In the mode
Next, it’s on into the first of your prescribed four seasons of racing. Dirt 3 is structured over several events per season, which unlock as you gain the necessary standings in the races initially available – rather like Mario collecting Shines to unlock different parts of Peach’s castle. Meanwhile, reputation points – gained by completing objectives (hit a certain top speed) and finishing high in leader boards – raise the player’s level. Higher levels mean better teams will want you in their car and so goes the unlocking of faster cars as you play.
Flagging round the corner
Events range from timed rally and Rallycross to ‘Land Rush’ (truck racing), ‘Head 2 Head’ (think pursuit in cycling) and ‘Drift Showcase’ which is inspired by Gymkhana, whereby it’s not so much about times as it is performing feats of steering around obstacles. It’s also worth mentioning that events are often playable in different series of cars, S2000 series or 90s models, for example.
Once in the driver’s seat the real grittiness of Dirt 3’s visuals hit home. Rally is a raw, muddy, oil-spattered discipline, and the engine beneath the bonnet of this beast doesn’t give an inch when it comes to bringing that visceral experience to the fore.
Auto no better
The car models look fantastic too, perhaps even better once dented, scratched and covered in detritus by the end of a particularly good lap. Hell, even the trees look like, well… trees – take note, Polyphony.
Next page: A lot to handle
COMMENTS
It's all very nice
But somehow it's still not Stunt Car Racer.
Must go and see if my old A500 still works...
Wither Colin and Richard...
Is there a proper rally simulator at all anymore? Without Gymkhana and buggies?
But indeed
I actually don't mind the Drift and Gymkhana events - Dirt stopped being a rally title years ago (I still have a Rally Championship installed for proper rallying, which now works brilliantly with the Logitech G25) - but the fact that you *have* to do the Gymkhana to advance from tier one racing is a pretty poor show.
I quite like the off-road racing aspect and am enjoying the game, but couldn't be bothered with the gymkhana stuff and while you can get enough points to avoid drift and gymkhana events in the seasons, you can't get out of that initial yawn-inducing school and event to get past first tier without doing the DiRTy "gymkhana" deed.
TBH, I'd prefer Dirt2 with updated graphics to this latest offering. It's fun, but so far I preferred its predecessor. In spite of being a stuffy middle class Brit, I don't mind a bit of fun every now and then and that's what these games offer. Then I can go back to the Welsh forests and wreck some poor unsuspecting virtual 106 or Escort or something in Rally Championship.
PC version
The core of the game is very good, exciting, entertaining and challenging.
The use of Windows live and needing to install Windows live id as service and have it running, the long load times and patronising commentary almost destroys what in essence is a very good game.
After playing for an hour with about 40% of that hour in loading screens, I am not particularly inspired to load the game again. I got some grief on my plate at the moment and I am not a happy bunny, I know this is affecting my patience. I will try the game again when my mood improves, perhaps my patience with the game will improve too. But at the moment the pleasure is not worth the pain.
This is my opinion and such things are subjective, but the use of Windows live in any game immediately annoys me and takes at least 30% off any rating.
Good game BUT
First off I am a huge Rally fan in the real wold as well as the electronic and have owned pretty much every rally game ever made.
This is a good game much better than the last Dirt because of the better rally content, game play and physics are nice and balanced and overall it is a definate move forwards however and this is a really BIG however the "Drift Showcase and Gymkhana" are totally out of place in the main game. I can accept that there are people out there who want to do these kind of events but to include both in what is essentially a rally game is annoying to say the least. They both need to be optional to the main game rather than form part of it. Make it a optional / bonus content.
Hopefully there will be yet another Dirt in which they will go back to the routes of the game and stop with all the "American" Yeah Ha and Chav rubbish and stick to the proper racing formats and any additonal content be exactly that additional content for those who actually want content like that.
