The Newest Release in the Well Known Colin Mcrae series takes a step further into the arcade realm with mixed results...
-authentic rally experience
-stunning visuals
-fast pace
-progressive career mode
-exciting multiplayer
-great soundtrack
-impressive replays
The Bad
-lack of weather system
-very limited no. of tracks
-lack of focus
-Game can become very easy with rewinds system, even on harder levels.
-Damage has little impact on racing
INTRO
This game's predecessor, released in 2007, was something of a step away from the die-hard simulation of previous Colin Mcrae games, and now appears to be little more than a bridge, with the release of Dirt 2, as developers apply a clear direction to the series aimed at a wider market.
old fans hoping for a return to simulation racing should look away now, but those of the open-minded attitude might be pleasantly surprised. Although the game does aim at opening up more motor-sport disciplines such as CORR, buggies and RAID it still manages to provide an authentic racing experience well worth playing.
GAMEPLAY
The physics engine has been widely criticized for being floaty in Dirt 1. the cars appear much more stable this time round, with braking distances massively increased for a more realistic look and feel. The player must have tight control over the car to prevent himself from flying off the track in a tangled mess of steel and carbon fiber. The crashes in Dirt 2 are nothing short of spectacular, with removable parts flying, windows shattering and engine screaming.
Crashes are even more enjoyable due to the fantastic replay system which allows you to view your race from dramatic set camera points on the track and control the action with tight speed control and variable views.
The game features a "flashback" system which allows you to play from a point in your replay which means that you no longer have the frustration of restarting your whole race for one small lapse.
the cumbersome car setup of the previous games has also been simplified, perhaps too much, with only a few meager choices to set up your car such as "Gearbox: high, med, low". In additon there is no track information before an event so you are forced to guess how your car should be set up. the options are so limited that the car is most often set up in the exact same way every time anyway.
Multiplayer now features multi-car racing, sorely missed from Dirt 1. the result is action packed, exciting chaos. racing other players makes takes nerves of steel and skill as cars clash and collide along the exciting tracks.
The racing this time is much faster paced across all the disciplines. Career mode is structured by events organized by country, which sees you jetting all over the world to attend the various disciplines of motor-sport. the chaos of CORR and buggy racing make a welcome return, and the hill-climb category has been altered to a frighteningly fast Trailblazer discipline. The rally discipline is undeniably the most enjoyable and it is unfortunate that it has been marginalized to such a high degree. The selection of cars is poor, highly influential rally cars are simply missing and the previous FWD, 4x4 and RWD has been reduced to a generic "Rally" class.
Courses are also noticeably shorter this time round, with a typical race taking around 3 minutes. In a poor attempt to stretch the experience, there are a number of stages in each event, but due to the lack of tracks the game forces you to complete the track twice or sometimes 3 times in a row. That said, the courses are well planned, exciting, and beautifully detailed, from the lush tropics of Malaysia, to the arid sands of Morocco.
VISUALS
The in-game racing experience also feels amazingly authentic, due to the great audio and visual effects, engine sounds are fearsome and throaty, gravel and debris hits your car with satisfying pings, metal crumples, dirt is kicked up from your tires. The game is best experienced from the in-cockpit view. never mind the annoying "windscreen toys" available, the cockpit view puts you right in the driver's seat.
ATMOSPHERE
The new visual style music choice, and influence of Ken Block and Travis Pastrana celebrity faces gives the game an indie feel, and makes the player feel immersed in the exciting life of an off-road racer. For better, or for worse, Gone are the artisticly simplistic menus and gentle techno music of the previous games. the interactive menu environments are littered with rich detail and props which add to the experience and each country has a staging area which makes you feel as though you have just landed spot in the middle of that country.
The lack of a weather system is frustrating as it feels like a missing element as you drive through permanently sunny, or gloomy (UK) environment. The environments can also get samey, as the loose sand-coloured gravel of Morocco, Croatia, Utah and China all look identical, even if the surroundings props are varied. The snowy slopes of Sweden, the narrow hair-raising farm roads of UK and treacherous jumps of Finland would be a welcome come-back from Dirt 1.
SUMMARY
The game is a definite improvement on Dirt 1, which in hindsight, seems more of a bridge from Colin Mcrae to Dirt. The focus is now more on a wider range of motor-sport, to mixed results. The racing experience is faster and tighter than ever before and the game is stunning in both visuals and audio.
The new indie atmosphere quickly rubs off on you and the environment makes you feel immersed in the thrilling life a motor-sport driver. The lack of variety, in tracks, in cars, and in weather is disappointing, but not crushing and the games merits outweigh these shortcomings to make for a game well worth playing.