The best ever part of the Colin series

If athletes age, they face an employment problem: Let them grill equipment peddle as the ex-boxer George Foreman? Or would you prefer as skiing star Hansi Hinterseher take a radical brain profession like folk music Moderators? Or as Tony Hawk and Colin McRae lend its name to a successful franchise? I argue for the latter, finally Tony and Colin are great for sports titles. Colin McRae: Dirt is on the starting line, tuned graphically class and gameplay is the sixth series of the best ever.

Colin McRae: Dirt is a real eye-catcher. The in-house Neon engine dominates small details on the cars as well as sweeping landscapes. Especially in the race repeats allows the graphics to flex its muscles: Each chrome detail, every smudge can be seen on the cars as they fight, for example, in endless switchbacks on the Spanish coast. Even in seemingly minor details, the developers have spent itself. In the cockpit you can even see how the passenger turns the pages his Bible with the track data from time to time. The ultra-hip and yet clear menus are as almost self-evident.

A few downer there with all the optics Jubelei but: The edge of the track is mostly populated sparsely, really many viewers do not seem to attract the rally events. Even otherwise, has little going off-piste. Antics as the helicopters from Sega Rally missing. We also miss proper rain or ice racing. The sky is cloudy worst times, the road slightly wet. Cloudbursts or even snow are missing completely! But that does not change the excellent overall impression, Colin McRae: Dirt is next to the Xbox 360 Project Gotham Racing 4 rage the prettiest next-gen racing game.

Okay, the graphics are good. But what's with Colin McRae: Dirt because now under the hood? Finally, stands and falls a rally title with the realistic driving physics, and you do not see on screen shots or in the trailers! One thing first: Although now the behavior of the four wheels is calculated individually and not the whole car, physics in any of the five levels of difficulty is 100 percent real. Good thing, because Codemasters has rather focused on finding a balance between credibility and fun - and they succeeded. After a few rounds you have in the lower two stages the cars under control and zirkelt skillfully around the curves. In the higher levels of difficulty the cars break more easily and take more damage, but even here the driving behavior is always understandable: If the truck makes a departure into the ditch, you always know exactly why.

Who has a car knows the: Even minor bump left its mark in the paint. In Colin McRae: Dirt does not remain after small scratches, depending on speed and accident opponents (tree, guardrail, rock) fly you ever entire body parts around the ears. In low levels, the damage usually have only optical effects, in higher it affects significantly to performance and handling. Who his engine rams for example on a rock, does not need to be surprised if the truck is no longer draws correctly. If your chassis and wheels beaten, you can only cautiously eggs around curves, accompanied by matching rumble effects (only Xbox 360). In a departure route with total loss is in any case completely closing.

The highlight for the new Colin: Not only your car, the route takes damage. So you can, for example, bypassed or move smaller signs, advertising boards or other road boundaries. But if you invest you with more stable obstacles like barriers, these remain realistic dented by the end of the race. This does not playful, but creates a lot of atmosphere.

Have you been wondering why in Colin McRae: Dirt Rally the word does not occur? The solution: your curves not only in the classic Subarus and Toyotas through the pampas, but also for example with the buggies and Pick Up's the American CORR racing series. Those who like three numbers like larger, commanded ton MAN trucks and tractors. The necessary vehicle you buy you with the earned money at Siegen. The higher the difficulty, the more coal beckons. Rally purists may interfere with this distraction from the essential, for petrol normal racing player she is, however welcome change. But do not worry, a lot of the 66 races in the career mode are classic rally routes.

Professional pilots not settle for the default settings satisfactory, but screw before each race to its box. You can adjust as toe and camber, change the spoiler and tune the gear. Annoying, however, is that you can choose no type of tire. This lacks a tactical decision, especially on lines with mixed covering.

Arg puny Codemasters the multiplayer mode is advised: While driving up to eight opponents at the same time on a track, but only the times are compared. You never get the enemy (or at least Ghosts) to face - weak! Here the race with buggies and trucks had yet offered for dashing duel. There is information about your kilometers traveled, the longest jumps, or the longest drifts into the loading pauses.

Conclusion: At first I was disappointed: after a few hours I had completed the lower rungs of the career. Then Colin attracts, reach the top only professionals or players who turn down the difficulty level. Because Codemasters has managed to make the title for beginners and advanced skiers interesting. The former are pleased with success, the latter enjoy the physics. The graphics are great, the damage modeling realistic and the driving behavior exemplary. Well, the race with the Brummis dampen the fun racing a little, because this is not the degree of perfectionism offer as the rest of the game. Otherwise, the new Colin-part leaves every amateur racers but ecstatically clapping their hands. The licensed cars and tracks well plugged ensure action-packed fun.

Positive
- More than 60 detailed routes
- Stunning graphics with great foresight
- Very motivating career mode
- Over 50 beautiful cars
- Stylish cockpit perspective
- Strong exhaust note
- More than 50 hours of gameplay
- Good and precise passenger announcements

Negative
- Weak multiplayer mode
- Some racing competitions act not mature
- Music, unfortunately only during the replays

Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 9/10
Gameplay: 10/10
Control: 10/10
Circumference 10/10

Fun: 90%