Art of Rally is a love letter to the sport, blending visual flair and authentic gameplay

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Rally racing is a circus of events, blending danger, agility and entertainment into one thrilling event. Even the settings are usually gorgeous, with picturesque landscapes or terrifying, Blair Witch -style forests. But somehow, watching it all in action, it seems magical, as a driver commands a vehicle on the edge of disaster, from one corner to the next. This dance is authentically captured in Funselektor Labs ‘ latest game, Art of Rally , along with a surprising history lesson, not to mention addictive and challenging gameplay.

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It’s the second driving-oriented game by Canadian developer Dune Casu, and a successor to Absolute Drift , a game that showcased the challenge and style found in the sport of drifting. Art of Rally expands that concept to new heights, adding picturesque rallying locations.

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“In the final year of developing Absolute Drift , I became hooked on rally games,” said Casu. “I got super in DIRT Rally and before that the Colin McRae Rally series. I felt that rally racing is super challenging, and the courses are satisfying to complete.”

Gamers who completed Absolute Drift received a hint about “Discovering the Art of Rally” next. “I just took Absolute Drift and made a rally game out of it,” he said. “Instead of drift runs, it’s time trials.” Absolute Drift emphasized style, while Art of Rally wants you to go fast.

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Making a rugged motorsport look cool

Visually, the game doesn’t look as hyper-realistic as say, the latest Forza Horizon game, but the art design emphasizes smooth and clean graphics, looking like an old-school piece of art, rather than something dated or unfinished.

“It was one of the hardest things for me to get right,” Casu said of the visuals. “In comparison to Absolute Drift , which was just white boxes and super clean. I had to do a lot of experimenting to get the look of Art of Rally just right.” He describes it as in between pixel-art and realism.

Life on the Road

Through that artistic style, the environments truly pop, with over 60 courses in six distinct locations. Making such detailed locations requires inspiration, so it makes sense that Casu spent some of the five-year development time on the road, working out of a converted camper van.

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“I spent about half the year building it up, this Ford Transit cargo van,” said Casu. “It became an off-the-grid, solo workplace. I had solar panels and batteries to power my computer. In terms of working, it was actually pretty nice since you’re by yourself and you don’t have to worry about any other obligations. I could just totally relax.”

Time on the road helped Casu learn and understand how the visuals of the game would look. “A lot of the learning involved lighting and vegetation,” he said. “How a tree looks like, I’d take a closer look at one, take pictures, to get the essence just right in the game. Looking at something on the internet can work, but it’s far easier and less draining to just look at it in real life.”

Lessons From DirtFish Rally School

As enjoyable as the courses are to look at, the gameplay needs to be tight. To get the feeling of rallying just right, Casu spent some time at a pair of rallying schools, including the three-day DirtFish program in Snoqualmie, Washington. DirtFish is considered one of the most prestigious and thorough rallying schools, with some notable alumni including X-Games superstar, Global RallyCross driver, and NASCAR driver Travis Pastrana .

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“We were driving these all-wheel-drive Subaru WRX STIs ,” recalled Casu. “It was awesome, they put you in a gravel lot, with some cones and you go from zero to hero, like that.”

Like other attendees of the school, Casu learned the basics of car control on various surfaces. He then took those lessons and applied them to the game.

“It helped build a solid foundation for rallying,” said Casu. “It provided a lot more respect for the sport. It’s so challenging, and unlike circuit racing, every corner is different since the conditions are changing.”

It’s one thing to see a Scandinavian flick, and another to learn how to do one. Advanced rallying maneuvers like these are faithfully recreated in the game, partly thanks to Casu’s dedication in bringing his DirtFish education to the digital frontier.

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“Some things, like turning with just the brakes, kind of threw me off,” he said. “On super loose gravel, you have to initiate rotation with just the brakes.” It’s just one example of how Art of Rally incorporates challenging driving mechanics to make the game feel authentic.

Lovingly Recreated Cars

With a slick art style, and a driving feel that’s easy to pick up but difficult to master, the final thing that makes Art of Rally stand out are the cars. While none of the vehicles are officially licensed, enthusiasts can very clearly identify the real-world equivalent of these digital models.

You’ll likely recognize the car called “The Fujin” filling in for a 1997 Subaru Impreza . Or the vehicle called “The Liftback,” which resembles the ‘93 Toyota Celica GT4 . There is also the “Turbo Brick” (a Volvo 240 turbo look-alike), “La Wedge” (pretty much a Lancia Stratos ) and “Das Hammer” (which will remind you of the Audi urQuattro .)

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Altogether, the game has over 50 cars, spanning four decades of rallying. The community can even create and share liveries, making these vehicles appear like their real-life inspiration.

Cars from the ‘60s to the ‘90, as well as the Group B, S, and A classes of rallying, are all represented. Rally enthusiasts know all about Group B as the magical, over-the-top series of the ‘80s. It was quickly cancelled due to rising costs and safety concerns. Group S was supposed to be its successor but was also shut down.

“Many people see the games as a love letter to the golden age of rallying,” said Casu. “From Group B, which had fewer limitations in terms of design, into Group S which went even crazier. It’s a lesson that most people don’t know about.”

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Art of Rally explores these eras and classifications, giving gamers a walk-through of the history of the sport, as well as what could have been.

“I’m pretty proud of the whole thing, from the visuals to the music, to the handling, the whole package,” said Casu. “Ever since the game launched we haven’t stopped developing.”

The Next Stage

Art of Rally originally came out on PC in September 2020. This month the game is reaching a whole new audience of gamers and rally enthusiasts. From August 12, players on Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox Game Pass , and Nintendo Switch will be able to experience the addicting gameplay, beautiful art style and quirky car lore for themselves.

“While it isn’t for everyone, there is a subset of racing fans out there,” Casu said. “We’re really hoping those players are curious about the game, and the history of the sport.”