Colin McRae Rally
- July 29, 2014
- Codemasters Digital
- 301h median play time
"Colin McRae Rally is a racing game that offers 30 exhilarating off-road stages across Australia, Greece, and Corsica. Drive four legendary rally cars, including Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI, with precise control and pace notes read by a professional co-driver. This immersive experience brings the classic PlayStation title to life on PC and Mac."
Reviews
- Nostalgic experience for fans of the original Colin McRae Rally series.
- Decent graphics and sound for a mobile port.
- Fun arcade-style gameplay that can be enjoyable in short bursts.
- This is a poor mobile port, lacking the depth and content of the original games.
- Limited car selection and tracks, with only four cars and three countries available.
- Controls and physics are unresponsive and frustrating, making the game feel unrealistic.
- graphics113 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the nostalgic charm and decent car models, while others criticize them as outdated and poorly optimized, resembling a mobile port rather than a modern title. Many users noted issues such as low-resolution textures, simplistic environments, and inconsistent performance, leading to a general consensus that the graphics do not meet contemporary standards. Overall, while some find the graphics acceptable for a budget title, others express disappointment, especially given the game's remastered status.
“Regarding the graphics, the car models exhibit accuracy and faithfully represent their real-life counterparts.”
“The graphics sure do look good, I love the retro style it has but it also keeps it fresh and modern in a way; the HUD is spot on and very clean looking.”
“For this arcade version, I have my screen and game set to 1920 by 1080 and it's pretty good graphics.”
“The graphics are absolute dogshit; two bushes are identical, one will let you drive through it, while the other will cause your car to come to a complete stop or even launch you into the air.”
“Awful graphics, dull gameplay, AI isn't challenging, few cars; it's like a mobile game converted to PC.”
“The graphics are horrible (I understand it's a mobile game port, but if you can't place a single 3D tree...)”
- gameplay36 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Colin McRae Rally has been widely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many reviewers noting that it feels like a poorly executed mobile port rather than a fully realized PC game. Players have described the mechanics as clunky and unresponsive, with frustrating collision detection and repetitive track layouts that detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the nostalgic elements, the consensus is that the game falls short of expectations, making it difficult to recommend, especially when compared to more modern racing titles.
“Quite the throwback I had while playing this game... even though it isn't the original Colin McRae Rally game from our youth (I had mine on a floppy disk), it has nice gameplay, and the championship mode will keep you entertained for hours.”
“Colin McRae Rally came out in 2013, the feel of the race is more like arcade and the option settings look the same way but the physics and gameplay are on point; I still recommend this game.”
“Fantastic gameplay.”
“The gameplay gives off a sense of being half-baked, and it becomes evident that the game was originally designed for mobile platforms before being ported to the PC.”
“In comparison to other racing games that preceded it, Colin McRae Rally fails to measure up in terms of gameplay complexity and overall engagement.”
“The whole game is nerfed to no end, it lacks proper control settings, it lacks car settings before stages, it lacks modes, it lacks cars, hell it even lacks gameplay.”
- optimization12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs well on lower-end hardware and offers decent performance, players criticize the driving mechanics and road profiling as poorly executed. The lack of fine-tuning options for car performance and inconsistent co-pilot cues detract from the overall experience, leading some to recommend waiting for a significant discount before purchasing. Overall, it is noted for being light on resources but lacking in depth and polish.
“Compared to other rally games these days, this is the only one that gives a stellar performance without the need for high-end or newer graphic cards.”
“So let's say you have an NVIDIA GT540M like me, or if you only have Intel HD, you can play this by just setting the performance to low.”
“This is a light game with decent graphics and performance.”
“It's not that the graphics are outdated, but the mechanics are terrible: randomly throwing you 360 flips from jumps with lower speed, inconsistent signs, and the driving is poorly optimized.”
“Too easy, rather bad road profiling (looks like a plain with some bumpy function to simulate something), co-pilot is sometimes too soon or very late... do not buy unless on heavy discount... for a mobile port, it has really poor optimization.”
