Ever since Sega Rally made its debut in the arcades in 1996, I have been a punch-drunk sucker for rally games. The one jewel, however, that has outdone every other rally title to date, including Sega Rally 1 & 2, is Codemasters' Colin McRae Rally. Now, the PlayStation is once again graced with the venerable game-maker's sequel, and with Colin McRae 2.0, the PlayStation becomes the ultimate platform for rally racing again.

In short, Colin McRae 2.0 is the best rally game I've ever played. Period. It outshines its predecessor in every respect -- gameplay, graphics, sound, presentation, and well, if "kick-ass" were a category, Colin McRae Rally 2.0 would win in the that department, too. For anyone who loves rally racing, this game is an absolute must-have, and for those who are only slightly interested, just go get this game now.

Presentation

The completely redesigned menus are super quick and elegantly designed for instant access to cars, stages, various modes, and everything else necessary. Access points like information, setup, repair, race, save, and quit are all on the same screen, while different sub-sections switch in and out of view without changing the screen, eliminating load times and screen-switches. Also, the menus are nearly all text, with the exception of the car set-up, but they're as organized, sleek and as elegant as any menus I have ever seen.

Load times have improved from the first game, too. And of course, the graphics, one of the weaker aspects of last year's game, have improved in several areas, including detailed textures, a brighter color palette, a few more camera perspectives, and a more focused replay mode. In short, Colin McRae 2.0 represents the very best in what a sequel should be, improving upon the former game in every way.

Gameplay

The courses are once again challenging, and the added modes are deep and rewarding. They're blends of tarmac and dirt, or mud and gravel roads with marked contrasts in landscapes that force the skill out of you to succeed. Night levels are once again challenging, but this time the car lights are wider and longer by just enough space to make a big difference in the way you perceive the road. In other words, the added yardage is a big plus. Races take place in dusk, dawn, rain and other weather conditions, too. Players can race in the back roads of Finland, Greece, Australia, Italy, Sweden, France, Kenya, and the United Kingdom, eight regions in total. Codemasters switched out Indonesia and Monte Carlo from the first game, adding Italy and Kenya. Each region is made up of about nine stages, but the game presents 90 different courses for racers to tackle, more than last year's effort, and a hell of a lot by anyone's count.

Perhaps what I'm especially glad about is that Codemasters kept the integrity of the physics engine intact while adding new driving features. Like last year, players can up-end their cars, or spin, flip, or crash them. Unlike last year, the car deformation system is great. It's the best I've ever seen. Taking coding tips and tools from its sister racer, Jarrett and Labonte Stock Car Racing (i.e. World Touring Car 2), which spotlighted a spectacular deformation system, Colin McRae 2.0 deforms, dents, and brakes with the best of them. There are so many visual examples that I can't list them all. Crash into a tree and your windows shatter, but spin out into a rock and you may loosen your front hood, or dislodge a bumper. With the bumpers, you may see a bumper hanging by a single thread of metal for half the race before finally losing it. The physical and actual sight of your car taking damage throughout the race truly enhances the game.

The 13 rally cars all drive differently, and the car models are more exquisite looking than before in graphics and in function. The car list has been updated with some cool new cars, including the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, Peugeot 206, Ford Focus, Lancia Integrale, MG Metro 6R4, Mini Cooper, Mitsubishi Lancer, Ford Puma, Seat Cordoba, Sierra Cosworth, Lancia Stratos, Subaru Impreza, and the Toyota Corolla. Players start off with six cars, the Ford Focus, Mitsubishi Lancer, Toyota Corolla, Subaru Impreza, Peugeot 206, and the Seat Cordoba, and are rewarded with the other seven by winning different races in every area of the game.

All in all, Colin McRae Rally 2.0 is head and shoulders above any other rally game on any system, and once again regains the crown as the best rally game ever made.

Graphics

To add to the game's great gameplay, the weakest part of Colin McRae Rally has been improved in 2.0. The changes aren't simply tacked on changes from last year's effort either, they're core changes. With the long course and phenomenal amount of courses in last year's version, players had to look at a lot of backgrounds, and that meant looking at a bucket of brown, beige, dull green and gray textures that would put most folks into a color coma. In Colin McRae Rally 2.0 the textures have not only increased with what seem like dozens of new gradients and variants, but the colors have been spruced up. The overall color palette is far broader, brighter, and much prettier to gaze at. Sure, you still have totally unanimated crowds and sprite-based trees, but there is such an abundance of texture variation that's surprising.

So, what was once a rather ugly looking game is now quite striking, and again, the changes are global. The cars show more detail, from the racing lines, to new antennae, to the lighting effects, such as exhaust pipe backfire and the constant sparks of dragging bumpers on the tarmac. Given that the framerate is still pretty solid, probably not ever above 30 frames per second, but somewhere consistently between 25-30, the cars roll across the screen ith a generally smooth look and feel. Slowdown still appears every so often, but never enough to affect gameplay directly.

Comments

A single word can sum up my feelings on theis game WOW! This is easily the best rally game for any system on any planet in the universe! If you like the concept of rallying in Gran Turismo 2, you'll love this. Unlike GT2 though, you can execute perfect powerslides and e-brake turns around an array of hair-pin turns. My basic opinion about this game is: if you have a pulse and are not in a coma, you'll love this game! A must have for anyone who owns a PlayStation!