Assetto Corsa Rally preview – finally, a rally game that delivers superb driving physics
Out of nowhere, Assetto Corsa Rally has become the go-to rally game for sim racers around the world, delivering what no rally game has since Richard Burns Rally: superb driving physics.
The rally sub-genre of racing games has been calling out for a new experience for a good few years now, with game series like DIRT, EA Sports WRC, and Richard Burns Rally (an over 20-year-old game that's being kept alive by modding) being the only genuinely viable choices. But even then, DIRT's last release was in 2021 with DIRT 2.0, and EA Sports WRC was released in November 2023. Both were pretty underwhelming, leaving sim racers' options somewhat limited. Enter, Assetto Corsa Rally.
On a random Friday in October, 505 Games and Supernova Games Studios, in technical partnership with KUNOS Simulazioni – the folks responsible for Assetto Corsa, Assetto Corsa Competizione, and, more recently, Assetto Corsa Evo – announced Assetto Corsa Rally would launch in early access in November. And although the normal caveats apply when it comes to early access titles, in that there are some technical glitches, limited maps and modes right now, the driving experience it delivers is genuinely unmatched, and it could become
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Driving on tarmac feels great, whether you're fighting the back end of the RWD cars or trying to battle understeer in the FWD cars; there's impressive feedback through the wheel. But the real magic lies in the gravel stages.
Driving physics when driving on gravel is something previous rally games just haven't been able to nail, but it's a genuinely incredible experience in Assetto Corsa Rally. Spoiler alert: Driving on gravel is very, very hard, and you need all the feedback you can get through the wheel to try and survive. It feels like you're only ever half a second from flying into a tree or a ditch.
And while it's the same story in Assetto Corsa Rally, the way it delivers the movement and the constant sliding of the car through the wheel, and the bumpy, rocky feeling of gravel through your fingertips, gives you a fighting chance of finishing the stage, and, more importantly, it's fun to drive. Really, really fun. It also handles co-driver pacenotes in an intuitive way, with symbols displayed at the top of the screen, as well as audio, indicating what's coming up as you complete your lap. It's not easy, though, and you'll need to revise pacenotes before you get started, if you want to hit the ground running, or if you're an absolute beginner.
Along with the physics, one of the major successes in this game is the audio, particularly the distinct sound of each car, which is a petrol head's dream. My personal favourite is the sound of the Lancia Stratos Gr.4 and its epic 2.4-litre Ferrari V6 engine. Phwoar.
There are only two locations available right now: the gravel stages of Wales and the tarmac stages of Alsace. Both locations have been 3D laser-scanned to ensure the highest level of realism. And it's the same story with the cars, as there are only 10 available to drive. However, it's a case of quality over quantity, and every car, from the iconic Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evo to the beautiful Fiat 124 Sport Abarth Rally, looks absolutely glorious.
And, although it's only a small thing, I also love that as you're driving through a stage, you'll often come across spectators on the road who have to jump out of the way as you thrash past them!
Future promisesIt has to be said, though, that there's not
much to do in the game right now. There are rally events with online leaderboards, free practice, time attack, rally weekend and single rally stage. However, this is a game in early access, after all, and comes with a price to match, with Assetto Corsa Rally priced at $29.99 / £24.99. Again, the usual caveats apply with early access, and by purchasing, you're essentially becoming a beta tester for the full release of the game.
505 Games has claimed they'll reach version 1.0 within 12-18 months, with the full release featuring over 120 km of laser-scanned stages, more than 30 rally cars, new gameplay modes, including Career Mode and Rally School, and Full VR support. But timings can change, and particularly given what's happened with Assetto Corsa Evo recently, don't be surprised if this gets pushed back.
Overall, though, Assetto Corsa Rally is an example of early access done right. The most important aspect of the game, the driving physics, are phenomenal, and although the content is a bit light, they've absolutely done the right thing by prioritising the driving experience first and foremost. If you're even moderately interested in rally, you simply have to give Assetto Corsa Rally a try.