Whenever you get behind the wheel of a DIRT, you must read all of the track information. With DIRT 5 we don’t take part in a DiRT rally, even if a lot of earth is raised in the picture of the cover. We also hope not to be in DiRT 4 and reconnecting with everything the elite and fun of the series was, especially its second episode. The destination has been achieved, but the road remains winding.
Codemasters has the luxury of being able to maximize its resources. The editor / developer has been synonymous with cash games for decades and is constantly reinventing the wheel. With the DIRT license, you need to clearly define the terrain you want to play on. It’s fun and arcade here, even if there’s a certain realism.
The real cars
This mix of realism and arcade isn’t new either it works pretty well. In our sad dark rooms, we can drive real cars without noticing dozens of variables and penalties.
DIRT 5 offers to drive all kinds of boxes. From the youngest rally cars to sprint cars in the most extreme categories. The selection is very large
No adjustments, we put the ignition on and move forward. Also no damage, even if the bodywork suffers (quite a bit by the way), it’s just for the show. And finally, no upgrades or changes to parts. We’ll tell you fun and straightforward.
Stay on the road
Or rather on the trails, because when there is a bit of rallycross, It mainly happens on land and in a closed cycle that everything happens. The amazing lack of fashion Flashback or in the case of a runway excursion or a large crash slice, return to the image with the arcade orientation of the title. Is it a choice of design or a technical ease? The accompanying lack of a rearview mirror could indicate that this is more due to technical limitations.
In addition, to support this feeling even more, We can also note the notable lack of repetition of the raceIt is entirely possible to take very beautiful pictures by taking a break to activate Photo mode. However, this bug is eliminated by the relatively short duration of the races. If you screw it up, you won’t waste half an hour over again.
You’ll want it all the more Graphically, the game is very successful. When the tracks are imaginative, they are inspired by the atmospheres and cultures of different countries very nice lighting effects and dynamic variations, both for day / night cycles and for weather events. At night and in the rain, the mud bath is all the more pleasant. You can use ten environments. It costs even more on PS5.
It slips or sticks
We can experiment with different types of surfaces on these different plots. Earth, gravel, sand and bitumen. Overall, the sensations are very good and we take some joy in balancing gliding and motor skills as we try to stick to the specific goals set at the start of each race. It can be a question of taking a pretty long jump, maintaining a certain speed for a while … all of this adds a little salt and money to your pocket.
More This doesn’t erase the weird feeling of getting stuck on the road once you start driving on tarmac. The slightest twist then requires heavy handbrake strokes to be rewound correctly while it is almost enough to play the appeal process against the appeal process for all other surfaces. We get used to it, but it’s a bit like the designer went on vacation for the handle before defining the bitumen parameters.
The best way to get used to this particular grip is to return to Gymkhana mode. Challenged and pretty nice, it goes very well with the relaxed atmosphere of the relaxed radio commentary or the already podcast. We appreciate the acting, but the writing isn’t mature (at the same time, we’re not asking for a literary masterpiece in a car game).
Friendly and creative
As we have seen, there are some shortcomings DIRT 5. But there are also elements that suggest that development isn’t making fun of the players. The track editor offers evidence in three game modes (Gymkhana, Gate Crasher and Smash Attack). There aren’t dozens of environments, but there are already enough to offer the community something completely original.
A community that can be local too, with an amazing four player mode on the same screen to play with friends on the same sofa. This type of service was more of a selling point in the 80s and 90s when the internet wasn’t as easy to acquire as it is today.
This DIRT 5 is a nice surprise that gets the series back on track. It’s fun, accessible, and also offers something to vary the joys. It’s perfect for riding without getting too confused. Given its few shortcomings, it’s not impossible that it will benefit from updates and additional content in the coming months.
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