Old School Rally
- July 18, 2024
- Frozen Lake Games
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Old School Rally" is a retro-style racing game with fast-paced, arcade-style gameplay. Race across diverse rally tracks from around the world in a variety of classic-inspired rally cars. Compete against other drivers on the leaderboards and earn achievements, while providing feedback to help the game evolve over time.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game captures the nostalgic feel of classic 90s rally games, especially with its PS1-style graphics and sound design.
- Driving mechanics are fun and arcade-like, making it easy to pick up and play while still offering a challenge.
- The car selection is diverse, with each vehicle feeling distinct in handling and performance.
- The handling can feel inconsistent, with issues like overly strong brakes and a lack of weight transfer during turns.
- Pace notes from the co-driver are often too late or inaccurate, leading to frustrating moments during races.
- The game currently lacks content, with limited tracks and no AI opponents, making it feel repetitive after a short playtime.
- graphics157 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their nostalgic PS1 aesthetic, effectively capturing the charm of late 90s racing games with low-poly models, dithered textures, and CRT effects that enhance the retro feel. While some players appreciate the authentic visuals and the overall art style, a few have noted issues such as graphical bugs and a lack of detail in certain environments. Overall, the graphics successfully evoke a sense of nostalgia while providing a fun and engaging racing experience.
“Fantastic car models that emulate the classics, visually distinct low-res environments, a photo mode to make some aesthetic slideshows with.”
“The graphics are gorgeous and capture that retro PS1 charm, with inbuilt texture warping and dithering (that can be toggled on or off at your leisure).”
“The retro visuals in the environments and vehicles look amazing and incredibly accurate to 90s PS1 racers, even down to the textures warping around!”
“The graphics suck!!!!!!!!”
“The only thing I do have to complain about is the graphics; they are very simple and lack shadows from where the source of light should be blocked.”
“Sorry for thumbs down, but in this state, especially the pixelated graphics on the road, I don't really enjoy it.”
- music85 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its nostalgic and energetic soundtrack, reminiscent of classic arcade and rally racing games. Many players appreciate the variety and quality of the tracks, which enhance the driving experience, although some have noted a desire for more music options and greater variety. Overall, the soundtrack effectively complements the game's visuals and gameplay, creating an engaging atmosphere for players.
“The soundtrack is mostly excellent, and the tracks are a blast to race on.”
“An amazing callback to rally racing classics, with awesome iconic vehicles and a great thumping soundtrack to match the intense thrill of whipping around corners full sideways at full speed!”
“The soundtrack is excellent and provides that pumping 90s electro vibe you'd expect.”
“The music and track scenery is quite basic when compared to a classic like Need for Speed III (1998).”
“I expected similar music, as in the video trailer, more acid electronics with a 90s atmosphere, but most tracks are not like that (poor music).”
“The driving is very good, the in-game music is terrible though (had to mute it) and the first person view is disappointing but I really enjoy the drifting and the scenery and handling of the different cars.”
- gameplay66 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed feedback, with many praising its nostalgic appeal and straightforward mechanics reminiscent of classic rally games, while others criticize the driving physics and collision issues that detract from the experience. Players appreciate the simple yet engaging gameplay loop of racing and improving cars, but express a desire for refinement in driving mechanics and better handling of damage and collisions. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable moments and a solid foundation, it requires further development to enhance the core gameplay experience.
“The gameplay is a very simple loop of getting the best time on a stage to advance to the next stage; once all the stages of said rally have been completed, you win and advance to the next rally until you beat them all.”
“The smooth gameplay complements the graphics, creating a racing experience that’s both satisfying and engaging.”
“This game is a good example of when gameplay is prioritized and creates replay value.”
“Devs seem to be following a content roadmap and are seemingly ignoring any feedback regarding the entirely too grippy and light on power-sliding gameplay.”
“The setting is nice, but the physics and collision are a buggy mess. Cars don't slide like they should, yet you can't grip the corners either, making the gameplay quirky to say the least. The worst part is that walls are like glue; China is the absolute worst map because the walls trap you so hard. I understand it's to keep people from wall riding, but even a slight tap and you have to reset; there's no coming back from it.”
“Damage is a pointless addition because in time trial it only seems to serve as a distraction, and in rally mode it's frustrating when you pick up damage from invisible walls (and the repair mechanic isn't explained).”
- optimization12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with users reporting solid performance and minimal bugs, aside from occasional FPS stuttering that can be mitigated through settings adjustments. Players appreciate the controls and battery efficiency, especially on portable devices like the Steam Deck, though some desire further performance enhancements and variety in gameplay environments.
“The controls feel great, the performance is good, and battery life is excellent.”
“I've been playing on my Steam Deck and it's been great; battery usage is low and performance is steady, which is good.”
“Car performance is measured by an arbitrary 1-10 scale for acceleration, top speed, handling, and braking.”
“The game is mostly bug-free; I only encountered one map graphic bug and some FPS stuttering.”
