Michelin Rally Masters: Race of Champions

Michelin Rally Masters: Race of Champions is the official video game adaptation of the real Race of Champions motorsport event, allowing players to take control of 22 authentic ROC cars across various challenging tracks. The game offers both head-to-head SuperSpecial challenge modes and traditional rally stages where players speed and slide through diverse terrains including mud, gravel, and snow. With five difficulty levels, multiple game modes (including RoC, Challenge Cup, Challenge Trophy, time attack, single race, and single stage), and support for online multiplayer with 2-8 players, the game provides a comprehensive rally racing experience that captures the excitement of the real-world event.

Michelin Rally Masters: Race of Champions: Review

Introduction

In the crowded landscape of early 2000s rally racing games, Michelin Rally Masters: Race of Champions emerged as a distinctive, if imperfect, contender. Developed by the then-emerging Swedish studio Digital Illusions CE (DICE)—later famed for Battlefield—and published by Infogrames, this title stood apart by licensing the real-world “Race of Champions” event, pitting drivers head-to-head in identical cars on superspecial stages. While it arrived alongside genre titans like Sega Rally 2 and Colin McRae Rally 2, its blend of accessibility, technical ambition, and authentic rallying spirit carved a unique niche. This review argues that despite its flaws, Michelin Rally Masters remains a compelling artifact of rally gaming history, celebrated for its satisfying physics and innovative multiplayer, yet hampered by unbalanced AI and an identity crisis between simulation and arcade.

Development History & Context

Michelin Rally Masters was born from a tumultuous development cycle. Announced in January 1999 as Rally Masters with Gremlin Interactive as publisher, the game faced upheaval when Infogrames acquired Gremlin later that year. This shift delayed the title and temporarily rebranded it Test Drive Rally for North America—a nod to Infogrames’ ownership of the Test Drive IP. Plans for Nintendo 64 and Dreamcast versions were scrapped in 2000, as Infogrames pivoted to prioritize PC and PlayStation releases. The final name, secured after a licensing deal with Michelin, underscored the game’s real-world authenticity.

Developed by a 88-person team at DICE (then Digital Illusions CE AB), the project showcased the studio’s growing technical prowess. Lead programmer Daniel Hansen and car physics specialist Mattias Gruvman delivered a sophisticated driving model, while designer Fredrik Liljegren (later of Motorhead fame) emphasized accessibility. Technologically, the game pushed the limits of 2000-era hardware: the PC version required a Pentium II 233MHz with 32MB RAM, and its engine supported dynamic weather, deformable terrain, and 8-player online multiplayer—a rarity at the time. The PlayStation release, however, suffered from compromises like lower resolution and reduced track detail.

This context placed Michelin Rally Masters in a fiercely competitive market. 2000 saw the release of genre benchmarks like Colin McRae Rally 2, which set new standards for realism. DICE countered by focusing on the unique format of the Race of Champions—emphasizing driver skill over vehicle tuning—and a broader, more accessible experience. The result was a game that, while not a commercial juggernaut, earned critical acclaim for its ambition and became a cult favorite.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Michelin Rally Masters eschews traditional storytelling, instead structuring its “narrative” around the cyclical, competitive ethos of rally racing. There is no overarching plot or character development; instead, the game immerses players in the lore of the Race of Champions, an annual end-of-season event where top drivers from Formula 1 and World Rally Championship compete in identical cars on mirrored stages. This focus on authenticity is evident in the game’s presentation: real-world drivers (e.g., Colin McRae, Tommi Mäkinen) appear with biographies, and the Canary Islands superspecial stage—a signature Race of Champions venue—is meticulously recreated.

Thematically, the game champions purity of competition. By stripping away car customization (beyond cosmetic choices) and forcing players to use randomly assigned vehicles in head-to-head duels, it underscores the Race of Champions’ mantra: “Driver skill over machine.” This ethos extends to the single-player modes, where players progress through a “Championship” ladder, culminating in the Canary Islands event. The game’s minimalistic dialogue—limited to menu prompts and victory fanfares—reinforces its dedication to driving, with no extraneous story to distract from the asphalt.

However, this focus on authenticity creates thematic dissonance. The arcade-like damage model (cars show scratches but suffer minimal performance penalties) and exaggerated lap times (reportedly 40% faster than real-world records) clash with the game’s simulation aspirations. This tension between realism and entertainment reflects a broader industry trend in 2000, where developers struggled to balance accessibility with hardcore authenticity.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

At its core, Michelin Rally Masters revolves around three gameplay pillars: diverse car handling, varied event structures, and robust multiplayer. The physics engine, developed by Mattias Gruvman, distinguishes itself through nuanced vehicle dynamics. Each of the 22 licensed rally cars—from the Lancia Stratos to the Subaru Impreza—exhibits distinct weight transfer, grip, and power characteristics. Four-wheel-drive machines like the Mitsubishi Lancer exhibit stability on gravel, while rear-wheel-drive classics like the Peugeot 205 demand precision countersteering. The handbrake turn, a staple of rallying, feels satisfyingly weighty, and the ability to recover from rolls (albeit with jarring camera shifts) adds a layer of consequence.

