Death Rally is decent racing game from Remedy Entertainment, the Finnish company more prominently known for Max Payne and Max Payne 2. I ended up having fun with this game, but only after I got over its serious flaws.

Death Rally is your typical racing game with a few extra features. You must race three other cars around several maps (which there are a significant number of) and try to win cash by not being in fourth. You get bonuses for destroying all the other cars, taking hits on specific drivers, or drug running, as well as the occasional cash pickup (only valid if you're not in fourth). You can spend the cash on faster cars and upgrades to your engine, tires, and armor, as well as repairs, which you will inevitably have to purchase if you do not want to die mid-race. There's also a black market where one can purchase mines and other goodies to complement the standard machine guns you are outfitted with.

An interesting aspect of Death Rally is the Loan Shark. Should you be so desperate that you need to borrow money to keep playing or if you're willing take a gamble on some nicer upgrades, he's ready and willing to dish out some much needed cash.

The game is overall very hit or miss. I had to get accustomed to the wonky turning... something that made me smack into a wall on more than one occasion. However, after I got used to them, I quickly found myself focusing on the more strategic aspects of the game. For example, I started watching where the AI drivers were making their turns and decided it'd be a good idea to place a few mines there...

The graphics are average for 1996-1997. Death Rally was once a commercial title, so it's pretty professional looking. The music is the standard techno racing stuff. It's pretty good, in my opinion.

Death Rally gets a B- because it's fun; but, it failed to make me want to play it for longer than a few hours. However, don't let that keep you from trying out this nifty abandonware title.