Colin McRae Rally 2

The graphics are unbeatable for the Playstation and are eye-popping. All of the details on Colin's and the other cars are very accurate.

The gameplay is exceptional. CMR2 now features Arcade mode for an extra option than just Rally mode. The track selection in Arcade mode ranges in difficulty, and a few secret tracks will also become available after winning championships.

Rally mode is even better than the first CMR with a very wide selection of rallies with the same 9 stages for each rally.

Basically, there aren't any serious drawbacks. The control will be loose because it's a rally car. And in the WRC, there is no such thing as a racing line. So everything's about sliding.

Without any doubt, It's definitely a must-buy and makes a great gift to an international motorsports fan.


Finally, the best gets better   January 8, 2001
 13 out of 14 found this review helpful

Colin McRae was, IMHO, the best rally game ever made. Beating the pants off of Sega Rally by providing a much more realistic driving game, with more diverse environments, better cars, realistic car physic and a fun-factor that just could not be denied. Well, about the time Codemasters managed to get the first Colin McRae game over to the USA, Colin McRae 2 was already on the horizon in the UK. Now we Yankees can enjoy the pinnacle of rally games for ourselves, and Codemasters outdid themselves with this top-rank unbelievably fun game.

The basic game engine remains mostly intact, which is great since the first installment was tops in its field. Multiple racing surfaces, a variety of turns, and the ability to adjust car settings to reflect the gamer's preference all add up to a solid foundation. The graphics are improved, with many more colors popping up in this one. Just one look at McRae's new Ford Focus (bye bye Subaru Impreza) will clue you in to how the look has been sharpened , emboldened, and solidified.

The locations remain mostly the same, and the car roster is adequate to represent the true field along with the drivers that race them. The navigator's lingo has changed, but regardless of first impressions, it is a change for the better. Where before you would be warned of a curve's severity and possibly some dangers, this time your chatterbox navigator gives you the estimated distance until the curve, the suggested gear to take the corner with, and warning of ditches, rocks, or other obstacles of the turn, along with dips, hills, and jumps. The new navigation takes a race or 2 to acclimate to, but once you've learned it, you will wonder how you ever got along without it.

The tracks are more flavorful this time around, with rocks strewn on the sides frequently, along with more ditches, outcroppings, and muddy ruts. The damage model is quite fun, as taking a turn to loose and striking your car's rear on a tree might result in one side or the other of your bumper scraping the ground for the remainder of the race. The exhaust also gets the detail treatment this time, with all the popping in the turns as you would expect.

The menus have been completely changed, and highly stylized to fit in with the overall modernish feel of the package. It is much easier to manuever around the various menus this time, and loading times have been cut to get to the race quicker. An "arcade" mode has been added, no doubt a result of the hue and cry resultant from gamers buying Colin McRae Rally 1 and expecting to race head-to-head in the first installment, but being disappointed at the absence of such a mode.

And now that CM2 has an arcade mode, there is really nothing left to improve. Literally. This is the perfect rally game. Novices will enjoy the head-to-head arcade mode, while previous McRae alumni will delight in the new look, the same solid feel, and the many tweak improvements that make 2.0 such a hands-down winner. I will say it again: this is the perfect rally game. No others need apply.


PPB Rally Fan in Boston   January 3, 2001
 5 out of 6 found this review helpful

Colin McRae 2 is a great game. My comparisons are to V-Rally 2 which is also available for playstation. It appears that the physics of car motion in CM2 are slightly more realisting to VR2 and the crashes/damage is more realistic. In straight Rally mode, where it's you against the clock, CM2 has the edge. Where CM2 really loses is in it's arcade mode where you can race against others head to head. The car lacks any "feeling" and slides around too much. This is where VR2 is much better. VR2 has a "Trophy" mode which retains the realistic characteristics available in rally mode but allows you to race head to head with others.

The Verdict: If you are interested in realistic Rally Mode with damage, etc, racing solo on track against other drivers' times, CM2 is the way to go. If you do a lot of racing with buddies, or like racing against other cars on track, VR2 is better.