Tired of driving in circles, vying against cars on tracks that vary little from the stock oval variety? Want a thrill ride where the track is as much a challenge as the competition? If so, then Infogrames has a program for you.

Michelin Rally Masters Race of Champions, developed by International Media Productions and Digital Illusions, takes the race from the pavement to the dirt and back again. Twisting, turning tracks, filled with hairpins and bumps that throw your vehicle through the air are only half of what you will face.

This program is fast-paced, hard-driving fun. The program features cyber renditions of 30 of the best rally drivers on the real world circuit, 17 licensed rally cars from Group B, Formula 2 and the World Rally Championship, 46 tracks drawn from real world counterparts, weather elements that make the driving more hazardous (and fun!), and real-time damage effects. Smack that wall too hard and, depending on your camera perspective, you are liable to see that your rear window is a myriad of shattered pieces held barely together.

The camera angle is one of the more important elements in this program. You are faced with many choices, from distant perspective to the view from the driver’s seat or bumper. The driver’s view is amazing. The road will not stay in front of your vehicle. And the feeling onscreen transfers very well to the real world. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself leaning or trying to brace yourself with your feet – there is a real sense of motion and loss of control as you slide around a corner.

The program features five difficulty levels: rookie, easy, medium, hard and extreme. Competition is offered in three modes: Race of Champions, Single Player and Multiplayer. In Race of Champions you compete under the same conditions and rules as the real event in the Canary Islands. You race on a parallel course against your competition in identical cars. In Single Player, you have three options – the championship race, a single rally and time attack. In the championship race the tracks are a little more diverse, the vehicles are different, but you still compete on parallel courses so you can see your competition (if you can keep up with them). The Single Rally is similar to the championship race. In Time Attack you select a vehicle and track and compete for the best time possible.

Controls present their own challenge. The keyboard controls do an adequate job, but these vehicles move too fast and those controls seem inadequate. Game pad does a much better job, and joystick is perhaps easiest of all. Acceleration is by pushing forward (on any of the controllers), and you back up by using the reverse controls. It may sound easy, but once this game is going full throttle, it is a nightmare. And a lot of fun. (The program features a replay of the race upon completion so you can see how truly terrible, or superb, you were.)

Graphically this program features some of the best driving graphics on the market. Electronic Arts Need For Speed needs to move over, Michelin Rally Masters is roaring through. The audio portion provides solid support for the graphics. The tracks are amazing, and ramming walls presents a satisfying scraping or crunching sound.

Michelin Rally Masters is a wild ride on incredible tracks. This program is a whole bunch of fun.

This game is rated for everyone and supports up to eight players in multiplayer mode using a LAN or Internet connection.

Install: Easy. The install is quick because the program only wants 50 megs of hard drive space.

Gameplay: 9. The three-dimensional feel and wide selection of tracks and vehicles, coupled with seamless play, make this program one of the best race games.

Graphics: 9. Damage is real life, cars slamming into walls or hitting a rail and flipping over resembles real life in amazing detail. The tracks, and surrounding scenery are well rendered, and the program features a solid real-world feel.

Sound: 7.5. Solid support to the graphical elements, satisfying damage sound make up for the similarity in engine sounds of the different vehicles. Maybe it is just me, but a Toyota RAV 4 and Ford Escort sounded quite alike.

Difficulty: 8.5. Driving is definitely a challenge, and the different courses – coupled with weather conditions – offer heightened realism and difficulty.

Concept: 8. The combination on on-road and off-road driving in a rally setting is wonderful.

Overall: 8.5. This program presents a challenge and terrific fun. The realistic nature of the animation gives the product an adrenalin boost that heightens the experience.