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DiRT Rally is the latest in the DiRT racing game series by the local developer Codemasters. The game is not like other racers out there which tend to be more arcade-like, it has it has both feet set in the realism of Rally racing. Personally, I’m not a big fan of racing games outside of Ridge Racer or Mario Kart, so how did I find this racing game which was far outside my comfort zone?
Game options: The game has no exhibition mode but you can create a custom event which works just as well. It also has several options under championship and create your own championship which include: Rally, Hillclimb and Rallycross. Word to the wise though – you do need certain cars to compete in Hillclimb or Rallycross, but you can play PVP events or play online for those courses you have access to.
You also have access to a garage where you can buy new cars if you have the credits available or change the colour of your current chosen vehicle. There are 25 cars to choose from including the famous fan favourite Subaru, which costs a lot. Credits are earned by participating in rally championships which provides a good incentive to motivate the player to keep playing.
There are 5 real world Rally maps which are in the locations of: Baumholder in Germany, Pikes Peak in the USA, Monte Carlo in Monaco, Powys in Wales and Argolis in Greece. Each area offers 4 tracks- and as much as I would usually think there is always room for more content this seems adequate for this type of game.
Gameplay: The game can be played with manual or automatic transmission depending on which you are more comfortable with. As a novice to the more serious, realistic racer, I chose automatic and I’m glad I did too! The rally circuits are based on real world rally maps and it shows with the amount of twists and turns on the off road track. You also have a co-pilot giving advice on upcoming turns, which keeps its grounds in realism, this is very helpful, especially if you know the lingo.
The gameplay is fun and very, very challenging! The way to improve your skillset is practice through play, which you especially need to do if you wish to earn those credits for cars with better speed and handling. Be pre-warned, however, that it is best to take care of your car in each track or you will find yourself needing to repair it, with repairs so marginal, in effect it’s like popping a plaster on a wound 10 times its size!
Another one to be careful of, when playing, is not to go off track or hit any spectators as you will be faced with a time penalty which will affect your placing on the leaderboard of each championship, which will in turn effect the amount of credits you win at the end.
Go to page 2 for more thoughts on the game plus conclusions.
Graphics: I must admit, when going into the game for the first time, I was in awe of how amazing the graphics looked. With exception to the spectators seen on the side lines the terrain, surroundings and vehicles look amazing. The lighting and realism on a next gen console really shows the detail in this game. I was very impressed on how they got the textures down so well.
Sound: The only music you hear is during the title, menu and loading screens which consists of dance inspired tracks (admittedly not to my taste). During gameplay, you hear the roar of your engine and instructions from your co-pilot from within the car. The crowds are also vocal as you hear them at the end of each lap or during certain parts of the track. You also hear the scraping and battering of your car against rocks, trees and walls if you are having trouble with those bends on the track.
Final Notes: Its clear from the get go that this game is made for Rally fans in mind and not for a wider uninformed audience. This is not a negative, though, as games always have a target demographic. In fact, if anything this is a positive, as I believe games, especially those involving sport of any kind, should target the fans of said genre.
The game is not one for me but I can appreciate the effort put in for those the game is aimed at. Other than the begrudging loading times and annoying icy terrain in certain tracks – which can be quite frustrating – I enjoyed playing the game and would recommend it for fans of racing and Rally alike.
Graphics: 9/10 Amazing and realistic – the graphics look almost real, very impressive and stunning.
Sound: 7/10 There is no music, just the sound of engines, terrain and your car getting smashed up royally, for those unfortunate enough to experience it. Music during title screen is a mix of dance inspired tracks which don’t really do much for me.
Gameplay: 8/10 Made for fans of the sport. Gritty and lifelike. the co-pilot gives advice on the track often and accurately. Not an arcade racer for those who are fans of racers like Ridge Racer or Wipeout.
Enjoyment: 6/10 I can’t see this game being replayed over a very long period unless you are a big rally fan or want to rack up currency to buy those much admired Rally Cars.
Overall score: 8/10 not for me but I’m sure this will please fans of the DiRT series or Rally titles.
Thanks to HighwayMan Gaming on Youtube for the gaming footage.
Dirt Rally is out now on PS4 and , Xbox One and PC, and click on the packshot for the full-size version.
Important info:
- Publisher: Koch International
- Players: single player campaign
- HDTV options: up to 1080p
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
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GRAPHICS SOUND GAMEPLAY ENJOYMENT |
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| OVERALL | 8 |
Retro game fan, comic book reader, board game lover and film fanatic. I have loved videogames since I was 5 years old after visiting my first arcade, I have grown up with gaming since having my Atari 2600 then Commodore 64. I ended up building my own career crafting pixelised characters and have had the pleasure of meeting many of my retro gaming heroes who developed some of my absolute favourite games.
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