“Car damage does affect performance, but the scaled-back repair interface takes away most of the decisions in choosing what to fix between stages.”
- stability11 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of glitches such as invisible walls, freezing issues, and buggy menus, leading to a frustrating experience for many players. While some users have not encountered significant issues in the early stages, the overall consensus is that the game suffers from severe stability problems, detracting from its enjoyment.
“This game makes me so mad due to the invisible walls and glitches.”
“But it does this weird thing where it freezes for 3-4 seconds and then starts for another 10 seconds before crashing.”
“This game is buggy as hell, and a complete ripoff.”
- monetization9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been heavily criticized for being a blatant cash grab, misleadingly marketed as a remaster of the classic Colin McRae Rally series while actually being a ported mobile game. Reviewers express frustration over the deceptive advertising and the game's failure to meet expectations, highlighting a growing concern about exploitative practices in the gaming industry.
“It's an obvious cash grab.”
“It falls very short of expectations and just a cash grab using a name that has been long sullied.”
“This is a disgusting cash grab for the nostalgia that the original holds for many people.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often described as unintentional, with players finding amusement in its outdated mechanics and the absurdity of the AI's performance. The game's quirky elements, such as a car that can fly based on its "humor," add to the comedic experience, though some players feel the novelty wears off as they progress. Overall, the humor is a mix of nostalgia and the game's inherent flaws, making it entertaining for those who appreciate its charm.
“The menu size is hilarious.”
“The AI is so hilariously fake.”
“First, the AI is humorously slow; on my very first attempt, I beat them by a minute and a half.”
- music8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding the menu music unappealing and the overall soundtrack repetitive and boring after extended play. While a few users enjoy playing with their own music in the background, others appreciate the game's ability to serve as a relaxing backdrop. Overall, there is a consensus that the soundtrack could use improvement.
“Sometimes I spend my night playing this game while blasting music through my headphones.”
“I could have worked a bit more on the soundtrack though, and I miss the Toyota Corolla!”
“I turned off all the sounds in the settings after 5 minutes into the game, but I played some music from my PC's playlists so that I don't get bored while playing.”
“Music is repetitive and boring after 2 hours.”
“So I bought it, launched it, and first 'shock', the soundtrack in the menu is not the one I know. Whatever, I'm not here for that; I want to play.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users find the grinding aspect of the game to be highly frustrating, as it simulates the unpleasant sound of gears grinding almost immediately during gameplay, particularly when driving a Ford Focus. This auditory experience detracts from the overall enjoyment and immersion of the racing experience.
“Not only that, but one minute into a race, even if you haven't hit anything or gone over any jumps, it starts making the most aggravating sound of gears grinding.”
“Accurately simulates driving a Ford Focus right down to the horrible grinding noise heard when the car is in motion.”
- story3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's story is criticized for lacking depth and engagement, with users expressing disappointment over its absence of a meaningful narrative or clear objectives. Instead of a traditional rally experience, players find themselves in a game that feels more like a collection of races without a cohesive storyline.
“There is no real story or goals.”
“The narrative feels disjointed and lacks coherence.”
“Character development is shallow, making it hard to connect with anyone.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is visually appealing, evoking a nostalgic charm, but some players find it lacking in engagement and depth, particularly at the start. Issues with clunky controls and a limited selection of cars and stages contribute to a sense of boredom for some users.
“The game feels boring and lacks atmosphere, with clunky controls. I know it's an older title, but it still falls short with only a few cars and stages.”
“The overall atmosphere is dull and uninspired, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“There is a noticeable absence of atmosphere, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers indicate that the game has minimal content, featuring only a few different rallies, which significantly limits its replayability. Despite attempts to enhance the gameplay experience, many players feel unmotivated to revisit the game.
“The amount of content is minimal, with just a few different rallies, and there is no replay value at all.”
“Even after adjusting the setup of controls to make it more playable, I found I just couldn't be bothered.”