Colin McRae Rally 2005
- September 30, 2004 00:00 AM PST
Narrow, muddy paths, forests, small towns, and rolling hillsides promise thrills in the latest version of the venerable racing franchise.
Despite his turbulent ride over the years in real life, Colin McRae has consistently delivered a solid racing experience on the virtual racetrack. This year�s no exception, and although much of the game can feel like past McRae�s, the new career mode keeps The Flying Scotsman fresh for this latest race.All Wheel Drive
McRae is like the Schumacher of Formula 1, but for rally racing. Okay, for you Americans -- he�s like the Gordon of NASCAR. He�s perhaps the most well respected rally driver to date, with lots of championship wins and world records under his belt. And in rally racing, that�s an incredible feat.
The sport is about two things: Off-road endurance and mad crazy driving skills. Although the tracks on which you drive are fictional in the game, the courses mirror what Colin and his peers endure at every competition. In any weather condition -- rain, snow, sleet -- you must steer a tricked-out car through a wide variety of environments on narrow, slippery roads.
This is where mastering drifting to get around sharp turns comes in real handy. Each of the different autos available to you can be tweaked and fitted with special parts to better your handling around corners, but if you don�t know how to properly drift, you�ll quickly land out of bounds. The tight, intuitive controls, thankfully, help you carve the curves with smooth precision in this year's Rally.
A Driving Career
The most noticeable change in Rally 2005 is its career mode. Now you can pick and choose where to advance in your lifelong rally goal instead of steering on one path. You can also choose to drive as Colin McRae in his own separate challenges.
Rally racing is certainly a niche sport, especially stateside. But if you enjoy the solo off-road jaunts in the wilderness, this year�s Colin McRae Rally, as in every year, captures the entire experience with mud-slinging fun.
