Much like soccer, rally
racing is appreciated internationally but its widely entertaining appeal is
slowly creeping into the minds of American sports fanatics. Sure we’re more of
a NASCAR culture but we can’t help but feel love for an automotive sports event
that pits racecar drivers against the rough elements of an unpaved road. Once
again, Codemasters gives us another rally racing game and Colin McRae Rally 04
might just be the rally racing game Xbox owners have been waiting for.
The Colin McRae Rally
franchise is not new to the Xbox, but this latest offering just feels like a
more well-designed and a somewhat more complete game this time around. To begin
with, there’s Xbox Live features but its not exactly what you think (we’ll get
to that a bit later). Secondly, there’s a nicer assortment of vehicles and the
racecourses just feel grander than the last games. This is not to say that last
year’s game wasn’t good, but Rally 04 just managed to improve on all the good
things. There’s Championship mode, Rally Mode and Stages Mode. The rally races
can be used with 4WD (four wheel-drive), 2WD, Group B vehicles (80s styled
racing cars like the modified Audi Quattro) and even bonus vehicles (cars you
unlock). Championship Mode is still the game’s main mode of playing and will
pit you up against the world’s best racers.
While you’ll be competing
against other racers for better qualifying times, you won’t be physically
sharing the road with an actual car. Instead, you’ll race against a “ghost”
vehicle that represents the current champ’s qualifying time and performance.
Whether you’re using an automatic Ford Focus or a Peugeot 206, its how well you
manage against the treacherous terrain of the race course in countries like
Australia, Japan, Sweden or even the UK. Luckily the controls are wonderfully
realistic yet simplistic enough that you won’t be tearing your hair out in
frustration over controls that are too rigid. You also have a co-pilot that
helps keep you on the track (although there are also several markers pointing
the direction out as well).
What keeps the game
challenging is the fact that the roads are filled with environmental details
that physically pose problems for you when the road becomes less noticeable.
You’ll be smashing into tree trunks when your turns become to sharp and
depending on the difficulty setting, the impact can affect your vehicle. Slam
into a boulder head on and you might lose your front bumper. Slam into it again
and the jolt of the impact will damage something in the engine that can make you
car overheat and the suddenly shut off. You can even get into a nasty accident
where a wheel comes off completely. While this may sound like a frustrating
annoyance, this actually keeps the game fresh since you have to realistically
repair the damaged vehicle or retire it for good. You can modify your car and
make sure it has better brakes, wheels and even anti-roll suspension. Not sure
of how your car might perform with the new modifications? You can always test
them out on the road before a race.
The good news is that the
game does feature Xbox Live content, but the bad news is that its not an online
multiplayer mode that will allow you to race with others. The Xbox Live
features are more centered on the Scoreboard features that allow gamers to post
their best times for others to see. Okay, so that might not be really good news
but its still great to brag a little. As far multiplayer modes are concerned,
though, the game does allow up to four players to race against each another in
split-screen fashion. That’s four players at the same time, going for the
gold. Not bad . . . although us Xbox Live folk just can’t imagine why a great
rally racing game like this doesn’t have an online multiplayer mode. It’s like
getting a pizza with no sauce–its still edible but it would have been so much
tastier with that zesty tomato sauce.
For those gamers that are
looking for a racing game with plenty of eye candy, Colin McRae Rally 04 will
more than satisfy. The level of graphical detail is astonishing and won’t fail
to impress those who have enjoyed last year’s McRae Rally game. The cars each
look amazing during the game and watching them take realistic damage is most
gratifying much in the same way as it is in Burnout 2: Point of Impact .
. . only not as excessive, though. The game’s many international race courses
look just as good as the vehicles. In fact, there are many times when gamers
will just simply want to drive off the well-worn road and just explore the lush,
beautiful surroundings. The environment is also wonderfully realistic. In the
snowy terrain of a racecourse in Sweden, the sun realistically reflects off the
snow itself.
While there’s not much of
a soundtrack with an assortment of tunes to keep you company during the game,
Rally 04’s sound is still magnificently diverse in all the right places. For
one thing, the sound effects in this game are amazingly well detailed. Each car
has an engine with distinct engine sounds, but the best part is the fact that
the road itself produces various different sounds. You’ll hear the tires kick
up dry dirt or the bubbling sound a car makes when it overheats. Interestingly
enough, the sound effects sound more distinctive in first-person or cockpit
view. One of the major reasons you won’t find tunes during the races is your
co-pilot who offers directions throughout the whole race. While much of what
he’ll say might not make a lot of sense at first (e.g. “hard left on the third
right”), you’ll grow so accustomed to his direction that it you’ll be making
turns like a pro. You can also change your co-pilot’s language so you can
listen to instruction in Spanish or French if you wish.
Codemasters have finally
outdone themselves this year with Colin McRae Rally 04–a rally racing game fans
will appreciate for all its excellent qualities. While there are a few things I
would have loved to have seen in this game (an online multiplayer mode, for one
thing) or fixed, this isn’t something that takes away from the good things the
game does showcase. Also, at its bargain price, you won’t find yourself
regretting a purchase instead of a rental. Buy this one if you love rally
racing or just a good racing game in general.
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#Review |
Gameplay: 9.0
Nothing is more satisfying than
playing a racing game with smooth as silk controls and cars that maneuver
wonderfully realistic yet fun enough to still feel arcade-like. While there’s
no online multiplayer mode, the other modes will certainly not disappoint.
Graphics: 9.0
Simply put: Colin McRae Rally 04 is
a gorgeous looking game. We’re talking lush environments filled to the brim
with detail and cars that look amazing during the race and even more so during a
replay.
Sound: 8.0
The game’s sound effects are so
wonderfully realistic that gamers will wince at the sound of the car smashing
into a tree at fifty miles per hour. Your wingman is also very helpful so it
pays to listen to him.
Difficulty: Medium
Unlock Expert mode and you’re in for
a downright difficult–and deliciously challenging–game mode where your car
takes realistic damage that affects everything from the engine to the tires.
You can also select three different degrees of car damage during the other modes
but other than that this is a nicely challenging game.
Concept: 8.5
With so many vehicles to choose from
and various international and national terrains to test them out on, Rally 04’s
races never seem to become tiresome events. The game modes also offer various
unique challenges that will keep rally racing fans more than satisfied. The
bonuses and extra modes you unlock are plentiful too.
Multiplayer: 8.5
Split-screen multiplayer racing fun
good enough for up to four players . . . we are so there! Yet with Xbox Live
features present but no online multiplayer mode in sight, gamers won’t help but
be a bit disappointed.
Overall: 8.9
Quite possibly the best rally racing
game available for the Xbox thus far, Colin McRae Rally 04 is the game to buy if
you’re looking for rally racing done right.
