As soon as I got this game into my hands, I jammed it into my computer. Impatiently I waited until that last installation square appeared on my screen and clicked on that shiny new icon. After several intromovies the menu finally popped up. 'Career' mode? I bet I'll have to crank up my reputation there. I pick a car -with spoiler of course- and search without result at the tuning options. Oh well, let's race. I immediatly start searching for the nitrokey, and again, it's nowhere to be found. It's weird, but it also looks like it isn't possible to get my speed over 200km/h. As a final act I try to slam my car against a tree. No slowmotion replay, no extra points. And the damage remains! What on earth is going on? Oh, a 'serious' racegame you say? Hmm, it's been awhile...

Alright, I'm still hanging around in that career mode, so we'll just continue for now. Finally we are given the chance to be yourself, and not Colin McRae like in all the previous games. It's a bit of a disappointment that the Rally School hasn't been reanimated yet, it would have been perfect at the beginning of this mode. It's clear that the only thing you will be doing in this game is racing rallies, and that's that. When you start out, you are offered a VW Polo, a 2WD model, which you may enter the first 2WD cup with. Throughout the cups you'll get the chance to tune it up a bit. If you win a cup, you may test a part. If that is done like asked, you may keep that part. A bit more fun is the unlocking of a new car. With that new ride, as an example a 4WD model, you can continue to the next cup, a 4WD cup. As there are several models, there are also alot of cups so this game will keep you busy for quite some time. If this doesn't interest you, you can always prove your skills with the old playmodes. The Championshup, if you miss being Colin McRae, and Time Trial, mostly to challenge yourself.

It doesn't matter what mode it is, it's all about clocking a better time than the opponents. The first time I rode a rally, I tried to estimate every curve, brake a bit sooner, and then turn with caution. I never went full speed, to keep the control over my ride and stay on the track. Afterwards, when I was checking out my poor score -last in the ranking- I decided it was time for another tactic. I looked at my accelerationkey and just pressed it in. The whole track my finger stayed there. Every curve I flew out of, every sign next to the road died, but... I was third. Now that I got used to the speed a bit, and I don't miss my turns that often, I'm nearly alway the first. There is only one principle in this game: keep accelerating, no matter what. The realism is nowhere to be found in the gameplay, that's for sure.

When we take a look at the graphics of CMR5, they're beautiful. The cars are finished perfectly, first nice and shiny but after a race covered with durt and filth. As every self respecting rallygame should, the damage model is also superb. On the start, when I drove careful, my car didn't have a single bump, only a couple of scratches where I touched some tree for a second. When my new tactic emerged, I lost my bumpers, windows and headlights. There was also a small dent in the left door, which growed out to the whole left side after the following race. The environments are finished tiptop. There's a rally situated in Spain where the landscape was almost a copy from where I've been this vacation -in which I drove intro a cornfield when catching up memories. It isn't all perfect, like the audience who still consists out of flat sprites. Next to that I sometimes hit my car against a miniscule pole which brother I had driven over two meters before.

There isn't much variation with the sound, but it's a rallygame, so the constant low humming noise can't be called bad. But I am going to complain about our dearest friend, the copilot. The guy warned me for a 'sharp right' and I flew out the course when it turned a bit to the right. While my vehicle was laying on its roof between the trees, I was warned a 'straight through' was coming up. The confidence was gone and I'm ignoring him since.

The Colin McRae Rally series seriously need something new. This fifth part only realizes the same as its predecessors. Every new CMR is the very first game, without Rally School, but graphically much better. The new Career mode proves there's improvement coming, but at the moment it's just a very long Championship. Watch out, I'm not saying it's a bad game. In contrary, CMR5 does what it is best at and is finished perfectly. It's also stuffed with options, modes, cars and stages so it will be a long time before you get bored.
So here comes my conclusion. If you're looking for a realistic rallygame, pick Richard Burns Rally. If you're looking for a more relaxed, arcade rallygame, pick Colin McRae Rally 2005. You won't regret it.