DiRT 3
Game » consists of 12 releases. Released May 24, 2011
Dirt 3 is the latest installment in Codemasters' long-running Colin McRae Rally franchise. The game returns to the series' rally roots with dynamic weather, a career focusing on team-based racing, as well as introducing the freestyle event: Gymkhana.
Dirt 3 is the experience I was hoping GT5 would be...
I'm just floored by how good Dirt 3 is... I bought this yesterday in a game sale at Target for $35, and I am just blown away.
Not only is this easily the best looking racer I have ever seen (on console), the control is amazing, the level of detail is staggering, and the sheer amount of variety and options are just increadible.
I was a little turned off by how difficult it seemed for the first hour or so, but once I got my wheel tuned properly and ironed out what driving-assists I needed to be using, it went from being painful to completely exhilarating.
The car models themselves don't blow me out of the water, but the tracks are breathtaking, the particle effects are probably the best I've ever seen, and the weather.. MY GOD the weather... Driving in the snow feels completely different then driving in the dirt. It's not even just a loss of control or slidy pavement either, the physics of it all feel like they have totally changed during the snow courses. I feel like I'm strapped to a rocket, just trying to keep it moving forward until it inevitably explodes.
The sense of speed in this game is just amazing. Hands-down best speed of any racer I've played since Road Rash on 3DO, and possibly, ever. This truly feels like a "next gen" racing game, or at least, an evolution of the genre. Perfect control, tons of content, fantastic presentation. Hell, even the loads times aren't too bad.
This is what I should have walked away from GT5 feeling. Just glad I finally got that experience.
Thumbs WAY up, what a fantastic game.
I'm just floored by how good Dirt 3 is... I bought this yesterday in a game sale at Target for $35, and I am just blown away.
Not only is this easily the best looking racer I have ever seen (on console), the control is amazing, the level of detail is staggering, and the sheer amount of variety and options are just increadible.
I was a little turned off by how difficult it seemed for the first hour or so, but once I got my wheel tuned properly and ironed out what driving-assists I needed to be using, it went from being painful to completely exhilarating.
The car models themselves don't blow me out of the water, but the tracks are breathtaking, the particle effects are probably the best I've ever seen, and the weather.. MY GOD the weather... Driving in the snow feels completely different then driving in the dirt. It's not even just a loss of control or slidy pavement either, the physics of it all feel like they have totally changed during the snow courses. I feel like I'm strapped to a rocket, just trying to keep it moving forward until it inevitably explodes.
The sense of speed in this game is just amazing. Hands-down best speed of any racer I've played since Road Rash on 3DO, and possibly, ever. This truly feels like a "next gen" racing game, or at least, an evolution of the genre. Perfect control, tons of content, fantastic presentation. Hell, even the loads times aren't too bad.
This is what I should have walked away from GT5 feeling. Just glad I finally got that experience.
Thumbs WAY up, what a fantastic game.
@AjayRaz said:
i was going to buy it on day one, but i was short of money and bought something else. i'm still hoping to buy it, and i'm glad you're liking it. it might be one of the best sounding games that i have ever seen (heard?) in my entire life.
Loving it man, just loving it. Haven't been this satisfied with a racer since Burnout Paradise hit. You bring up a great point I didn't even touch on too, it does sound fantastic.
Really, every bit of it is just steller. The control, visuals, audio, presentation... This is a 5 Star game in my book. This is how I should have felt playing GT5, and I did/do not.
$37 at Target right now!
I pretty much agree tc, except for the blight Gymkhana is on the game. Codies just can't resist the gimics. Stages are very short too. If it was all rally, point to point, buggies, and trucks it'd be just fine. I do think they totally nailed the handling this time, but overall I like DiRT 2 more.
It's been my favorite racing series since Dirt1. In my mind, nothing comes close, as Dirt(3) achieves a perfect mix of action/realism. While I don't care much for the buggy/truck races in Dirt, the Rally and Trailblazer events are so awesome that it doesn't matter.
Also, playing this in 3D with head tracking is mindblowing.
I agree, this game is absolutely phenomenal. Should probably replay it soon; I got all of the SP achievements pretty quickly.
@pweidman said:
The DC challenges are a hideous bitch to do. The actual Gymkhana events are actually really fun IMO.I pretty much agree tc, except for the blight Gymkhana is on the game. Codies just can't resist the gimics. Stages are very short too. If it was all rally, point to point, buggies, and trucks it'd be just fine. I do think they totally nailed the handling this time, but overall I like DiRT 2 more.
