Many competitors to the rally throne have come and gone - V-Rally, Richard Burns Rally, Rallisport Challenge, World Rally Championship have all come and gone. Despite this, the Colin McRae series has always been reliable. However, one of the main concerns has always rested with the lack of evolution. It seems like every year WE are witnessing the same game with only a few additions to the game. Things seemed to have changed in this game though, and have gone a long way to addressing these concerns.
The first new addition to the series is online play. This is available on Xbox and Playstation 2 and allows for up to eight players. This is a necessary addition to the series as all Colin’s competitors are doing the same thing. We like the idea that the game manages to hold eight players online and this certainly beats the efforts of many other racing games.
CMR 2005 features over thirty cars including the Volkswagen Golf MK5, Toyota Celica VVTLi, Lancia Stratos, Alfa Romeo 147 GTA, Alfetta GTV Turbodelta, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII, Peugeot 206, 205 T16 Evo2 and the distinctive VW Beetle RSi. All the usual rally locations (such as Australia and Finland) are included to in the game, as you would expect. The German rally is a new addition and takes the tally up to nine individual locations.
Codemasters really seem to love their damage. After a spectacular damage model in V8 Supercar Race Driver 2 on Xbox, they have put in some serious effort to make Colin’s crashes just as violent. An individual damage model has been created for each car creating incredible detail - smashing into a tree will even see it drop leaves.
Get your motor running.
One of the best additions to the series is also one of the simplest. When players smash into a severe object or crash really hard a daze effect will take place on the screen. The player’s vision will be blurred for a short period from the impact - this is a very small, throw-away addition that actually works surprisingly well.
The biggest change to CMR 2005 from its predecessor is the new career challenge mode. This mode takes players through a very long rally career. There are also twenty three individual events that allow the player to choose their own path. This is where the main essence of the game lies and also allows for some of the best cars to be unlocked. This is a great addition to the game and adds a lot more depth to it.
There is also a championship mode which puts players in the role of Colin McRae in an attempt to win the championship. In comparison to the career challenge mode this feels a lot more restrictive but is still a great mode which is a little more appealing to those just getting into the game. The number of new features to this year's game are extremely good all round, mixing up the game nicely.
CMR 2005 also feels a little different than the other versions of the game. CMR 2005 is a real simulation game - the handling is spot on and the damage is unforgiving. However, arcade enthusiasts might find that CMR 2005 is too unforgiving for their tastes.
One of the more disappointing aspects of the title is the loading. Waiting to get into a race can actually take in excess of twenty seconds - this is simply not good enough and interrupts the flow of the game.
Where the hell are the cars?
A big surprise in CMR 2005 is how good it looks. The leaves on trees fall, car paint scrapes and poles bend. The actual environment looks great and highly detailed. The graphics aren’t quite up to the caliber of Rallisport Challenge 2 thought, but they look stunning.
The sound in CMR 2005 is nothing spectacular but it does the job. However, one stand out are the engine noises. They sound great, and it really sounds like a lot of work has gone into making the game not only feel authentic, but sound authentic. PALGN can proudly testify that Codemasters have managed to do this successfully.
There is no doubt that Colin Mcrae Rally 2005 is the best in the series yet. Online play, a vast career challenge mode and a championship mode ensure that there is a mode for everyone. Codemasters have taken last years version and improved upon it in every way. It is really hard to find any large faults (outside the loading time, anyway).
One final note though - it is essential to note that the game is not for everyone. It is a real simulation heavy game and this means that it can get really frustrating, and, at times, seem impossible. Those looking for a quick, fun arcade game would be better suited to look forward to Sega Rally 2005 or even the immensely fun Rallisport Challenge 2.
Colin McRae Rally 2005 is the best in the series. Simulation rally fans, dig in.
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