Not unlike the other rally racing games,
V-Rally 3 takes you through various countries and courses as you pit yourself against the times of your competition. That means you never see a competing car, but instead it is just you and your co-driver going against the clock in several multi-stage events.
You can drive for a number of manufacturers, but you must first prove yourself to them. In a nicely implemented fashion you can read your e-mail and accept offers to test drive cars from the likes of Volkswagen, MG, and Citroen. Once you have been offered a contract, you can start a season proper, and begin racking up the points in an attempt to capture the championship title.
Competing in the events and earning points towards the championship is rather straightforward, and like the Colin McRae game, damage modeling is accurately simulated and only so much of it can be repaired at a time. What is quite different about V-Rally 3, though, is the controls. Steering is very sensitive, and although its sensitivity can be adjusted somewhat, no matter what setting you use, it still takes a careful touch to keep the car on the road. At first this can be frustrating, but once you become accustomed to it, it really makes for an exciting ride.
Beyond the interesting career minded presentation and the touchy steering, the game is rather conventional, but not in any sort of negative way. It really provides a very satisfying mix of arcade and simulation, and it draws you in with its excellent graphics, sound, and damage modeling.