GT5 was too ambitious for its own good. Dirt 3 is very generic though and feels too tacked on in its appearance. I feel like we are yet to see a REAL car simulation.
@endless_void said:
GT5 was too ambitious for its own good. Dirt 3 is very generic though and feels too tacked on in its appearance. I feel like we are yet to see a REAL car simulation.
And Vinny thought he just needed a wheel.
@Noct:
I got Dirt 3 off of Steam a few days ago, and after about an hour of getting the hang of it I can barely put it down. (And I've always been terrible at non Mario Kart racing games.) The game just looks beautiful, and the weather is, like you said, truly spectacular. Though I am generally terrible at them, the Gymkhana events are a nice break from the action. While driving through a Norwegian Forest in the snow in the evening I cannot help but smile.
It's been my favorite racing series since Dirt1. In my mind, nothing comes close, as Dirt(3) achieves a perfect mix of action/realism. While I don't care much for the buggy/truck races in Dirt, the Rally and Trailblazer events are so awesome that it doesn't matter.
Also, playing this in 3D with head tracking is mindblowing.
Gah, you're making me jealous. I should return it for Ps3 and buy it for PC so I can use my head tracker and HMD... This is definately worth it.
@pweidman said:
I pretty much agree tc, except for the blight Gymkhana is on the game. Codies just can't resist the gimics. Stages are very short too. If it was all rally, point to point, buggies, and trucks it'd be just fine. I do think they totally nailed the handling this time, but overall I like DiRT 2 more.
I could totally see that way of thinking. Those events definately feel a little gimicky... I think it's kinda fun sliding sideways undr trailers ad all, but I would have preferred they spent that time and disk space just adding more great racing.
@AndyMP said:
@Noct: Great post. If I didn't already love the Dirt series, you would have convinced me. When you are done with Dirt 3 you should go back and get Dirt 2 as well. I've had some of the best video game moments playing Dirt 2. Insane, fast, edge of the seat racing.
Yeah you've convinced me, heh, well that and how damn good 3 is. I actually had Dirt 1 for a while, but that was before I got my wheel. I'm all about giving 2 a go with it. I hope it works aas well as it does in 3. It took me no time to get my wheel all setup in 3 and working perfectly, that's usually a lenghty process for me...
@Noct:
I got Dirt 3 off of Steam a few days ago, and after about an hour of getting the hang of it I can barely put it down. (And I've always been terrible at non Mario Kart racing games.) The game just looks beautiful, and the weather is, like you said, truly spectacular. Though I am generally terrible at them, the Gymkhana events are a nice break from the action. While driving through a Norwegian Forest in the snow in the evening I cannot help but smile.
Yeah the weather is easily the best stuff I've ever seen. The way it effects the conditions is great, visually it's just staggering; I really could'nt ask for anything more in the way of effects. The day night cycle is great, the lighting and sunlight and all, just gorgeous. Hell, the particle systems in general are just amazing. The smoke, the dust clouds, the snow drifts. They should be given a major award if you asked me. I wouldn't call this GOTY for me just because I would have trouble giving that to a racer, but it's easily the best racing game out right now in my book. I think the Gymkana stuff is a fun diversion, but I would have preffered more racing over it.
@endless_void said:
GT5 was too ambitious for its own good. Dirt 3 is very generic though and feels too tacked on in its appearance. I feel like we are yet to see a REAL car simulation.
I enjoy the insnae amounts of content and variety in GT5, but it's still way too rigid an experience in my book, and as amazing as the car physics are, it doesn't really make the racing fun to me. The entire motto for GT has always been slow down. I can appreciate the realism of it, but Forza feels realistic too, and it is still fun to drive. I'm really looking forward to NFS:The Run to be honest. I live for open-road or street driving. That last Hot Pursuit convinced me that NFS is till a kick-ass franchise. That unfortunately does not work really well with my wheel though (DFGT)
@endless_void said:
GT5 was too ambitious for its own good. Dirt 3 is very generic though and feels too tacked on in its appearance. I feel like we are yet to see a REAL car simulation.
iRacing
Live For Speed
I'm on board with the Gymkhana comment, I would far prefer more tracks, more racing, more events. In fact, I cheated on the first event because I couldn't unlock the second event (see my other thread in this forum:)). I could only get 5th in the last Gymkhana event in Monaco. I ended up just doing donuts in circles for the entire time and scored first place. I figured it would heavily penalise me at some stage for doing the same thing over and over but it didn't. But I said the same with a few other Codemasters racing titles, they leave me wanting more. Maybe that's the point, I don't know. Those great racing moments in Dirt 2 keep pulling me back, despite how great Dirt 3 is. For me, Dirt 2 was all about sliding through a corner at high speed kicking up sand and gravel, feeling like I'm about to lose control but slamming the foot back on the gas to fight and keep control. Awesome feeling.
