WRC II Extreme is the much anticipated sequel to WRC on the PS2 which amassed a huge following, now WRC II Extreme has to contend with the likes of the fantastic Colin McRae Rally 3. Evolution Studios have taken steps to counter the competition with a game engine that really pushes the capabilities of then PS2.

World Rally Championship II Extreme uses a new engine to really push the PS2 and the handling aspect of the game has been tweaked. This has resulted in the WRC cars feeling very heavy and substantial, with a slight twist of an arcade racer handling. This has been done to make WRC II accessible to the mass market rather than just the hardcore rally and race fan. The cars never feel like they are floating on the road you can feel them gripping under the power of the engine. You are also able to drive using a few different styles. You can drive normally, releasing the accelerator and the braking into corners before burying the throttle again when exiting. Secondly you can throw your car in to corners by turning out of the corner before turning in very quickly, this causes the car to become a pendulum in effect, transferring the weight one way and then snapping back to give good lateral movement. This is a very good method if you have quite a wide road or if the surface if slippery. You can also use the handbrake to tweak the car around a sharp corner; this is very effective if you're running out of road at a fast rate. Lastly you can drive with the accelerator buried for the entire duration of the rally and braking at the same time. This is a very fast way of driving, although timing has to be perfect. Of course you can mix up your driving styles too which is probably the best way to do well in the game. Physics in WRC II Extreme are also very good when it comes to hitting objects. In most rally games, including the first WRC you can use barriers to stop your car spinning out of control, by letting the rear bumper hit or nudge the barrier. This tactic does not work in WRC II Extreme, you will find doing this will result in the front end of your car being pulled round into the barrier too, causing you to loose time. The physics don't look as impressive when you car careers of a mountain though, the car will tumble and fall but it does look like the car is attached to an elastic band. The car doesn't fall as fast as you would have expected either. Apart from this minor niggle WRC II Extreme is a joy to play as well as being extremely realistic.