A long wait will soon come to an end: Over 20 years after the release of the original version, GeneRally 2 is headed to the virtual top-down grid! The follow-up to the 2002 arcade racer is set to be available on Steam Early Access on May 30th, bringing back and expanding on the original formula.
Image Credit: Curious Chicken Games
The original GeneRally is well-known for its easy-to-use track editor and being generally (see what we did there?) highly customizable. Its simple graphics did not hinder fun gameplay, which even contained pit stops and damage. It supported local multiplayer with up to six players on the same PC.
Development for GeneRally 2 started in 2010, and in 2011, Finnish studio Curious Chicken Games took over development of the game. Since 2022, the successor to the popular top-down racer is in full-time development by a team of five. As a result, GeneRally 2 is headed to Steam Early Access on May 30th, 2023. The game will cost 14,99€/14,99$/12,99£ at the launch of the Early Access version.
Image Credit: Curious Chicken Games
Introducing Online Features
While the track editor was one of the highlights of the original, sharing your creations online was not possible yet - which is something that the successor is introducing. The editor includes 12 different surface types, a capable terrain editing tool, and an expanding library of trackside objects. Players can upload their creations to the Steam Workshop and download community-built circuits from there as well.Multiplayer also profits from the introduction of online functionality, as PVP races are going to be introduced in the Early Access version already. The offline multiplayer makes also makes its comeback, allowing up to eight racers to compete on the same PC.
At launch, five different cars will be available in GeneRally 2, and they will already showcase different drivetrain models like FWD, RWD and AWD, unique performance and even suspension types. Meanwhile, AI opponents can be tweaked to the players' liking - just like in the original.
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Feature ListFull Article
Feature List
Curious Chicken Games describes GeneRally 2 as "a friendly top-down arcade racing game for up to eight players with an easy-to-use, built-in track editor." This claim clearly shows in the feature list that has officially been announced for the Early Access phase.
Image Credit: Curious Chicken Games
GeneRally 2 Features
- Experience a wide variety of fun and interesting tracks created by us, by the GeneRally 2 community - or make the perfect track for you in our track editor. With 43 objects (and more being added all the time); 12 different surface types (from dirt and gravel, to snow and ice); and a feature-packed terrain-editing tool - the only limit is your imagination! Upload your creations to Steam Workshop and share them with the world.
- Race against the clock (and the ghost car) in time-trial; against the AI; or with friends in couch PvP (online multiplayer coming during Early Access). There’s no need for split screen - the whole track is visible at once - so grab your friends and family, and get racing! Compete in single races, or see who’s victorious over multiple races in championship mode. Up to 8 players can play together on the same computer.
- Customise your car and stand out from the crowd - adjust the colours and paint scheme for you and every car in the race.
Image Credit: Curious Chicken Games
- Detailed car physics take account of many different real-world parameters like drive-train type (FWD/RWD/AWD), suspension travel/rebound, weight distribution and more! The cars are easy-to-learn but hard-to-master, based on a realistic physics simulation.
- Plan your pitstops and manage your fuel, tyre wear and damage over the course of the race - or turn all of those off and enjoy unlimited ability to run your friends off the road!
- With a variety of different cars (5 at launch, more coming later), each with their own unique performance and handling characteristics, there’s never a dull moment.
- Tweak the AI opponents for closer racing - choose between multiple driving style “profiles” and adjust their skill level to battle for victory.
