Over the past week, I’ve spent some time playing #DRIVE Rally, a new arcade rally racing game from indie developer, Pixel Perfect Dude. While I initially planned to review it, the game only launched in Steam Early Access on September 25, 2024, so a preview feels more appropriate at this stage.
The good news is that, from a fundamental standpoint, #DRIVE Rally is already shaping up to be a solid game that stands out within the rally racing genre.
A large part of #DRIVE Rally‘s appeal comes from its unique visual style. Unlike most modern racing games that strive for photorealism, #DRIVE Rally takes a more artistic approach. The visual design reminds me of Art of Rally (2020), which featured a top-down, isometric style for its rally gameplay.
#DRIVE Rally builds on this art style but blends it with a camera perspective similar to EA SPORTS WRC. By combining these visual elements from other rally games, #DRIVE Rally creates a presentation that feels fresh and distinct.
As for gameplay, it feels like a more accessible, forgiving version of the classic Colin McRae Rally games from the late ’90s and early 2000s. This approach fits well with the game’s description, which suggests that #DRIVE Rally was designed to offer a more approachable rally experience. One standout feature I enjoyed was the navigator for one of the fictional teams, who sounds suspiciously like Arnold Schwarzenegger, adding a fun and quirky touch.
The blend of light simulation with a playful, less serious tone is what makes #DRIVE Rally enjoyable. However, at this stage of Early Access, the amount of content feels a bit limited. While there are a few different teams and cars to choose from, the issue is that they all feel relatively similar when racing. Even though the locations vary significantly, they don’t impact the handling of the cars as much as they should.
Because of this, #DRIVE Rally is currently difficult to fully recommend, though it is still fun to play. I’ll be keeping a close watch on its development as it moves toward a 1.0 release, and if time permits, I’ll provide a full review once the final version is available.
You can play #Drive Rally early access right now on Steam.