One thing about Dirt 3 is the number of flashbacks. There are too many and the system for using fewer and getting a larger reputation doesn't work for me - if they're available, it's just too tempting.
Dirt 2 was my game of the year 2009, I say this because I know The Dirt series is very, very good, and an exceptional Racing game and Racing experience,
This is what I should have walked away from GT5 feeling. Just glad I finally got that experience.
Thumbs WAY up, what a fantastic game.
But,
Did you play the earlier GT games? I'm not saying GT5 wasn't a little disappointing, but you really had to go into it knowing that it was going to be a little sterile I will say though, after the grind to level 20 plus....It becomes the game you wanted to play, you get the credits you need to buy and supe up the cars you want, and if you are able to get the Ferrari 2007 F1 car, it's not Sterile at all, it's very fucking visceral and the x2010 is just madness, glorious glorious madness.
also,
@Noct said:Dirt 2 was my game of the year 2009, I say this because I know The Dirt series is very, very good, and an exceptional Racing game and Racing experience,
This is what I should have walked away from GT5 feeling. Just glad I finally got that experience.
Thumbs WAY up, what a fantastic game.
But,
Did you play the earlier GT games? I'm not saying GT5 wasn't a little disappointing, but you really had to go into it knowing that it was going to be a little sterile I will say though, after the grind to level 20 plus....It becomes the game you wanted to play, you get the credits you need to buy and supe up the cars you want, and if you are able to get the Ferrari 2007 F1 car, it's not Sterile at all, it's very fucking visceral and the x2010 is just madness, glorious glorious madness.
also,
Oh don't get me wrong, I think GT5 is an amazing game, the trouble is, it just feels too much like the last one to me... And yeah, I've played every one of them except for Prologue, and the first 3 I played to thier conclusion. I think the variety of racing in GT5 is just staggering, the trouble is, I'm not really finding the racing in that to be all that much fun anymore. It always feels like an exercise in restraint, as I always want to drive faster then those cars/tracks allow. It feels dated to me too; not just in visuals, but in effects, and in the courses. The tracks look nice enough, but they do nothing to blow me away, and while the premium cars are great, It's really jarring that half the cars don't support the stuff the premium ones do...
I commend GT5 on having an insane amount of content, but maybe it would have fared better to just stick to one and do it even better.
@AndyMP said:
I'm on board with the Gymkhana comment, I would far prefer more tracks, more racing, more events. In fact, I cheated on the first event because I couldn't unlock the second event (see my other thread in this forum:)). I could only get 5th in the last Gymkhana event in Monaco. I ended up just doing donuts in circles for the entire time and scored first place. I figured it would heavily penalise me at some stage for doing the same thing over and over but it didn't. But I said the same with a few other Codemasters racing titles, they leave me wanting more. Maybe that's the point, I don't know. Those great racing moments in Dirt 2 keep pulling me back, despite how great Dirt 3 is. For me, Dirt 2 was all about sliding through a corner at high speed kicking up sand and gravel, feeling like I'm about to lose control but slamming the foot back on the gas to fight and keep control. Awesome feeling.
One thing about Dirt 3 is the number of flashbacks. There are too many and the system for using fewer and getting a larger reputation doesn't work for me - if they're available, it's just too tempting.
Hahah, yeah, there's definately more of those then you need in most races. I love the option, as there's nothing more frusterating then kicking ass for like 6 laps out of 7 only to screw up in the last 100 feet and lose the race, but it changes the entire experience. I drive a LOT faster and craqzier in Dirt 3 then I ever would in GT5. Not saying that's a bad thing, just different.
Maybe the ultimate problem with GT5 is not the quality of the racing but the fact it's so much darn hard work to get to the point where you can have some serious fn with the faster, more powerful cars.
Totally agree. I've always enjoyed the amount of time you had to invest in GT games, as it almost gives it an RPG feeling, but when I sit down to play a racer, and I have a stack of other games that offer me insane break-neck speed racing in awesome cars (Dirt 3, NFS:HP, etc), it's tough to go for GT5 anymore. The main reason I really even play GT5 anymore is simply that my wheel is the DFGT, and it works better with that game then any other one on the market. The go-carts are a blast, and I love all the muscle cars te game has, but I;m in the midst of a long grindy part where I need a new high end car and I don't have any bread. Just don't feel like putting in the work to mov on...
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