Flashy game with the pros overlapping the cons by a long distance...
Back then Colin McRae was already a very good surprise with it's graphics being a role model for games that were due to come after it.
This one is just the confirmation of that bloodline... DiRT is the best Rally game I've ever played and apart some minor flaws, probably not noticeable by many, it is a blinking gold case inside your bargain to-buy list.
The graphics are most of this game. As one of the first big names hitting the Xbox 360 and 3rd generation consoles in general there would be excuses if the graphics weren't this good... But they are! You'll feel the car, the cockpit, the locations where you drive. Everything is amazing with the colors, light effects and even the smallest bit of dirt that you'll see jumping from the back of the machines. A detail that had me completely stunned was the situation when you're exiting a concrete or tree tunnel, with lower lightning, and then suddenly you'll blind for a few moments with the light shock as if you were there with your own eyes... Amazing!
Another thing that had me going around with my thoughts was the spectacular crash effects on the cars. Both the car physics and the scenario you hit are perfectly depicted on every single accident you have. Quite amazing really!
The only reason the graphics don't get the full pot from me is the fact that the frame rate has some issues... Especially when you're driving against other cars simultaneously. It's excusable as it isn't a programing issue but more of a technical limitation on the machines - I've experienced FPS hick-ups on both X360 and PS3. However, as I said before, many won't notice it at all.
Another strength is the detail level on the car models... It's awesome the amount of detail they managed to stick in the game with such a huge variety of car types. Buggies, regular cars, prototypes, jeeps and trucks are greatly portrayed .
All the different cars actually sound different. It's a very good thing to change from a Lancer to an Impreza and have that difference on the bug inside your ears. Apart from that, repetitive lines from the navigator and roughly all of the drifting effects being the same is not that good. Smooth or Rough Tarmac, regardless of the car you use, will sound the same in everyone of them. You can't ask for everything though... Many won't notice this, too! It's a thing that us deep and hard racers have within us ;)
With the solo gameplay covering all of the aspects of rally racing you can't complaint about it. It's good, varied, with a reasonable learning curve - hard to master though. Career will take some time from you and then the Championships will do the rest in achieving 100% of completion.
The multiplayer isn't that good. You always race solo on live time trials against other players and car or track choice is not in your hands - you only choose in which of the active pre-assembled races you want to participate in. Not nice!
Well, that being said, almost 4 years after it's release, I must say that DiRT is a damn good fun pack. Lots of car choice, lots of races both in quantity and in quality and a handful of graphic aces to throw at you while you're having fun with the rest of the deck.
What could improve? Apart from what I said before I think they could insert some water crossings in some races and the snow driving could also be in.
Making the car feel heavier - perhaps with some slower response - would also be welcome. It would also take most of the Arcade likenesses from the game but, well, you should be able to choose.