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Sixty Left Over Crest - Don't Cut!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 14 / 14
Date: March 24, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I almost passed this game up.

I don't usually like sim racers that much - I stick to Project Gotham, Burnout, and Need For Speed - but after learning that Colin McRae Rally 04 would be released at the magical $20 price point, I had to give it a try. Rally racing's basically just time attack outdoors anyways, right?

I quickly learned that's only part of it.

Rally racing is huge in Europe, but is more of a niche event in the States. Maybe because there's no direct competition....? Who cares. Bottom line, this is the best game to be released at twenty bucks since Sega's masterpiece, Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution. This is no mere budget title - Codemasters cares about getting virtual rally racing right, and CMR04 shows off excellence in all areas, from the stylishly minimal menu design to the photorealistic cars and tracks.

The thing that scares me away from racing sims is all the tinkering you do to the chassis, suspension, blah blah. Just gimme a car and let me hit the road. But somehow, with this title, fiddling with the settings is incredibly addicting and very necessary, perhaps because of the nature of rally racing itself: you & your car against the clock and terrain. If you're gonna avoid wiping out and trashing your ride, you'd BETTER take the time to tweak the ride height and gear ratio. CMR04 eases newbies (like me) into this obsession gradually, clearly explaining how the different settings affect your car's driving and allowing you to test it before racing "for real." Oh, you also better check the road surfaces and weather conditions of the upcoming stages and prepare accordingly, or else your car will flip at the first hairpin.

But there's more. After every couple stages, your car has undoubtedly suffered a little damage (or a lot, if you're a novice like me). You are given the option to repair the damage, but only up to an hour's worth of mechanic-time. The game clearly shows what's damaged, how bad the damage is, and how long it will take to repair, either partially or completely. Strategy becomes a major player here - should you leave your bodywork unrepaired while totally fixing your suspension, or fix it all, passing the 60-minute limit and suffering a time penalty during the next stage? These decisions can be agonizing, and directly affect how you drive. It's extremely well-implemented, well-designed, and, thankfully, user-friendly.

In addition, every few stages, you're given the option to test-drive prototype parts, and if you're successful, your car is fitted with the performance-improving equipment, whether it's new tires, ceramic brakes, or improved shocks.

So, even though there's one car on the track at a time, there's always a LOT going on behind the scenes. But this relatively low-amount of on-screen action means that CMR04 has some of the most wonderful visuals ever to grace the racing genre. The attention to detail is astonishing, especially from the first-person cockpit viewpoint. The tracks and weather effects can look hauntingly real. And then there are the car models....my goodness. No, it's not a nice thing to damage your vehicle, but the damage modelling is incredible. I slammed into a fence at 70 mph and my passenger door would no longer close, flapping open like a broken metal wing whenever I took a hard turn. I took a jump way too fast and blew two tires upon landing, and my car spent the rest of the run on the rims, spraying sparks in all directions and making a wince-inducing, all-too-real grinding noise. I had to fight just to keep my car on the road, but I still managed to eke out a first-place finish by two tenths of a second. Whew! It was as intense as a platinum-medal PGR race, or screaming at full-boost against traffic in Burnout.

After all this praise, what negatives can I possibly come up with? Well, given the nature of rally racing, the game can get a bit repetitive during extended sessions, and gets rather unforgiving as you progress to higher difficulties. No in-game music is a slight hit as well, although I really don't think I'd use it much if given the option - too busy listening to the nav's directions and the engine gear-shifting purposes. And besides a scoreboard, there's no online support at all - a real shame for a game this finely tuned. But hey, at $20, you really can't complain too much.

I went back and forth between 4 and 5 stars for this rating, and ultimately decided on five because the amount and quality of game you get for the price is a gift from Codemasters to U.S. gamers everywhere. And I fully admit that if CMR04 had been anything more expensive than twenty bucks, I would more than likely have passed it by.

Thank goodness things turned out the way they did. Colin McRae Rally 04 is easily my gaming surprise of the year so far, and has opened my eyes to a genre and sport that I previously didn't care about.

Best rally racer ever

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: April 15, 2004
Author: Amazon User

