While this year started off a little sad for racing games, it certainly has heated up recently. With the releases of NASCAR The Game 2011, Gran Turismo 5, now Dirt 3 and Forza Motorsport 4 due out before the end of the year, racing fans everywhere can rejoice! There is a little something out there for all of us. Out of this list, Dirt 3 is the most recent racing release. While it isn’t a huge jump ahead of Dirt 2, it takes that formula and creates a more accessible and at the same time, deeper game experience for long-time fans of the series and newbies alike.
What Went Right
Lets talk about what happens under the hood for starters. The uber-sexy menu system from the last game has become even more refined. Codemasters have outdone themselves with the UI in this game. It has never been easier to navigate the menus and see amazing views of the cars before taking them out on the track. Also revamped is the way you add to your garage. In a bold move, you are no longer able to purchase cars as you earn “cash” bonuses for winning races. Instead, that system has been replaced by a simple unlockable and unlimited garage. As you progress, new cars are available to you. While in strict simulation games I find this type of system a little confining; it works beautifully in Dirt 3. You will always have some new ride to take out and see how it drives. I never felt limited by insufficient funds, and I also never pigeon-holed myself into one or two different types of cars.
Speaking of cars, having vehicles from different classes and decades was a very nice surprise. It was great fun racing in cars from the 60’s and 70’s. The cars were all superbly modeled and each one felt and sounded different. From the realistic damage on the outside to the extreme detail in the driver’s seat, there was eye candy to be seen all over the game. There were also no noticeable framerate issues. The game ran silky smooth all the time.
Weather played a big role in Dirt 3. There were times, while racing in the winter, that near white out conditions made the course almost invisible, causing some hairy moments. Also, there is nothing like coming to a near stop in the middle of a giant puddle / lake / stream and having your opponents go zooming around you because they took said water hazard at either a better speed, or a better angle. The weather conditions in the game were some of the best weather implementations I have ever experienced in any racing game – please pay attention Turn 10 (the developers of the Forza series) – I’m looking your way when I am talking about this! Weather adds into making this one of the must have titles for any racing game fan.
A brand new addition to this series (for VIP game members) is the ability to upload racing highlights from the game to your own YouTube Channel. If you already have a YouTube account, you simply input your information once, then any time you would like, you can take a clip from the event and upload it to your channel. The last update I read about this feature stated that there were over 100,000 user videos that had been uploaded to YouTube. This is a great way to get the community involved in promoting a game as well as creating some really cool video segments. Checkout this example of a video I uploaded via the game.
There is so much to do in DiRT 3, that I double-dog dare you to sit down over a weekend and experience everything that the game has to offer. It is simply a huge game. The career mode is very deep and features races in all the different disciplines with cars, trucks and buggies from every era. In addition to it, there are single player time trials and free runs that you can spend time with and beyond that, as you progress in your career, different parts of the DC Shoes Battersea racing compound open up to you for practicing your finesse driving skills and show off a bit in the new Gymkhana events.
What Went Wrong
Many game developers pride themselves on their ability to match players with equal skill levels for multiplayer matches. In my time spent reviewing Dirt 3, I jumped into many multiplayer races, however, I always found myself with people who were at times 20 and 30 levels above me skill wise. This lead to me, almost always winding up either dead last, or next to last, with no hope of ever pulling into position to even remotely challenge others on the track or for the best time. Since this was consistently the case, I only played enough multiplayer to say that I did and put this section of the review together. This is my only real gripe with the game. It simply excels in every other area.
Final Thoughts
From the automotive ballet of the Gymkhana sessions and events to the grinding mosh pits of the Rally Cross events, Dirt 3 is the total package when it comes to racing games. There is a little bit in there for everyone. The only thing I really feel it is lacking is some type of endurance mode, where a rally section goes on for 15 to 20 miles or so, but, as that is a little far-fetched, the game is a masterpiece. It is hands-down, the best of the games to ever bear the Dirt or Colin McRae monikers. Heed this warning – I have heard it said many times before, sometimes you need to slow down to go faster. In a game where timing is key, remember that and you too will find yourself on the Podium more often than not in Dirt 3.
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