DiRT 2

While I’m not the biggest racing fan in the world, I still always enjoy a good racing title so long as it manages to keep the fun in tact without getting too hardcore on me. That’s an admission that full-blown racing sims are iffy to me, that while I appreciate the technical skill and presentation that usually goes along with those games I find it hard to enjoy myself from start to finish. The Dirt series may be less and less full blown simulation though and more geared towards a casual audience than other rally games in the Colin McRae catalog. Don’t let that fool you into thinking this game isn’t superb though, because it is. If you played the first Dirt game then you more or less know exactly what to expect, but there’s some definite improvements in this iteration.

For starters the presentation is astounding. A slick RV home map that works as your access point to stat tracking, races, and online play is one of the most pleasant menu systems I’ve encountered in a long time. While it can be a little lumbering going back after every contest, I’d argue that the personality it gives the game makes it more than worth the wait times. The vehicle models and racing environments are also improved from the first game, making it one of the best looking rally racers I’ve seen to date. It’s not quite Forza 3 but it doesn’t need to be. Every map you race you’ll be in a beautiful part of the world and every car you drive looks fantastic. The music that plays is fairly standard but ranges enough that it won’t get on your nerves at any point.

The career mode also manages to make a step forward, starting you out in rookie ranks and progressively opening up more races and different parts of the world as you go along, as well as some larger competitive tournaments. It uses an XP system for your driver level, but that doesn’t really effect much other than what you unlock and when. Drive enough races and that hardly matters as events open up quickly enough and the developers aren’t precious about giving you options. There’s 100 events in total, but to be fair a lot of them are just the same track you were on but a slight alteration. There’s 41 tracks, but I think that does include mirrored tracks, which is a bit of a shame. Still, I never got bored with any and the difference in local’s around the world help to add some variety.

Race types are probably the biggest contention for most people. There’s a definite scope that gives you options but it’s not quite ‘rally’ enough for what people may expect from the game. I found myself less thrilled in the lapped races than point to point which seemed more fun, but a fair share of the point to point races are raids or land rushes which utilize trucks or SUV's. Some people may very well enjoy that, but it felt a little weak to me. The speed and control of a rally race or trailblazer (rally without the co-driver) was far more exciting than bumbling around in a truck.

Dirt 2 does a good job at being both accessible and challenging for gamers while also giving you a reward system that works. There’s 5 difficulty settings, each one allows you to use up to 5 flashbacks or less, and it also determines how much money you’ll gain from each race. It’s a fair system, but for those looking for an easy breeze racer that still allows them to finish the game then Dirt 2 is perfect for that. It doesn’t punish you for wanting to go easy, and it rewards you better to challenge yourself.

A nice addition near the end of the career mode (depending on how straight through you went) is the compliment of classic races which will give you access to some older makes of cars. It’s a good way to put some older vehicles in action, and it’s noticeable enough to make the races feel different – there’s just not a lot of them.

Online play is offered for those that wish it, but I find being crashed into a lot less fun than racing in the single player – still it’s there for those that want it.

REVIEW SCORE:

The Pretty: A truly beautiful game through and through. Locations are superb and cars are detailed with impressive panache. The destructible environment and damage models make a strong case for this to be one racer right at the top of the good looks pile. My only complaint — no snow? Seriously? 10/10

The Career: It’s long enough to keep you busy, offering a ton of races and different types to choose from. The side missions and stat tracking help round it all out making you feel like you’re actually accomplishing stuff. It may be a little too easy to elevate your XP though, opening up the game so quick is good, but it does mean the reward system takes a step back for those looking for a challenge. The customization also pales in comparison to the more arcade oriented games, love it or lump it. 9/10

The Variation: I’m breaking this into two because it applies…

The Races — There’s a lot of them, but it’s really broken down into about 6 types. It’s enough to keep you playing without being bored, but the excitement does wane if you’re not a fan of one or two of the types. No reason to think they couldn’t have had more of them off the bat. 7/10
The Locations – As I mentioned they are beautiful, but looks can’t be everything. Dirt 2 takes you all over the world, from Utah to Japan, and LA to Malaysia, and while there’s a definite sheen to the different places you go they start to all ‘feel’ the same. By the time you reach halfway through the career mode the surprises will have stopped and the wonderment of the areas is lessened with each race. The courses are great to race, but it does feel like their could have been a bit more of them, with farther reaching differences that simply mirroring tracks. 8/10

The Fun Factor: Ultimately this is what every game boils down to. Sometimes challenge is enough for some, but it doesn’t mean you should strip away the childhood excitement of what a game can be. Dirt 2 doesn’t do that, it’s smart enough to know that you need to feel the challenge but moreover that you should have a smile on your face as you do. It’s accessible for a wide range of gamers both new and old, and provides incentive to go about it all at your own pace. 9/10

SCORE: 86%