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Minus the online racing, Colin McRae 04 is a flawless video game replication of rally racing.

America is home to some funny people. 4WD vehicles are annually among the most popular purchases, yet a sport like rally racing is an afterthought. Instead, we get our kicks watching stock cars race around the same oval 250 times. Go figure.

For the uninitiated, rally racing is an off road motor sport that is divided into stages. Each stage has a certain number of checkpoints, and your goal is to have the lowest total completion time for each stage. The winner is awarded points that go towards the overall season championship.

I can proudly say that I am a rally fan. I get up early in the morning to catch a glimpse of this underrated sport on the Speed channel. So when a review copy of Colin McRae Rally 04 landed at our offices, I jumped at the chance to review it. In addition, I spent a couple of weeks with RalliSport Challenge 2 so I will be able to give you a good comparison between the two.

First, let’s get the obligatory introductions out of the way. The Colin McRae series comes courteous of the hardworking folks at Codemasters. Each year they feverishly work to improve on nearly every aspect of the game.

I was a bit surprised to see that the newest offering was available for only $19.99, and my expectations for a high quality product started to slide downhill. I’m happy to report that I was completely wrong, and Colin McRae Rally 04 is a worthy addition to your Xbox library.

Let’s start with the graphics. This puppy is amazingly beautiful. I’m talking nearly Gran Turismo 3 beautiful. I was completely shocked at the graphical quality in all phases of the game. The car models are excellent and each closely resembles their real world counterparts. In addition, each car incurs real world damage, which enhances realism.

Glass shatters, fenders produce realistic sparks when rubbed against hazards, and hoods will come loose if damaged enough. The replays are even better. You get the chance to watch your previous race from all different angles and the nuances really add to the game’s sparkle. How much sparkle? How about rotors that glow orange even with the lightest tap of the brakes?

The beauty doesn’t end with the cars either. The courses themselves are imaginative and varied. From the heat drenched outback courses of Australia to the rain soaked blacktop of Spain, this game delivers realistic environments. Each course also includes subtle touches, such as architecture specific to that country. The best part of all this is that the frame rate remains rock solid.

Other features include variable weather conditions, gorgeous sunsets and ice covered forest courses. I cannot commend Codemasters enough for their attention to detail. The graphical quality of Colin McRae Rally 04 is easily on par with the best Xbox racers, including its closest competitor RalliSport Challenge 2.

The sound department is by no means weak, as the engines grumble and roar with eerie realism. The only music you’ll find in the game though, is in the menus. Once you’re behind the wheel, it’s just you, the rumbling of the engine and your ever helpful co-driver.

This will be a turnoff for some gamers who love to listen to their ripped tracks while racing. Remember though, Colin McRae Rally 04 is all about realism, and Colin ain’t got no Ludacris blaring from his speakers when he’s throwing around the dirt.

This may sound strange, but once you get into the game you won’t miss the tunes. Why you ask? It’s because the overall experience is totally engrossing and intense. You will almost immediately become lost as these throaty cars power slide around corners.

The stages become more treacherous as you proceed through the championship, and music will be the last thing on your mind. Fortunately, the handling of each vehicle is nearly perfect. Those of you who have played previous incarnations of this series should already be acquainted with the world class car physics that Codemasters can deliver. 2004 is no different. This game provides hours of fun, while still maintaining its integrity as a realistic experience.

Colin McRae 04 offers a nice variety of cars that range from 2WD and 4WD cars to the infamous Group B super-powered cars from the 1980’s. There are even more bonus cars that you can unlock with repeated play.

The meat of this title is definitely the championship mode. You can compete with the world’s best in up to eight different countries, each with unique weather conditions and tracks that will test your driving skills. You can choose to have normal, advanced and eventually, expert difficulty. As mentioned earlier, your car will take on damage as you race through each stage.

The damage sustained in one stage realistically carries over to the next, so you road rage nuts will have to curb your driving style. Fortunately, you can enter the service area at designated times and repair as needed. Also, through some creative mini-games you can unlock upgrades like ceramic brakes or high tech tires.

Throw in the option to create a custom rally from stages you’ve completed, the ability to download or post top scores and you have almost a complete package. I say almost because sadly, there is no online racing in Colin McRae Rally 04.

In most cases, this would cost a game dearly in the final analysis, but because of the discounted price we aren’t going to harp on this issue. Hopefully, this will be rectified in the next release.

Ok, so earlier I promised you a comparison between RalliSport Challenge 2 and Colin McRae 04. Surprisingly, graphics and car physics are a push. Both look incredible and control beautifully.

On the game play front, it’s obvious that RalliSport Challenge 2 was designed primarily for online gamers. The single player experience is long enough, but it doesn’t feel unique or completely finished. It’s almost like you’re racing just to collect all the cars to compete with them in online play.

Colin McRae 04 is geared toward a more realistic single player simulation. The courses are much more original and challenging. Because of its bargain basement price, I would recommend that die hard rally fans pick up both. This way, you get a superior single player experience in Colin McRae, and you can still run your online friends off the road with RalliSport Challenge 2.

If you can’t afford both, and you want the most realistic portrayal of real world rally racing, Colin McRae 04 is your game. The gaming experience is top quality and you cannot beat the discounted price. If Codemasters can find a way to add online racing, the next Colin McRae could be the complete rally racing package.


Review by Michael Harris.