as the career mode that you undertake. It’s happening with Toca Race Driver and Colin McRae 3, but Infogrames have gotten there first with V-Rally 3: A role-playing racing game, who’d have thought?