Games Thursday : Colin McRae Rally 2005 Demo Impressions
I’ve been a fan of rally racing games for the PC after playing Colin McRae Rally 2.0 (CMR 2.0) years ago. It was probably the first racing game that I actually played for months at end because 4WD rally cars were easier to drive and tended to spin less frequently. Each stage was a individual event which meant you competed to beat the time record alone instead of competing with other drivers at time.
Colin McRae Rally 2005 continues this fine tradition with more cars, more stages and of course more visual eye candy. Gameplay-wise, it’s nearly the same as CMR 2.0 (I missed out on CMR 3 and CMR 04 because my computer back then was crap), but it’s now only USD 9.99 as a digital download on GOG.com so you might want to give the demo a test drive.
The demo contains three stages to race in – a gravel/mud stage in th UK (Gwyddelwern), a tarmac/gravel stage in Germany (Niederlauterbach) and a snow/ice stage in Sweden (Hjalmarson). Two 4WD cars (Peugeot 206 and Toyota Celica GT4) and the classic RWD Lancia Stratos are available in the demo with an additional 31 other cars in the full game.
Aesthetically speaking, the car and damage modelling is way ahead of CMR 2.0 and the mud and rain on your windscreen when you drive around with the in-car camera is really impressive.
The graphics for the tracks themselves are a mixed bag though as most objects are 3D while others are still unmistakably 2D – the biggest eyesore being the sprites for the cheering crowds – which jar the immersion facto quite a bit. You’ll probably not notice these graphical niggles when you’re hurtling along narrow forest dirtpaths at full speed with the responsive controls though 
The improved detail of each stage is not only in terms of visual quality but also translates to additional complexity for the player. You’ll really need to listen carefully to your co-driver/navigator as he reads out the turns ahead since some of the turns aren’t visible from the in-car view until you fly off the track 
Like its predecessors, the only music is the whine of high powered engines and the crackle of dirt being ignited by the hot exhaust fumes when you slow down. Besides, you need to concentrate on driving and pay attention to your navigator
Download the demo for Colin McRae Rally 2005 (cnet.com mirror) or buy the full game at GOG.com.
MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
Flatout Demo Impressions
Subaru, Mitsubishi & Citronen Rally Car Wallpapers
Colin McRae: DIRT / DIRT: Colin McRae Off-Road Wallpapers & Screenshots
Motorstorm : Pacific Rift Wallpapers
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nice review Roy!
the last PC rally game I’ve played is Microsoft rallisport challenge,
which have a unique race stage on ice.
Seeing those lancia stratos screenshot, make me remember the good old days of sega rally
Ice stages are really hell if you don’t know yur car well – i love the gravel/dirt tracks – you can go really fast if you’ve practiced enough.
Ahh, the Lancia Stratos, pretty to look at but damn difficult to drive if you’re been spoiled by the 4WDs
I don’t think I’ve ever completed a single track with the Stratos.