Colin McRae Rally 04 Critic Reviews

The best Rally game on the market, bar none.

The truly amazing thing here is that the game is only $19.99, a ridiculously low price for such a solid game.

As a standalone product it’s wonderful and offers (save for an official license) everything a rally fan would desire: brilliant handling, sumptuous visuals, deformable cars and much more besides. But if you’ve played the last game to death there may not be enough of a difference to make you want to buy it.

With high frame rates that won't quit, 52 stages set across eight different countries, an impressive array of environmental effects, multiplayer options in every mode, and all of the strengths of past installments of this series, Colin McRae Rally 04 is a worthwhile pick for any avid Xbox racing enthusiast.

It boasts so many new gameplay modes that any review is in danger of reading like a press release.

Visually, Rally 04 looks much better than previous versions.

Quite possibly the best rally racing game available for the Xbox thus far, Colin McRae Rally 04 is the game to buy if you’re looking for rally racing done right.

Simply a great pickup if you like rally racing games or racing games in general. The only huge blunders are no music and the lack of Live online play.

Minus the online racing, Colin McRae 04 is a flawless video game replication of rally racing. The graphics, car physics and attention to detail are on par with any console racer currently on store shelves.

You musn't let the budget price tag fool you into thinking the game is in any way lackluster. Colin McRae Rally 04 is every bit as good as its most recent predecessor, and in many ways, it's quite a bit better.

The car selection is by far not as spectacular as the one in games like "Gran Turismo 3," but I can say for sure that the car feel is awesome, even with a regular controller.

Everyting we've always loved about the series, stunning graphics and marvelous physics, is still there and worth the price of admission. It's not as feature-rich as the upcoming "Rallisport Challenge 2," but you're getting a well-made and entertaining game for the price.

Racing fans interested in a quick fix of adrenaline probably won't find what they're looking for in McRae 04, but autophiles will adore the game for its physics, handling, and depth of play.

Whether the criteria is length, diversity, excitement, or challenge, I know no better courses than those in this game.

Those that are hardcore and want a no-frills title with great execution of what really matters in rally, then jump in your recee and high-tail it down to your local gaming store.

And think about this, it's $20; a tank of gas, the price of a DVD. You don't get a game of this quality for $20 unless it's been out for a year. It's got awesome graphics, and it's still that Colin McRae super gameplay.

Along with top-notch handling and car physics, you'll find a meaty championship mode, wicked terrain, and dazzling weather effects (tackling the Japan course during a torrential downpour is especially impressive) under McRae's hood.

The speed and control in Colin McRae Rally 04 is unbelievably noticeable.

This is officially a budget title. Despite its small problems and lack of online play, that’s just insane. This is a well-rounded game that would still be recommended if it cost full fare, so race to the store and pick up a copy before they come to their senses and sell it for what it’s worth.

The best game ever launched at $19.99? Most assuredly.