One of the main features of the PC version is that you can play online - against up to four other drivers. This is a definite advantage over the Xbox version, where if all your friends were too busy to come over and play with you, you would have to put up with racing the AI cars. While they are definitely a nice addition, they can be a little random… One lap you are racing around, kicking butt & taking names, thinking "Eat your heart out, Colin McCrae!" and then the next thing you know the other cars all suddenly appear and knock you off the road!

So, in general, how well does it convert to the PC?

Pretty well, is the answer. The graphics in this game are absolutely stunning. The bump mapping is some of the most impressive ever seen and the level of detail is breathtaking. At times it really can make the viewer forget that they aren't watching a real rally race on telly! This attention to detail is reflected in every visual aspect - dirt, grass, trees, rocks, water and ice are all amazing.

In terms of actual conversion to the PC, the superior resolutions available (compared to those on the Xbox) are a definite advantage. However, if you crank all the settings right up, it can get a little jerky - even on a powerful machine. This is the point where you unfortunately have to choose which features are more important to you – do you turn off the sounds of the other cars, the rumble of your own engine or turn the graphics down a notch to improve your frame rate?

Like most driving games, in Rallisport you can either go straight in and race, or work away at career mode. Career mode is the familiar "earn your way to the harder courses, smarter opponents, and improve your cars along the way" type, although this is one of the weaker areas of this game, with very few changes available to be made.

Within Career mode, you have four main options:
1) Racing against the clock, past checkpoints
2) Racing against three other competitors on treacherously icy roads
3) Racing up a hill or mountain, as fast as possible
4) Racing other drivers on a rally cross course, which covers different terrain types, to test your skills on all surfaces.

But of course, what the real racing fan wants to know - how do the cars handle?

There's a noticeable difference in how different cars feel – for example, the four wheel drive vehicles really do seem to stick to the corners a lot better than the rear wheel drives. This adds to the challenge in career mode – master one car, and then move onto the next! The different surfaces and different weather conditions also make for good variety - handbrake sliding might be great on the gravel back roads, but it won't get you very far on the asphalt! (In fact, you might even come to an embarrassing stop!)

Another point worth noting is that while the cars do show damage if you have a "prang", nothing you can do will affect the way that the car handles – the changes are only aesthetic. However, you do get more points at the end of each race for having done less damage to your car. But is keeping the car looking pretty really capturing the real essence of Rallying? We think not!

One drawback is that all the courses seem to be too short – which might just be a sign of an enjoyable game! Longer courses would definitely add more interest, and add a greater re-playability factor, because longer courses are generally harder to remember in minute detail. Also, speaking of re-playability, there is a bit of an interesting feature in the replaying of previous tracks. If you try to go back and re-do a course you've finished and don't win, you lose all the points you earned on that track the last time you did it. So try that at your peril!