Colin McRae Rally 04

Another day, another shockingly bad pun. Another year, another Colin McRae update. And for those who control GameFAQs, another illusory bout of imagined 'self-promotion' from this reviewer. Pfft. For those who have yet to try their luck with any of the series, the game tests your reactions and judgement in a series of races against the clock. You don't race against another car, merely the environment and the next time barrier. This may sound as if it has little to recommend it, but the races are tense, involving and can exhilarate as you are forced to push against the limits of your car's adhesion to the surface you're on.

Gfx&Sound
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The graphics are now superb throughout. The stages are now densely packed with visual cues to the next turn, along with sumptuous peripheral details (like swaying grass, dazzling sunlight and faint dust clouds where appropriate). To say the game is now the second-best looking PS2 racer (after Burnout 2) is some...

THE GOOD:
-excellent car handling
-beautifully rendered car models
-good variety of cars
-choose any car in the championship mode

THE BAD:
-some VERY annoying slowdown when driving "in-car" and "third-person view"

SUMMARY:
Back in the pre-PS2 days, I don't usually buy rally car games. They seemed so one-tracked, monotonous and boring. Add to that a very high learning curve and a racing game that would appeal to hardcore rally gamers. Back then, Test Drive and Need For Speed were what I craved for with its simplistic gameplay. But all of that changed when i got Colin McRae rally for the PS1. It was difficult alright but the learning curve was tolerable. It had my favorite cars such as the Toyota Corolla, Subaru Impreza and the Mitsu Lancer Evolution IV, cars that I've raced and loved on the Gran Turismo 2.

Fast forward to 2003. Colin Mcrae Rally 04 is here! The thing that really caught my eye is the unbelievable...