Silicon Fusion >> News >> Colin McRae Rally 4 (ECTS 2003)

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2nd September 2003:
Colin McRae Rally 4 (ECTS 2003)
Colin's game was there, and it didn't let us down.
Posted by Chris Barnett - Xbox,PlayStation 2 - UK and Europe

Due as soon as September 19th for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, Colin McRae Rally 04 should offer gamers the best rally game they have ever played. Boasting all of the features that the series is famed for (great handling, graphics and variation), this new version looks set to surpass the 2003 edition in every respect, if this ECTS build is anything to go by.

The game has over 20 rally cars and offers a unique set of championships for the different car types. There will be 2-wheel drive championships, 4-wheel drive versions and a special Group B championship, where the player gets the chance to race classic rally cars. This will offer gamers the ability to play essentially any type of rally that they desire, and rally fans will be leaping for joy at the prospect of getting to control some of the sports' classics (kind of like the retro team modes in many recent football games).

As has always been the case with the Colin McRae games, the graphics are a milestone for the current era of rally games. The textures and animated effects have been improved over all the previous versions, with no loss in pace or smoothness. Such is the detail that the version shown had moving grass blades, sunlight and shadow effects (in real-time, of course) as well as greatly detailed and varied track surfaces.

At no time were the new graphics better shown than with the use of the new 'bumper cam' which is exactly as it sounds. This new angle offers a unique view of the track ahead, but more importantly offers the actual feeling of inertia as the car bumps and springs over the uneven surfaces. Whilst angles like this have been attempted before, this is the first that we have seen that actually offers the 'butterflies in the stomach' feeling that should be expected from such a view. Even real rally drivers don't get the chance to race from their bumpers.

An unusual move that we noticed was the removal of the steering aid that was key to the previous version. This aid made the car move around a central pivot point, as in arcade racing games. But this version has the cars moving as they do in real life - with the contours of the terrain. This gives the game a wobbly feel initially, exactly as you would imagine for a car zooming over divots. And far from being subtle, this new handling comes into its own after just a few races due to the multitude of road surfaces on offer. In fact, there are 34 different surfaces and 19 tyre types, each offering a unique 'feel' to the car.

The track design is pretty much restricted to the real locations that are modelled in the game, but they are world-class rally courses. To offer the greatest diversity, the courses are from 8 different countries and include rally stages and Super special stages (don't you just love the term 'super special stage'?).

The most striking new addition that we witnessed was that of testing. In order to get new parts such as engines, tyres or suspension, the player must complete mini games. These games are similar to the driving test stages on Gran Turismo and will require a certain goal to be reached for the part to become selectable. This is a welcome addition as the mini games themselves are from various countries and so are varied. In fact, some half baked games would probably offer these mini games as the entire game, and gamers would except it. So it is a lament to McRae's quality that the game is so extensive.

As far as multiplayer modes go, the game offers the usual player only mode (that's two player split screen for the PlayStation 2 and up to four player split screen for the Xbox) but also gives players the opportunity to race in a championship together. So it is possible for friends to play as a team and race for complete domination (an achievement that is usually reliant on computer controlled team mates) of the world rally championship.

As with all the McRae games, the damage system is dramatic without being unrealistic (if you use the correct, realistic damage conditions that is). In the Expert Championship you will be forced to consider the simple fact that there are no chances allowed, any damage will cripple your vehicle and your hopes of winning. But as a consolation you will now get to see a total 360-degree pan of your car when you complete the race, so you can see how badly you have damaged it or how muddy it is.

As you can see from the length of these new features; Codemasters know how to treat fans and how to win new ones. This should be the best rally game ever if this ECTS version is anything to go by (as an unfinished product it is astonishing). Let's just hope that it raises the bar not only for rally games, but for racing games in general.

Chris Barnett

Related Games:

Colin McRae Rally 4
for Xbox

Screenshots