Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Rally Championship: The X-Miles injects fresh life into the classic Europress Rally Championship formula by delivering ten intricately designed new tracks. From the moment you install the add-on and slide in your original Rally Championship CD, you can immediately tackle each locale, whether you’re charging through dusty desert expanses or weaving around jagged mountain passes. These tracks are more than mere reskins; they introduce unique surface variations, elevation changes, and environmental hazards that demand adaptive driving strategies.

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The new arcade mode elevates the excitement by offering a more accessible, high-octane alternative to the traditional career structure. Instead of meticulously tuning your vehicle for time trials or rally stages, you’re dropped straight into head-to-head racing scenarios on the X-Miles tracks, with power-ups and time bonuses scattered along the route. This mode is perfect for those quick competitive sessions with friends or for players who want instant thrills without the usual setup.

One of the standout gameplay improvements is how the add-on integrates with your existing garage. All vehicle presets, tuning upgrades, and unlockable liveries carry over seamlessly, allowing you to test out finely tuned setups on brand-new terrain. Veteran players will appreciate the way suspension tweaks and differential settings play out on these fresh courses, revealing new nuances in handling and traction. The learning curve is steep enough to keep seasoned drivers engaged, yet not so punishing that newcomers are left behind.

Additionally, Rally Championship: The X-Miles offers dynamic weather events that can change mid-stage, turning a sunlit trial into a rain-soaked challenge in seconds. This unpredictability forces you to adapt your driving line, brake points, and throttle control on the fly. The result is a gameplay loop that feels perpetually fresh—every run through a new track can present different braking zones and grip levels, creating memorable moments whether you’re chasing a personal best or battling an AI rival.

Graphics

Visually, The X-Miles add-on holds up impressively well against modern racing standards, especially considering its roots in the early 2000s Rally Championship engine. Textures on the new tracks are crisp and varied, with rock faces, gravel beds, and foliage rendered in fine detail. When your wheels kick up dust or spray mud across your windscreen, the particle effects feel weighty and realistic, enhancing the immersion.

Lighting has also received a subtle yet effective polish. Dawn and dusk stages on the X-Miles tracks feature dynamic shadows that stretch and contract as the sun moves, while midday heats bring out stark contrasts between lit and shaded areas. Reflections on wet tarmac and subtle lens flare in bright conditions contribute to a more cinematic rally experience. If you’ve invested in high-resolution textures or texture filtering post-launch, the tracks look stunning and retain a smooth frame rate.

Another graphical highlight is the diverse environmental art style. Each track feels distinct: one may wind through dense Scandinavian forests with towering pine trees, while another crosses arid volcanic plains dotted with lichen-covered rock outcrops. The attention to small details—like the flutter of spectator flags or the glint of sunlight on a damp windshield—grounds you firmly in each rally stage and helps stave off visual monotony.

While the car models themselves remain faithful to the original engine’s polygon count, liveries shine with vibrancy and clarity on the new circuits. Mud splatters and paint chips accumulate realistically over successive runs, giving your vehicle a lived-in, battle-hardened appearance. Combined with the environmental fidelity, these graphical touches make The X-Miles a compelling visual package that stands up remarkably well even years after its initial release.

Story

Although Rally Championship: The X-Miles doesn’t introduce a narrative campaign in the traditional sense, it builds upon the overarching rally career storyline by offering fresh chapters of competition. Each new track acts as a stage in your ongoing championship pursuit, complete with regional rivalries and escalating difficulty. The sense of progression remains strong as you travel from one exotic location to another, chasing podiums and unlocking new car liveries that commemorate your victories.

The add-on subtly weaves environmental background stories into the track design, hinting at local legends and geological features. For instance, one desert track is framed by the ruins of an abandoned mining settlement, evoking tales of fortune seekers turned ghosts of the wasteland. Another mountain course has switchbacks carved into cliffs, suggesting centuries of precarious alpine trade routes now repurposed for high-speed rallying. These narrative touches deepen the world-building without forcing cutscenes or text-heavy dialogue between stages.

Character interaction remains minimal by design, focusing the spotlight on your solo journey as a rally driver. However, brief radio chatter from your pit crew injects personality and context—warnings about changing weather, nods to rival drivers, and celebratory quips when you nail a perfect stage. This light storytelling approach keeps you grounded in the sport while letting the new tracks speak for themselves through environmental storytelling and dynamic audio cues.

Ultimately, the story of The X-Miles is one of exploration and mastery: exploring uncharted rally territory and mastering the evasive challenges those tracks present. It’s a narrative you actively create through your performance, stage by stage, lap by lap. In that sense, the add-on honors the spirit of rally racing more than any scripted drama ever could.

Overall Experience

Rally Championship: The X-Miles is a polished expansion that feels like a natural—and much-needed—extension of the original game. By delivering ten meticulously crafted tracks and a thrilling new arcade mode, it expands the content library significantly, ensuring that both casual players and rally enthusiasts have plenty to explore. The installation process is smooth, and the add-on integrates cleanly with your existing setup, meaning you can dive right back into competition without fuss.

Replayability is one of The X-Miles’ strongest suits. Between time trial challenges, multiplayer showdowns, and the addictive pressure of leaderboard climbing, there’s always a reason to return to these tracks. The dynamic weather system and diverse layouts keep each run unpredictable, and the arcade mode offers a refreshing change of pace for those seeking more immediate action. Whether you prefer methodical stage rallies or all-out arcade battles, this add-on caters to both playstyles admirably.

With its graphical enhancements, environmental variety, and finely tuned handling tweaks, The X-Miles elevates the overall Rally Championship experience. It honors the legacy of the original title while pushing the boundaries of what an add-on can achieve. For anyone who still spins up Europress’ classic rally sim, this expansion is an essential download that feels like a full-fledged sequel rather than a mere track pack.

In conclusion, Rally Championship: The X-Miles is a testament to thoughtful expansion design. It strikes a perfect balance between fresh content and familiar mechanics, ensuring that your rally career continues to feel vibrant and challenging. If you’re looking to extend the life of your favorite off-road racer with minimal hassle and maximum thrills, this add-on is a must-have for your collection.

Retro Replay Score

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