| There are lots of rally games on
the market at the moment and the number is rising fast, but the best is back
to defend it's crown in it's first PS2 outing. |
|
Publisher: Codemasters
Developer: Codemasters
Players: 1-2
Release: September |
|
| In 1999, Colin McRae Rally
took the console rally sim to a new level. Codemasters bravely took the
risk and eliminated the on-screen competition, instead choosing to have
players race against the clock in an attempt to rise the realism level of
the genre. The risk paid off and Colin McRae Rally became the most
successful rally sim on the PSone. Colin McRae Rally 2.0 improved on
the original even more, and now Codemasters attempt to raise the realism bar
even higher in the latest version of the rally series, Colin McRae Rally
3.0. |
 |
To search for that extra realism
Codemasters have spent the last year following the Ford rally team around,
interviewing engineers and watching McRae and hi co-driver between stages. As
a result of this "Championship mode" was born, the main mode in the game.
In this mode you compete as Colin McRae in three successive world
championships. Unlike the other games it wont be game over if you don't
finish in say the top 6 at a certain stage, unless you get sacked by Ford
that is! You have to complete a set amount of rallies a year regardless if
your at the top or the bottom. If Ford aren't happy with you you'll find
yourself at the job centre. |
|
| Don't fancy the long
championship mode, well there are alternatives. |
 Split-Screen
Mode puts you and a friend against each others times. |
 Quick
Start Mode provides fast and easy access to a range of cars and courses for
one or two players. |
| Each rally starts with a view of
the service area, here you will see engineers preparing your car for the
next stage, you also see your co-driver relaxing nearby. As part of the
added realism you no longer have to tweak your own car between each
rally/stage, engineers do that for you. As market research has shown most
gamers don't bother spending ages tweaking their car, they just want to get
to the driving. However for those gamers who like to have control over
everything you can intervene and tweak you car yourself. |
 |
| When you have finished in the
service area, an animated sequence shows you driving down to the rally
start. The car in front heads off, then you move up to the start position
and await the green light. As well as this introductory FMV you will also
see one at each checkpoint and end of stage. Before each new event you get
the chance to practice first on a similar terrain to the forthcoming
challenge. |
