RTL Biathlon 2009

Biathlon is a sport where you not only need to run fast on the track, but also be able to force yourself to stop and hit the target, and the RTL Biathlon 2009 tries to convey exactly this duality. There are mountain tracks in different parts of the world, training sessions where skill gradually improves, and official races where it is important to follow the rules: a false start results in disqualification, and pushing or contact with an opponent results in a fine. Shooting and running are separated by sensations: at a distance it is important to calculate your strength, because after an exhausting segment your hands shake and it becomes much more difficult to hit the target. But the reward is appropriate - precise work on the firing line allows you to win back the minutes lost on the track. The single part consists of training and competitions, and in addition to it there is a multiplayer mode, where up to eight people can fight at the same time for a race. A ski relay race and a mass start race in such a company are especially exciting: you have to really overtake, but at the shooting range everything is decided by nerves. The breath of the race is felt separately: after the shooting line you need to accelerate again, and a miss turns into a penalty loop, which you have to rewind while your opponents move forward. Prone and standing shooting require a different approach, so the match experience includes full races with all their rules. The winter arenas and sounds of the ski tracks add to the atmosphere, making the game last longer than expected. The driving physics are well made for its time, and the atmosphere of winter arenas is conveyed through sound and presentation. RTL Biathlon 2009 is a rare example of a niche sports simulator that is fun to play even if you haven’t watched biathlon before.