User Reviews (1 - 11 of 15)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

You can't replace Colin 2 with THIS

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: August 10, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I hated this game! Unlike Colin McRae Rally 2, you can't repair the car between stages (you just get a brand new car after each rally) and in championship mode you can only race with the ford focus (which sucks, by the way). If you're thinking about a rally game just try Colin 2.
The only advantage of CMR 3 over CMR 2 are the graphics.

Don't buy this game

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 1 / 10
Date: July 01, 2003
Author: Amazon User

If u like racing but aren't the best like me this game is not the one to buy it is really hard and u can't even put any codes in to help u unless u call a 1-900 number if i was u i wouldn't buy it and i would tell all my friends about it. Start a revolt against atari...

[]DON'T Buy !!!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 0 / 2
Date: May 13, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Wow after all the hype & release delays is this game ever a DISAPPOINTMENT!!! The physics engine is pure junk. Set the feedback to "Maximum" for my Logitech Wheel & can barely feel anything. Have no idea how bad it must be on "Minimum." Quite a shame as the graphics are very good, especially some of the backrounds, but all the cars sound like mad bumble bees instead of race cars...

Disappointing after the brilliant CMR 2.0

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 7 / 9
Date: July 29, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Codemasters really dropped the ball on this one, making for a ridiculous championship mode in which you can ONLY be Colin McRae, and in which you can ONLY drive one car. They've also removed all the other options from CMR2.0, such as being able to run full rallies in other types of cars, etc. In CMR3, you can only run stages. If you want to run a full rally, you'll have to do the championship mode, which ends after three seasons.
Ridiculous.

Disapointing game, despite the name

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 6
Date: October 29, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game is highly billed for it's obvious shortfalls:
(1) poor graphics: I've seen better graphics from PSX games, there seems to be no difference between regular RCA output and the SVHS output; the polygons are huge and the color seems flat
(2) poor gameplay: while the driving simulation may be accurate in terms of the physics of driving, the gameplay is inadequate. The driving is extremlely twitchy and just plain not fun. There are too few cars and tracks to drive.

Although it's not a rally game, Gran Tourismo 3 is a far better racing game all around. World Rally Championship 3 is a better game, despite being much older.

Honestly, the best thing about this game is the menu music. What does that say?

ok rally game

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: April 30, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game is ok at best, its not as good as I thought it would be, The presentation of the game is lacking when compaired to world rally championship, a much better game if I might add. The graphics are not as good as the back of the box claims although the car models are quite pleasing to look at, the damage on them is realistic. So if you want a good rally game I recomend world rally championship for purchase and I recomend colin mcrae for rental at best.

Don't understand all the fuss

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 8
Date: December 29, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Let me start by listing rally games that are better:
CMR1, CMR2 and WRC.

The gameplay just doesn't match up to those three games. Let me let Codemasters in on a little secret. We don't WANT 100% accurate physics in a video game. That kind of accuracy demands a level of immersion and control that is only possible by doing the real thing. Video games NEED to allow the gamer a "fudge factor", because we are missing g-forces, left-foot braking, the sensations of loss of traction etc. CMR2 came about as close to perfect in this department as is possible.

In addition, 8 countries versus 14 in WRC, car choice limited to the Focus in championship mode, the extremely high learning curve and a general lack of options drag this down further.

On the plus side, the graphics are stunning, Nicky Grist's pace notes are actually accurate and usable and the damage is impressive (albeit too frequent for the average gamer).

I'd skip it for $45, but perhaps in 6 months when you can get it used for $20 it might be worth a look...

Excellent Game for those SERIOUS about Racing Games

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: May 17, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Colin McRae Rally 3 is definitely one of the better rally racing games available to date for PlayStation2 in North America. Whereas most rally racing games tend to lean toward the arcade side of the racing genre (V-Rally 3 and especially Shox being two recent examples of this), Colin McRae Rally 3 is closer to the simulation side of the racing genre. With this in mind, Colin McRae Rally 3 is definitely NOT a game for just casual players of racing games.

The most noticeable aspect of the simulation style in CMR3 is the "lack" of ability to win at even the easiest gameplay level. In many rally racing games, winning is practically "guaranteed" at the easiest levels of gameplay; this is good so that those games can accommodate players of varying skill levels, especially those games trending more toward arcade-style gameplay. CMR3, however, makes winning at even the easiest (Normal) difficulty somewhat of a challenge. Proper vehicle tuning is definitely a requirement, with extremely little leeway for tuning errors. Precision steering is also crucial to success, meaning that the player must have an instinctive ability to read the lay of the land to determine all the possibilities for the roadway's next change of direction - this occurring INDEPENDENT from the calls from the navigator and (if activated) the navigation aids at the top-center of the screen. Near-flawless racing skills in general are also a prerequisite to good performance, as is proper pacing (i.e., never overextending neither the vehicle nor the player's abilities). The simulation aspect of the game is also noted in the three-season Championship Mode, CMR3's version of a career mode. Of course, having Nicky Grist as one's navigator (with the English-language audio only) adds yet more realism and simulation to the game.

