Metascore
77 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 42 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 42
  2. Negative: 1 out of 42
  1. The best arcade rally game you can buy - what did you expect? [Nov 2007, p.80]
  2. Sega Rally is easily the freshest arcade driving experiences to have emerged in years, providing more wide-eyed excitement in five minutes than most games manage in five hours. Not since "Burnout 2" has a driving game stood out as so completely different to everything else, and provided so much instant, moreish entertainment to such a high technical standard.
  3. They have kept everything that makes Sega Rally great and somehow managed to improve it in nearly every respect.
  4. A near flawless combination of old-school Sega magic and exciting new track deformation technology, Sega Rally effortlessly delivers a fast and accessible, yet deep and competitive arcade racing game that should appeal to both diehard Sega fans and newcomers alike.
  5. It's this kind of smooth, easy perfection that floods the game. [Nov 2007, p.92]
  6. The best game to carry the name since '95, but more than that - it's the best straight racing game you'll find on this console and indeed one of the best pure racers you'll have played in years...Every second is a second you'll spend on the edge of your seat. Thrilling. [Nov 2007, p.74]
  7. The old king of rally is back. Who needs realism when the cars are this fun to drive and the world is so wonderfully vivid? What the game could have used is more variety in its tracks – and more tracks. [Oct 2007]
  8. Sega Rally Revo, like its predecessors, is all about the thrill of flying around a track. [Nov 2007, p.73]
  9. 85
    This version of Sega Rally isn't as good as the game that stole my heart and money all those years ago, however it's more than a worthy homage.
  10. Even though most of the modes are all very similar, you'll have a blast rally racing every time you pick this one up!
  11. Sega Rally is the most ambitious racing game in some time and a brilliant return to form for the series. Overlook it at your own risk. [Nov 2007, p.110]
  12. Online races with six players were smooth and relatively lag-free, and the downloadable time trial ghost cars come in very handy when trying to better your previous lap records. It's the kind of feature set that hardcore SEGA Rally fans will appreciate, but casuals might be left wondering why more isn't on offer.
  13. Simple on the surface, yet with almost endless replay value, and most definitely worthy of the great name it has inherited. [Issue#25, p.80]
  14. Sega nailed the series' arcade feel. The game controls just like the original, right down to the muddy power slides and pure sensation of speed.
  15. 80
    By any measure, it has solid racing mechanics. But then, variety is the spice of life and this title could use a bit more.
  16. SEGA Rally Revo is a great rally experience if you like the more arcade side of things as opposed to the simulation aspect of gaming. The handling might seem a little off to players used to more rigid surfaces and the weird uncontrollable out of car view seems mightily strange to include in an game of this type.
  17. In the end I do feel that there's enough room for an arcade racing game, but it's important to realize that this type of game is not for everybody. Then again, this type of game will surely scratch a certain kind of itch that neither Forza nor Project Gotham Racing has been able to get to.
  18. It's a solid arcade racer that is fun to play. It feels shallow compared to other recent racers, but it's still appealing.
  19. 80
    It has enough to keep any committed racing fan coming back for a good couple of months.
  20. 80
    While it may come off as unimaginative and highly repetitive to some, there is an ample amount of entertainment awaiting fans of the Sega Rally series, and those fans of arcade racers in general.
  21. 79
    Sega Rally Revolution is the kind of game anyone you know could pick up and start enjoying immediately. It's not the deepest game you'll ever play, but it is fun and an excellent way to kill some time on the weekend.
  22. Sega Rally Revo's gameplay is both basic and difficult, and thus aligns correctly with its Sega Rally Championship roots, but these traits don't transfer as well onto a complex console of the new millennium.
  23. Unfortunately the game does itself damage by having very little depth and running out of new tracks long before you have even considered being satisfied.
  24. The technology behind Sega Rally Revo is undeniably impressive and the driving is a good bit of arcade fun, but the game's staying power is highly questionable.
  25. SEGA Rally Revo is a fun arcade racer, but those expecting something with the depth of DiRT will be disappointed.
  26. It's certainly no "Dirt"--Codemaster's off-road racer is still in a league of its own--but Sega Rally Revo's uniquely interactive terrain and unrefined bounce-me-off-the-walls driving dynamic help compensate for its thin venue count and constrained physics. [Dec 2007, p.73]
  27. 75
    The big problem is durability. With a fun but shallow physics model, a dearth of tracks, no vehicular upgradeability/downgradeability, and so few options, Revo simply isn't set up for a long run. But it's a hell of a good arcade ride in the meantime.