“Vehicles as a whole are really nice to look at, but they all have pretty similar performance that you can’t tell apart until you start comparing them side by side.”
“FPS stuttering: the FPS limit helps with negating as much of the problem as it can, but I want to be able to play this on a 1080 card for a laptop while on the go.”
- grinding9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive and tedious, particularly when it comes to earning money and unlocking cars. Many express frustration with repetitive tasks and the need to grind through completed competitions for rewards, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game. Suggestions for improvement include diversifying the ways to earn currency and reducing the reliance on repetitive grinding.
“Using grinding to keep players playing after they have 100% the campaign isn't preferable.”
“Rest of the content is grinding the finished competitions for gold to buy missing cars and driving to get 1000km done.”
“I've only one achievement left and that is to get all the cars, which gets a bit grindy. I wish the time trials would give you some coins; that way, at least I'd have a reason to unlock them instead of just grinding the same circuit over and over to get coins to buy the other cars.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming retro vibe and nostalgic elements, enhanced by atmospheric menu music that sets the tone for the experience. While the level design features daring tracks and solid layouts, some players noted a disconnect between their expectations for the music and the actual in-game soundtrack. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a significant strength, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience despite minor gameplay inconsistencies.
“I absolutely love the vibes this game gives, fantastic atmosphere, perfectly simple controls, and some daring tracks in the level design.”
“Still, I think the devs have done an amazing job creating a charmingly retro atmosphere, which is the biggest selling point for me.”
“Complementing the in-game action is the atmospheric menu music, which sets the perfect tone for this nostalgic journey.”
“I expected similar music, as in the video trailer, more acid electronics with a 90s atmosphere, but most tracks are not like that; the music is disappointing.”
- humor6 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as hit-or-miss, with some players finding enjoyment in the quirky visuals and funny moments during split-screen play with friends. However, frustrations with the physics and driving mechanics can overshadow the comedic elements, although some players appreciate the absurdity of certain situations, like ill-timed pacenotes and the amusing characteristics of unlockable cars. Overall, while there are moments of humor, they are often intertwined with gameplay challenges that can detract from the fun.
“Good visuals, good gameplay, good music, funny in split screen with a friend.”
“I just wanted to bring it up: cars don't idle at 200 RPM. I don't know if it's just the car I was using, but I found that funny as hell.”
“The extra cars are quite funky; it's very funny what you can unlock.”
“I personally find it really unfunny when the physics and driving model are actively fighting against you when racing. It's a really cool game, but sadly the handling of the cars and the fact they drift too much over the slightest movements makes it really hard to enjoy.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its nostalgic tribute to classic racing games, evoking a sense of connection to the past. However, players express frustration with gameplay mechanics that feel unbalanced, detracting from the immersive experience. Despite these issues, moments of exhilaration, akin to the thrill of legendary rally drivers, still resonate with some players.
“Old school rally isn't just a game; it's a heartfelt tribute to a bygone era of racing games.”
“Made me feel like Ari Vatanen - surgically cutting through stages.”
- stability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marred by significant physics and collision issues, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences, particularly on certain maps like China where walls can trap players. While it runs smoothly on platforms like Linux and Steam Deck, users report occasional control responsiveness problems and texture glitches that detract from the overall experience.
“The game runs great on Steam Deck and plays super smooth.”
“Runs great on Linux too!”
“Runs great on my deck, unlike a certain other rally game.”
“The setting is nice, but the physics and collision are a buggy mess. Cars don't slide like they should, yet you can't grip the corners either, making the gameplay quirky to say the least. The worst part is that walls are like glue; China is the absolute worst map because the walls trap you so hard. I understand it's to keep people from wall riding, but even a slight tap and you have to reset. There's no coming back from it.”
“The worst part of the game is that controls are buggy sometimes, making the car stop responding to keyboard controls.”
“If I had to be nitpicky, there are some unintentional glitches with the texture work, and you have to get used to the brakes that are very strong.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight that the game's focus on simple yet engaging gameplay significantly enhances its replayability. The inclusion of features like Dirt 4-style track generation further contributes to an infinite variety of experiences, making it a title that players can return to repeatedly. Overall, the game is considered highly replayable.
“Dirt 4-style track generation offers infinite replayability.”
“Sometimes simplicity equals replayability.”
“This game is a good example of when gameplay is prioritized and creates replay value.”
“Definitely replayable.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for its intrusive advertising, which disrupts immersion, particularly at key gameplay moments. However, players appreciate the absence of microtransactions and filler content, suggesting a focus on delivering a more genuine gaming experience.
“No microtransactions or filler content.”
“The game offers a fair monetization model that respects players' time and investment.”
“I appreciate that the developers focus on providing value without pushing for additional purchases.”
“Brushing an advertising tarp is like hitting a wall of titanium, which you're forced to do at the end of the second Finland stage - it's like there's no value given to a sense of immersion.”