The game’s modes cater to different playstyles:
– Race of Champions (RoC): Mirror-image superspecial stages where two players race side-by-side, emphasizing pure driving skill.
– Challenge Cup/Trophy: Point-to-point rallies through territories like Indonesia’s muddy tracks or Sweden’s snow-covered forests.
– Time Attack/Circuit Races: Arcade-style events with up to four cars on tarmac circuits.

Progression relies on winning events to unlock cars and tracks, with five difficulty levels. Yet the AI exposes the game’s biggest flaw. On most tracks, opponents are docile, barely challenging even on “Hard” settings. Only the Canary Islands and USA stages trigger a sudden spike in difficulty, where AI drivers become unnervingly precise. This inconsistency, coupled with unrealistic lap times (e.g., sub-2-minute laps on stages that took real drivers over 3 minutes), undermines immersion.

UI and control issues further mar the experience. The PC version’s lack of mouse support for menus (a case of “console-itis”) feels archaic, and the PlayStation port’s analog steering is criticized for being imprecise. Multiplayer, however, shines. LAN and online support (via dedicated servers) for up to 8 players on PC was cutting-edge, allowing seamless races and custom server setups. This focus on community play foreshadowed DICE’s later success with multiplayer-centric titles.

World-Building, Art & Sound

The game’s world-building is a triumph of environmental diversity. Six distinct territories—Italy (asphalt/mountain passes), Sweden (ice/snow), Indonesia (mud/rain), USA (sand/dunes), UK (gravel/forests), and the Canary Islands (volcanic roads)—offer varied terrain and weather. Each region feels cohesive: Sweden’s icy roads require cautious drifting, while Indonesia’s monsoon-slicked paths demand tire discipline. The Canary Islands stage, in particular, captures the event’s electric atmosphere with packed grandstands and tight, hairpin turns.

Artistically, Michelin Rally Masters impressed for its time. The PC version features detailed car models (rendered by Markus Nyström and Joakim Wejdemar) with reflective paint and damage textures, while track environments include dynamic particle effects for mud and snow. However, the PlayStation version suffers from muddy textures and pop-in, and spectators are rendered as flat sprites. The contrast between the PC’s crisp visuals and the PlayStation’s compromises highlights the era’s multi-platform challenges.

Sound design complements the visuals. Olof Gustafsson’s score blends orchestral intensity with electronic beats, heightening races without overwhelming engine roars. Car audio is meticulously crafted: the Subaru’s turbo whine, the Lancia’s flat-six burble, and the Skoda’s diesel clatter provide audio feedback distinct enough to identify vehicles by sound alone. Peter Falk’s guitar work adds a gritty, rock-and-roll edge to menus, reinforcing the game’s energetic spirit. Yet, sparse ambient sounds (e.g., crowd noise) and repetitive trackside commentary limit immersion.

Reception & Legacy

Michelin Rally Masters received a warm, if divided, reception. The PC version averaged 74% on review aggregators, with praise for its physics and variety. IGN lauded it as “Racing Game of 2000” (90%), calling it “superb graphics and tense gameplay,” while PC Gamer (US) awarded 78%, noting its “gelungene Fahrphysik” (flawless driving physics). European outlets like Jeuxvideo.com (90%) and GameStar (83%) echoed these sentiments, commending its accessibility and multiplayer.

The PlayStation fared worse, with a 64% average. Critics like IGN (52%) blasted its “weak graphics” and “ridiculous braking system,” arguing it paled beside Colin McRae 2. Players echoed this dichotomy: PC users praised its longevity, while PlayStation owners cited frame rate drops and AI quirks. Commercially, the game achieved modest success, with Infogrames re-releasing it as a budget title to sustain interest.

Legacy-wise, Michelin Rally Masters retains a cult following. Its influence is most evident in DICE’s RalliSport Challenge (2002), which refined its arcade-simulation blend and expanded on its rally focus. The game’s online multiplayer and event-based structure also foreshadowed modern esports trends. Yet, its reputation is nuanced. Later titles like Richard Burns Rally (2004) surpassed it in realism, while Dirt series games broadened rally’s scope. Still, for purists, it remains a beloved relic—a reminder of an era when rally games prioritized driving feel over graphical fidelity.

Conclusion

Michelin Rally Masters: Race of Champions stands as a flawed but fascinating time capsule of rally gaming. Its strengths—a deeply satisfying physics engine, authentic Race of Champions integration, and forward-thinking multiplayer—elevate it above many contemporaries. Yet, its inconsistencies in AI, technical compromises on PlayStation, and identity crisis between simulation and arcade prevent it from reaching greatness. For modern players, the PC version remains accessible via patches (e.g., dgVoodoo for compatibility), offering a glimpse into a simpler, more-focused era of racing games.

Ultimately, the game’s legacy is defined by its ambition. In a genre often dominated by hyper-realism, DICE dared to embrace the theatricality and skill-centric ethos of the Race of Champions. While it may lack the polish of Colin McRae or the spectacle of Sega Rally, Michelin Rally Masters endures as a testament to the joy of pure rally driving. It is, and remains, a diamond in the rough of early 2000s racing—a game where the thrill of a perfectly executed handbrake turn outweighs its imperfections.