  28. SEGA Rally Revo might not have every angle fully developed, but with the GeoDeformation and bright graphics all the flaws simply fade into the background as you rip up a few laps in your favourite Rally car. If you're a fan of racing games SEGA Rally Revo is worth a look as SEGA returns to its arcade racing roots.
  29. Sega Rally Revo is a great addition to a fun arcade racing series, and is a fantastic entry point for new fans. However, if you prefer your console racing experience to a bit more sim based, this isn't the title for you.
  30. No, Revo's not bursting with originality or play options, but it's a solid racer that feels completely different from the competition. [Dec 2007, p.104]
  31. Sega Rally Revo is a racing game developed for the gamer who does not want to be bothered by the nuts and bolts of a typical driving game, or realism. The game succeeds in being a good time for casual gaming fans who will not mind how shallow and simple it really is.
  32. Sega Rally Revo has its market and it knows it. You probably won't change your mind about arcade or rally racing games because of this game, but if this is your genre already, or you've just liked the past Sega Rally titles, feel free to jump straight in behind the wheel.
  33. Perhaps, in this fastest of genres, it's simply six months too late...in a race with "Forza Motorsport 2," "PGR4," "Dirt" and even the likes of "MotoGP '07," there's the unmistakeable feel that Sega Rally's been superseded before it leaves the grid. [Nov 2007, p.89]
  34. It may take a while to get used to and not have the longevity that other racing games offer, but its frenetic arcade gameplay is a blast to play and makes a change from the simulations on the market.
  35. If you played racing games in the arcade during the early to mid '90s, chances are that you've played Sega Rally Revo. Sure, the package is prettier now, and Sega has tried to update the franchise with the addition of deformable terrain, but compared to some of the newer racing titles available, everything else just feels like old hat.
  36. Overall, "Sega Rally Revo" does offer the cool addition of GeoDeformation and moderately enjoyable multiplayer options. However, the game suffers from dismaying AI (which takes away from the fun of the single player), little depth and what I consider to be overly floaty control.
  37. I had high hopes for Rally Revo. By all technical standards the game is a success, but it just wasn't fun to play after getting beat up and down by the flawless AI and sadistic championship design.
  38. GeoDeformed ruts are cool, but when each like-classed car handles the same and there's no threat of driving off the road, the only "rut" that matters is the one you feel you're in when going from one race to the next.
  39. While some may argue that Sega Rally fits their bill for arcade racing, I don't think there's any forgiving this game for how shallow it is. Apart from unlocking tracks, cars, and paint schemes, it simply offers very little else.
  40. 60
    Revo is moderately fun at best. The sense of speed is decent. The sense of control, power, and precision per car is hard to distinguish for the majority of vehicles, and there is nothing wacky, silly, or distinct about the game that provides that creative hook that other racing games such as Daytona USA, Colin McRae Racing, or Gran Turismo provide. In short, Sega Rally Revo is disappointing.
  41. Without all of the environmental additions, Sega Rally Revo is an average racer at best.
User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 24 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 10
  2. Negative: 3 out of 10
  1. This game is fun and well worth $7.20. The handling on the cars could be much better though. This game is an ok racing game and you might want it if you like racing. So i give it a 8. Full Review »
  2. This racing game is worth playing, especially if you've also played some of the older SEGA Rally games on the old Dreamcast. One positive thing is that there are more tracks to play. In comparison to Sega Rally 2 (which only have a mere 17), the Revo version has 23! And all of them are brand new with some of them reversed. They may not be the longest rallies (nor too short like Riviera) but they all present a different challenge. Some of them are gravel; some of them are mixed with tarmac and gravel; So where are the all-road Rallies? Also, there are more cars to play, with some of the less common ones locked. Sadly, the only point I miss out on the game is the weather. While I have been rallying in the snow there's no rainfall, and it would have represented an even bigger challenge if that happened. Other than that, it's a game you wouldn't want to miss. Full Review »
  3. MattBlake
    9
    A highly underrated game, this is an arcade purist's dream and a successful rebirth of a classic franchise. Its most common reason for low scoring reviews is its lack of features, but as a hardcore arcade game, that is entirely NORMAL. Trust me, if you want to win every challenge in this game you'll get more than your money's worth :) A game like this depends more on difficulty and track design to ensure longevity, and it will have you pulling your hair out if you lack patience. It's all about memorizing every curve, just as it's always been. I doubt that anybody who has given this game a low score has a love for Sega Rally or a respect for its pedigree... In truth, this is the best Sega Rally yet. Full Review »