So what if the real Colin McRae hasn't been crowned champion of the World Rally Championship since 1995? In the virtual world, his rally racing series gets better with each release, constantly earning him champion of off-road action. Number four improves many aspects of its predecessor, resulting in, once again, a near perfect drive. Rally racing is perhaps the black sheep of the speed world. You don't drive in circles, you compete against the clock, and you have a navigator sitting next to you. The true challenge is maneuvering on ruggedly narrow roads that twist and curve through mountains, forests, and canyons in all types of weather conditions. It's a hair-raising experience fit for any outdoor racing fan. This year's McRae Rally finally makes you more accountable for the damage taken to your car. Slide too much, and your tires can blow. Dent the body, and the aerodynamics are shot. Scrape too low to the ground, and small rocks will stop you in your tracks. A limited amount of time to fix car ailments as well as determining vehicle adjustments that can shave off seconds create a more realistic feel to the game. The gas-guzzlers-there's a good selection of two-wheel-drive, four-wheel-drive, and classic-but-now-banned cars to choose from-all perform well, too. Just be prepared to slip and slide if you're not used to drifting through turns. Visually, Rally 04 looks much better than in previous versions. The environments are more detailed with a special attention to realistic road conditions, such as variations of mud, gravel, asphalt, and snow. Cars slowly get grimy as you progress, and vehicle damage looks genuine. The sounds, though sparse, add to the game's authentic experience. Your navigator steadily calls out the road bumps ahead, while the constant hum of the engine never goes off-key. Rally 04 has some minor setbacks , though. Although the game carries the name of a real rally racer, none of the tracks are real, and it doesn't feel like you're racing in a rally championship where you'd see crowds of spectators on every side cheering you on. Some stages seem bland and without depth, too. Still, these are all just minor grievances. They can be easily overlooked, especially if you're paying only $20 for this quality racing game

The best Rally by far

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: May 10, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game is excellent, I don't know what everybody complains about. This is the best Rally game so far that is out. It has excellent graphics and the realism is great. The course details are amazing as are the car details and the damage is realistic. I'd highly recommend this game for any racer and for the price, it's a steal. 5 stars in my book.

Real Rally Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: September 27, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The best single player rally game I have played. If you're familiar with the WRC this game is the most realistic rally game out there. The multiplay does suck, but that's because real ralling is not run against other people, its run against the terrain and against the clock. If you like nascar ( driving in circles ) don't buy this game, if you like the WRC then this is the game for you.

Great game for $20

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: July 12, 2004
Author: Amazon User

At first, I was a bit scepticle of this game, being that it was $20. Normally, cheap games that are new suck. But this game is an exception. The graphics, amazing. The damage modeling is the best I have ever seen. When you are flying throungh the rain and you see little things like rain that goes to the top of the windshield, your jaw will drop. The gameplay is also great. If you do not choose the right car setup, your flying all over. Probably the only downfall of this game is that after beating all of the championships, it can get a little boring. The mutliplayer also isnt all that good. But this game still rocks. If you are a rally fan, this game is a must buy.

EXCELLENT!!!!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: February 23, 2008
Author: Amazon User

SELLER WAS A PLEASURE TO BUY FROM AND THEIR CAUSE IS A GREAT CAUSE. CHECK THEM OUT. PRODUCT WAS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE WITH NO PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED IN THE GAME PLAY. PRODUCT WAS EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED AND QUICK DELIVERY TO BOOT!!!! THANKS AND MAY GOD BLESS YOUR CAUSE

The best rally game hands down!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: March 08, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Before this game i liked rally sport games but never really couuld get into them like colin mcrae 04 this game is addicting and the graphics are incredible. Hands down m favorite rally game ever.

Unmatched.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: December 04, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I just recently purchased an Xbox 360, and when I found out that the Colin McRae Rally series was available for the Xbox, I had to get it.
I have Colin McRae Rally 2004 and 2005 for my PC. I played these games on my PC for quite some time, but the Graphic is Unmatched compared to the Xbox version. I can't wait to get Colin McRae Rally 2005. I have played so many rally games since I got into gaming, but by far, this is the best rally game I have played on any console, for the exception of Dirt, which is unmatched in Graphics. The other reason I love this game so much is the gameplay. It's not like other rally games where you are racing against other cars. This game gives you the real simulation feel of rally Racing, which is what true rally fans want. I have played the Sega Rally Series, and the rally challenge series, and these games lack realism. As a true rally fan, I want to race against time in different weather conditions. This game give me the feeling as a rally driver, which other rally games lack. I recommend this game for anyone who is looking for a game which has a real WRC feeling to it. I am Hooked. Good job Codemasters.

omfg

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 11
Date: March 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

this game its like form other world it raly good its like grang turismo4 but only for rally

this its the best rally game really good buy it

Racing...but different.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: August 25, 2006
Author: Amazon User

If you are ready for a different racing game challenge, this game is for you. Of the "rally" type games, it has the best marriage of challenge, graphics and overall gameplay. One frustration was the menu navigation. It seems that you have to complete three rallies before you can re-save the awards/points to your profile. Otherwise, a great racing game for those bored with yet another installment of "Test Drive" or Need for Speed. Not for those who enjoy contact and swapping paint with other cars...all modes are "solo". You are eseentially competing against yours and others best times. Great for testing your driving skills but not neceassarily as satisfying on a primal level as smashing a competitor through a gaurdrail!

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