Colin McRae Impressions

Although the game is already available in Europe, Codemasters USA is still putting the finishing touches on Colin McRae Rally for the US. As its name implies, the game is graced by the talent of Colin McRae, a renowned Rally champion in Europe, who helped the development team ensure that the game is an accurate representation of the sport.

The version we played seemed nearly complete and featured all of the game's 48 tracks across eight countries. We got a chance to drive around in a Suburu Impreza on two courses in New Zealand and one in France. While the graphics can't be considered state of the art, they're rock solid for a racing game. The car handled a little skittish at first, but after a minute familiarizing ourselves with its characteristics, we were able to tear through the courses without any trouble. We also drove around in a powerful Toyota Celica and a temperamental Renault. Colin McRae Rally will ship with 12 cars in all, some of which will only be available by unlocking them in later levels. All these cars will have a complex damage system, which not only affects the handling of the vehicle, but also visually batters the cars'bodies.

Colin McRae Rally is set to arrive on US shores April 4 of this year. We'll have a full review of the game that week, but in the meantime, take a look at these screenshots.