Colin McRae has stepped up only on the Xbox this year, and the difference is refreshing. Last season the visuals were decent, but for the Xbox, less than expected. This was mainly due from being a port off the PlayStation 2 version, which doesn’t quite have the lighting or texture quality that the Xbox is capable of. This year is a different story. Gone are the jaggies, poor textures, and fake-time lighting. You now have a Rally game on the Xbox that not only rivals RalliSport Challenge in visuals, but also blows it away in game play. It’s not just the little things either that make Colin a joy to look at either. The damage physics are astounding and are shown in multiple layers. Bumpers will bend, sides will cave in, and windshields will shatter, all in such a pretty way. The weather effects are brilliant, and in cockpit view, you get the “up close and personal” view of a mud, rain, or snow covered windshield. Colin even kept up with its great sense of speed while beefing up the visuals as well. The environments are huge and detailed, with plenty of off road scenery to explore. Topping it all off is a great assortment of Rally cars from different licensing corporations. The package is complete, it’s beautiful, and it runs at a silky smooth frame rate too boot.

Audio is very genuine, if not to say rather dull. That isn’t really a bad thing, as in real rally races you don’t hear much but the ambient sounds and your vehicle. True to life, there is no in game music, so don’t expect to load your custom soundtracks. This may turn off some folks, but let’s face it; Rally racers don’t have radios in their cars, so why have the option here? The game’s sound effects are authentic, from the gravel under your tires, backfiring from your muffler, to the authentic engine sounds, Colin may sound boring to some arcade race fans, but this isn’t arcade racing. I actually like the simulation aspects and the sounds just make the game feel all the more bona fide.

The Colin McRae series has always had top-notch game play, and this year it just gets better. Controls are tighter, sliding and environmental effects are accurate, and the A.I. makes accomplishing qualifying times tough to reach this season. Keeping the game valid, you race in a solo affair against other racer’s times that ran the heats before you. This is true in real life, and I love that it stays accurate here as well. Sometimes the race times are so incredible, you wonder if Colin himself actually ran some of the heats as you must hit every turn, short cut, and hazard like a pro to be successful. This is easily the toughest of the Colin McRae titles I’ve played, and I love the fact I’m white knuckled after every race.

Colin 04 added a few new options on top of its deep career mode. First off, the career itself this year is new, as you aren’t just playing as Colin, you get to create yourself and race as a new contender. This was one thing that hurt last year’s game, as you could only be Colin, but this year you can choose your own profile, vehicle, etc. to be your own wheelman. Added this year is the ability to play multiplayer in every game mode, which can be fun with up to 4 friends. Next year Codemasters, I’m begging for online play…please! This year on the other hand you just have scoreboards. Added also this year are the new mini games. These will allow you to test and earn car upgrades and parts to enhance your vehicle’s performance. There are over 52 stages in the game, spanning over 8 countries, each looking more impressive than the last. To say the least, you won’t be completing Colin McRae 04 in any short amount of time.

Like Rally racing or not, you must play Colin McRae 04 once, just to see what all the hype is about. If you’re a fan, you’re in for another great ride. Either way, Colin McRae 04 is the best Rally game on the market, bar none.