WRC3

Rallying, with its exotic locations, fast cars and dramatic crashes has been the subject of numerous video games. For the last three years Colin McRae has been duking it out with the WRC franchise. Find out if WRC3 cuts the mustard this year.

With the 2003 World Rally Championship having just drawn to a close, it's time to tackle the latest official game based on the season. Evo Studios third rally game is there best yet; it's packed with great graphics, engaging gameplay and a wealth of information. So, without further ado, lets get stuck in to the action.

On the car menu are videos, stats and the ability to explore the 3D model of the car with an exploded view or with all the doors open. At the country menu there is information on the location, surface types and a video with narration introducing the rally. On the stage page itself, one can view a map of the stages and see information on surface types and weather.

The stages themselves are blooming gorgeous. The WRC method of using satellite data to realistic topography has always looked good, but in WRC3 Evo Studios has perfected the process. While the two previous games pasted a road along some satellite data then added some objects – there was often a feeling of unreality in the stages, perhaps because they were a little sparse. Here the tracksides are packed with buildings, trees, quarries, logs, ski lifts, windmills etc. The stages often pass through towns or construction sites and the details are always appropriate and very attractive.

Much of this scenery is interactive. Simple wire and post fences can be knocked over, sturdier fences cannot. Road signs and small trees can be smashed through but big trees stand their ground wreck cars. Even heavy objects such as logs can be moved when hit with a rally car barrelling along at full chat. While the PS2 doesn't boast bump mapping, Evo Studios has managed to litter the road with small rocks that gives a convincing 3D texture to the proceedings. Overall, the texture work in the game is very good and there seem less examples of multiple texture repetition on walls and hillsides.

Each of the 14 rallies boasts nine stages, though some of these are just reversed stages. The average stage length is longer than the rival Colin McRae Rally 04 and there are many stages over 10 KM long. The stage design is great – they really do seem like real locations. One of the things added to this year's game is the plethora of junctions. These help create the impression of real locations with roads heading in all directions. For example, Stage Three at Monte-Carlo is breathtaking in its scope and variety of surfaces and locations.

Monte Carlo stage Three begins near a small town with a few sharp turns before heading across the river and into the hills. The stage rises until it is high enough for snow to appear on the roads. The road drops briefly into an alpine village with a street course laid out there, for some tight turns. Out of the town the climb begins again passed ski lifts and on to the stage finish. So many of the stages in the game had me mouthing a "Wow" as I ventured through them for the first time – the new 2003 location, Turkey, is particularly breathtaking.

The handling is almost perfect. Car control seems very believable and comfortable right away. It only takes a stage or two to get used to the handling, unlike WRC2, which seemed hell bent on throwing one's car off a cliff. There was also the lack of true analogue control in WRC2, this has been fixed and using the Dual Shock 2 sticks feels much better than its predecessor. Players can try out the new physics model on a large test track that features gravel and asphalt sections alongside an impressive skidpan used for donut fun.

The sound is particularly well constructed. The co driver is a little flat, but all the engine notes and mechanical rattles and squeaks sounds spot on. Mechanical damage such as a busted gearbox definitely make themselves known through the TV speakers. Primal Scream supplies all the music in the game, oddly enough. But most users will only hear than on the menus and during replays. One nicely authentic touch is that it's possible to hear the trackside marshal's blow their whistles as one's car comes close.