An interesting and perhaps perplexing aspect of CMR3's simulation focus is in the times posted at the end of each rally. Vehicles begin each rally in accordance with their points in the championship (or how they ended the previous season, if the first rally of a new season); this "running order" is used for the entire rally. At the end of a stage, the player is shown her or his time and rank compared with those who ran the stage earlier. Generally, the only way to determine the player's rank amongst ALL the participants in a rally is to wait until the next stage is about to begin; the only way around this is to be in last position in the points at the beginning of a rally, meaning that the player will then be the absolute last competitor on each stage of the rally.

Interestingly, the final stage of each rally is a Super Special Stage. These are head-to-head competitions on a parallel circuit course (similar to the annual Race of Champions). Here, there are two lanes which generally run parallel to each other (with minor variations) and a crossing point. A vehicle completes one "lap" by starting on one side of the Start/Finish Line and returning back to the same side, which requires this crossing the Start/Finish Line twice. Unfortunately, the player will always start from Lane 1, the left-most lane.

Fortunately, the player is not forced to continually win in order to unlock items in the game. Winning will often reward the player with a bonus vehicle, which can generally only be used in Stage Mode (where the player participates only on a single stage). However, simply finishing a rally is enough to unlock more or better parts, which will often be needed in the upcoming rally. Finishing a rally also unlocks that rally's opening video in Extras Mode.

The graphics and sounds are quite stunning, but the main area of "beauty" in CMR3 is the vehicle damage. The vehicles in CMR3 do indeed suffer damage, and it can be quite extensive. Virtually every dent incurred can be seen instantly. Windows break, bumpers fall apart, the hood flies off, wheels separate, and the bodywork crumples like a sheet of paper. As the vehicle incurs more and more damage, vehicle handling becomes trickier and trickier... and can only be repaired at the next Service Area. The only downside to this is that there is no rearview button - sometimes actually being able to see the damage on the front of the vehicle can persuade the player to modify driving style and/or reduce the level of aggression in order to complete the stage and ultimately the rally.

For those who are very, very, VERY serious about their racing games, Colin McRae Rally 3 is definitely a prime choice. For those who look purely for fast speeds without requiring a lot of finesse, especially on circuits, CMR3 is definitely NOT a very good choice.

Finally it Arrives!!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: May 07, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I have been waiting for this game for a long time to come to the PS2. Ive tried all the others and had to get this too see if it was worth all the hype. In a nutshell Id say is was. It is very well balanced, and is just real fun to play once you get the feel of the game and make your way through the races.

The main downside of this game is you may only play as Colin Mcrae and you must drive for Ford using Ford Focus cars to race in championship (Career mode). (And your co-driver Nicky Grist's voice is a downside, but you can mute him). Once you unlock the bonus cars, you can only play them in practice or time trial, which includes the Suberu Impeza, Mitsubishi Lancer, and some goofy Ford vehicles...for some reason they did not include the Hyndae Elantra or the Toyota Corolla :(. There are only eight different contries, but they all are very fun to drive through, with great scenery. This game gives you the opportunity to race through USA tracks as well as Japan tracks, which is a rare treat for rally fans. This game does have a lot of different car settings (for engine, suspension, breaks.ect) as expected, but there is a catch to that. You have to play through the game in order to unlock the upgrades for your car. And in order to unlock other vehicles you must have the best (average) time in the end of each of the 6-8 rallys. This adds a lot of repaly value, and new cars to look forward to!
A major benefit of this game is the reality of the damage you can put your car through, with outstanding sound effects of glass breaking and crunching....its really fun to just play a track to beat up your car. You can even get your car all dirty then drive through a river and come out clean. The attention to detail is incredible here.

Id say this is a definate buy for those rally fans who need something new, you wont be disapointed! (4.5 stars)

Realism ... arcade style

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: May 20, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I'd only just jumped into the world of the PS2 in October 2002, after years of PC games and a few things on the PS1. This was one of the games I got with the console.
The first thing I noticed was the graphics, which are just about as good as you're gonna get for a game like this. I hoped that with the look of the game being so good, that the gameplay didn't suffer. It doesn't.
I admit that it took a few practice sessions to get the feel of the game. Fortunately I didn't find the learning curve steep at all, and quickly felt like a pro rally driver .... well, you know what I mean.
The one thing that I have a minor quibble with, and the reason this review didn't get the full 5 stars rating, is the damage. The way the car can appear to slowly disintegrate around you as you crash from barrier to barrier was initially pleasing to see. However, once I'd started in the championship mode, it seemed that the damage had a lot less bearing on the handling and the performance of the car that I'd have expected. It is a minor quibble, and it's probably a good thing, the way I drive.
Plenty in this to keep me entertained for a few months.

Review Page: 1 2 Next 

Actions