The feel of the driving is what earned the McRae series its reputation, and the controls remain impeccable in this PS2 edition. When cars handle with such crisp responsiveness, you don’t have to be a rally fan in the slightest to appreciate why this is such an exciting ride. The graphics and sounds transition smoothly from the Xbox, which still has the overall edge in the looks department. But these PS2 visuals are still plenty impressive, particularly the awesome damage modeling, lighting, and particle effects. The audio continues to be a bit on the quiet side as the action is paced only by the whine of engines and your co-driver’s helpful but dry navigation advice. The tracks themselves offer plenty of variety and challenge, ranging from the snowy vistas of Sweden to the parched outback of Australia. A Championship mode lets you race multiple seasons as McRae himself, but unfortunately, it’s pretty limited. You can only race as McRae, and when you complete a season, next year’s calendar is identical to the last, so it’s a little hard to be motivated to stick with the game after that. However, powersliding through at least one season is still an awesome experience for race fans. And if even that’s too much for you, this game’s at least worth renting for a weekend to experience its tight handling.
