Colin McRae Rally 2005 (Reviews)

Chris Stead, GamePro Australia

26/11/2004 10:57:14

All hail King Colin. His reign at the pointy end of the Rally sub-genre has outlived his career, two generations of hardware and an officially licensed rival - he has continually upped the ante in terms of graphics, gameplay and physics and to this date has offered the perfect blend of arcade playability and simulated realism. However, in 2004 two serious contenders, Richard Burns Rally and Rallisport Challenge 2, took healthy chunks out of his split times. Can Colin rise to the occasion and set the fastest pace in the race to Australia's hungry Christmas trees?

Of course! Did you ever doubt him? C2005 is a genuine cut above the 2004 edition, offering a host of new features that strengthen an already rock solid interface. The heart of this is the new career mode, a long journey through 23 events, but it's non-linear and spiced up with variations in activities (such as Cups, Shields and Championships), part testing and car changes. For the rally purist this is the ultimate challenge. The only other addition to the standard Rally, Stages, Championship, Time Trial modes is Online gaming, a sure fire winner.

For Colin veterans however, it is the changes in track design for which the game should live or die and for the most part, C2005 excels. Adding to the well-driven roads of the USA, Sweden, UK, Japan, Australia, Finland and Greece is Germany and a welcome addition it is. Riddled with sharp turns, gnarly altitude changes and city/country interactions it's a blast and a challenge. The other countries also deliver new courses and again it is the altitude use which is the most striking, providing plenty of off-camber turns and high-speed descents. There is also an increased emphasis on variations in track width and jumps, which makes for some seriously hairy moments. Some of the changes will initially sit uncomfortably (such as the removal of the great lakes from Finland, occasional segments of deja vu and the dumbing down of the Greek landscapes) but in truth, it's a welcome change for those who know every grain of dirt and rubber streaked piece of tarmac in Colin 2004.

The Cars
There are 7 classes of car to unlock, including; 4WD, 2WD, Classics, Super 2WD, RWD and 4x4 Classics. Over 30 cars are on display in C2005 and while many of them will be familiar to veterans, there is plenty of new blood to throw around. This includes; Alfa Romeo 147 GTA, Alfetta GTV Turbodelta, Volkswagen Golf MK5, Toyota Celica VVTLi, Lancia Stratos, , Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII, Peugeot 206, Mini Cooper S and the VW Beetle RSi.

In terms of the gameplay, the engine is as golden as ever. RBR may have shown up Colin's pretensions of realism, but where that product went too far, C2005 maintains the perfect balance between arcade and Sim. Most gamers will pick this up and enjoy it straight away, while those who dedicate some serious gaming will continually find ways to shave seconds from their fastest times. Plus there are plenty of positive tweaks that enhance the Colin experience; the way your vision blurs when you thump a tree, the way leaves fly up from brutalized vegetation, the rocks, grass and puddles that plague the middle of the track, the improved weather with its torrential rain, the extra camera views and the new post-race 'top speed' and 'average speed' data.

But for all its improvements, C2005 occasionally shows signs of age and laziness. The replays, for example, seem lame in respect to those of RBR and they are unable to be saved. But the letdowns continue - there is occasional lack of polish in framerate, Codemaster's claim of new damage animations are too subtle to be noticed, you can only race the 4WD's in a full championship, the crowds still look like 2D-shit and the pinging, where your car is zapped back on course following an unscheduled detour, remains a random and often annoying affair.

Yes, Colin is king, but when your only real competition turns out to be your previous release, it affects the effort and growth of the series - this is not the next evolutionary step fans had been hanging for. Still, the subtle changes and the new modes are great and the opportunity to take your well-oiled skills through another 72 stages of Colin goodness validates the asking price.

Verdict
Still the quintessential rally title, its improvements may not be as grandiose as fans would have hoped, but the new features all hit the right spots.
Pros: Germany is great, career mode is extensive, enjoyable new track design.
Cons: Beaten on a few fronts by RBR, not very ambitious, restricted in championship choices.

Score = 8.5/10



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Graphics: 4.0 Sound: 4.0 Control: 4.5 Fun Factor: Fun Factor
Scoring scale: 1-5
Publisher: Atari / Developer: Codemasters / Retail Price: $89.95 (PC) /, $99.95 (PlayStation 2) /, $99.95 (Xbox) / Release date: 15/09/2004 / Genre: Driving/racing / OFLC Rating: G