Colin McRae Rally 3.0 (PS2/Xbox)

By JON MINIFIE

(Herald rating: * * * * * )

In preparing for the series' first appearance on the next-gen consoles, Codemasters spent a year with McRae and his Ford team. They seem to have discovered there is more to rallying than driving flat out and flinging mud.

In the first rally RPG, players enter a championship (playing as McRae) and feel the highs and lows of an international season.

This is known as Championship Mode and requires perseverance and skill. For the more impatient, there are rudimentary quick-race options, time-trials and split-screen for multiplayer.

The highly challenging feel of the game is still there. Maintaining the preferred racing line while cornering will take some getting used to, especially with the insane speeds and tapered tracks.

When I emailed McRae to ask about his involvement in the new game, he replied that he'd focused on the handling of the car. "I have commented on the car, the tracks, surfaces, how the car behaves, etc. [Co-driver] Nicky Grist has written pace notes for every stage to make sure the game is as accurate as possible."

The game takes players to Australia, Finland, Japan, Spain and Britain, driving on gravel, dirt, mud and tarmac on fictitious tracks. Remarkable new visual and weather effects make driving an exciting, almost harrowing experience.

Serious damage causes the loss of a panel or door, often revealing Grist clinging on for dear life.

The advancement to PS2 has helped the look of the series, with much sharper textures on the cars and backdrops, and a more impressive draw distance. Colin McRae Rally 3.0 will be released simultaneously for the PS2 and the Xbox early next month.

$129.95

jon@tenthplanet.co.nz