Sometimes, you start playing a game and realise that reinforcements wouldn't be a bad idea. It's an experience that will be endured by anyone who tries to tackle Colin McRae Rally 04 without the appropriate equipment. Sat at your PC, attempting to become the world's greatest rally driver using keyboard controls simply isn't going to cut it. No, to truly get the best out of the game, you need a good controller; preferably a steering wheel.

The reason? Because to the less experienced, keyboard-based gamer, Colin McRae Rally 04 can be really unforgiving. Certainly those with a love of driving into embankments and rolling down steep hills will have ample opportunity to enjoy their hobby. You won't get too far, though, if you want to win the numerous championships and races that the game offers.

To succeed in those you need discipline and measure. Make no mistake, Colin McRally 04 is a taxing game, but in this case all the better for it. Taking you across numerous courses and locations, the game rewards the player who genuinely concentrates on the drive in hand, who listens to the directions from the co-driver, and who knows when to use the accelerator and when to lay off. Naturally, all of these can lead to an overly cautious drive as well, and so balance is often the difference between success and failure.

We've covered the Xbox version before, and concluded that it's a superb rallying title that instantly lends itself to those who like their driving games straight and serious. The same applies here, and while it's irritating that the PC version is some six months behind, at least some enhancements have been put in place. Two in particular stand out.

First, the game is graphically astounding, and this is notably the finest-looking incarnation of the McRae franchise to date. From small damage details through to the many cars and terrains, this is the kind of game that gladdens the heart of your graphics card (assuming it's up to the job, of course). Second, the online and LAN options are strong (the latter allowing you to set up a local game of up to eight players), and offer a sound justification for the asking price.

But the real star is still the game at the heart of it. It's not without niggles, mind. The gameplay hasn't moved on much since the third title, and the learning curve for the rally game novice isn't particularly kind. Yet once you start to get into Colin McRae Rally 04 properly, you'll quickly conclude that it would be hard to find a better rally game on the PC. And that's for one simple reason: there isn't one.

Verdict
This is great stuff. A couple of minor points aside, this is a top class game, and the best rallying title on the PC to date.

Company: Codemasters

Tags: xbox rally game colin mcrae rally 04 personal computer dirt 3 racing video game codemasters