Forget what your 206-abusing, boy-racer mate Darren says, driving really fast along gravel-washed country roads is hard and is likely to give you a nasty case of whiplash and a bruised arse. But (and we hope you've worked this one out already) games aren't real life - the success of the Colin McRae series has always been down to its knack of turning something painfully difficult into a fiendishly enjoyable experience.

And so for a little bad news. If you were expecting a significant technical leap in the looks department, you're going to be a wee bit disappointed. The only major graphical difference between CMR2005 and its predecessor is that Japan looks more defined and colourful, but unless you've already laid down more than your fair share of rubber, you won't notice. In its defence though, the game boasts a new location, Germany - with its own look and special scenery - but a quick trip to the land of bier, lederhosen and bratwurst hardly qualifies as an advance in visual flair.

The lack of a spruce-up means that Colin McRae devotees will experience an odd feeling of deja vu, but it's not the end of the world as Colin McRae Rally 2005 is still prettier than a polished Porsche. The globe-straddling stages take in some fine visuals, with huge draw distances and a sensational feeling of speed. The new weather effects (particularly the UK's predictable heavy downpours) are especially good. It's lovely, but just doesn't look much better than before.

And the good news? Well, spend too long complaining about the visuals and you'll miss what's really important - this is without doubt the best, most enjoyable rally game money can buy. Focusing on the nuts and bolts of the game, developer Codemasters has been able to pack CMR2005 full of enough new features to sink a small battleship. Firstly, as well as the new German courses, there are now another two stages for each of the existing locations. There's a wider variety of cars too, with eight different classes of vehicle - including regulars like the 4WD Subaru Impreza or Group B Peugeot 205, as well as new cars such as McRae's Nissan 4x4 Pickup from the Paris-Dakar rally.

Getting into a race is now a matter of choosing from championship, challenge, career or online modes. Championship straps you in McRae's bucket seat, competing in the 4WD World Rally across the nine countries, whereas challenge invites you to race single stages or an individual rally. But it's the final two modes that contain the most innovation.

The career mode is made up of 23 separate events, a shapely transformation over the waif-like championship mode of previous games. Instead of entering a single season competition for each car class, each of the new events are car, course or class specific and your success is measured in Driver Points - the more you have, the more racers are available. The game's vital statistics are eye popping alone - 330 stages, 34 vehicles, 1,100 miles of track - and the career mode rounds off the package beautifully.

Meanwhile, the multiplayer mode has received a facelift - for the first time in a McRae game, you can race simultaneously against a friend in split-screen, with the opposing car appearing as a coloured ghost in your view. It makes for far more exciting races, and although purists might complain (don't worry, the turn-taking multiplayer is still used in championships), it's a change for the better. It also means that the online mode is a hotter prospect than you might have first thought, and although racing against up to eight other players can get messy with all those semi-translucent cars drifting around the track, it's an exhilarating ride all the same.

The precise and responsive handling, painless to pick up but agonising to master, makes every race - and certainly those you cream - a revitalising experience. To rip up the really fast times, you'll have to be driving with full concentration on the pace notes but at the same time hitting breakneck speeds and cornering without fear. The speed has been noticeably juiced up and a new Hard Steer button has been added to help out with faster corners. Unfortunately, there's no option to customise your controls, so analogue stick drivers might feel a little ham-fisted at first, what with the handbrake over on Circle and Hard Steer adrift on Triangle. But the cars consistently react so accurately to your controol that when everything goes to plan - when you handbrake your way through a hairpin in a split second and screech off at high speed - it just feels right.

Which is exactly how the game feels as a whole - just right. So the visuals aren't much more crispy than last year's game and little things like the podium animations or button mapping are a bit disappointing, but where pure gameplay is concerned, Colin McRae Rally 2005 is full of gas and firing on all pistons. Simple touches like the cheers of spectators as you pass or developments like the excellent multiplayer mode achieve more than any overblown visual overhaul could ever hope to. Colin McRae is back - buckle up tight, won't you.

Graphics 80%
No great leap, but not much to improve.

Sound 80%
Monotone co-driver but excitable crowds.

Gameplay 90%
Compelling to master, but not too difficult.

Lifespan 90%
So many reasons to hit the dirt again.

Overall 90%
It might not look like much has changed, but the improvements - although subtle - power through to make all the difference.