Colin McRae Rally 04 – Platinum (PlayStation 2)

Colin McRae is no longer with Ford and Nicky Grist is no longer Colin’s co-driver. Things have moved on in the rally-driving world, as they have with this, the fourth title in the series. This time the player is in the vehicle of their choice.

While the game features improved graphics over the older titles in the series the biggest improvement is the handling in the game, which is now based on real-world physics. Where the previous titles’ handling of the cars made use of one pivot point, the new physics engine has four pivot points, each wheel interacting independently of the others.

There are four championships modes: 2WD, 4WD, Group B and Expert. 2WD is for beginners. 4WD is the next step up, offering an intermediate challenge. Group B features cars from the ’80s that were banned in 1986, as they were unrestricted and capable of extreme acceleration. And finally, Expert is for those that finish 4WD in advanced mode, upon which they are presented with Expert mode where one drives with cockpit view only, and with the highest damage setting.

There are 8 national rallies in which to race, including USA, Australia, UK, Finland, Japan and Greece. There are also over 20 cars to unlock, including the Team Ford Transit van.