This definitely promotes big slides so I can understand this working in off-road conditions, but on asphalt this becomes an issue. And, to my heart’s discontent, I learned that all (!) cars share a tendency to oversteer and have too much grip overall. Then a race in Monaco came up, an asphalt track inspired by F1’s famous venue, and I started to peel off the layers behind the driving mechanic. The car responded nicely to my basic set-up changes (a couple of sliders), and the surface really changed the input of the steering wheel. Initially I have to admit, I was rather impressed with how Dirt 3 handled. From what I’ve heard, these parameters can help players of all levels feel like a star, which is important for an arcade racer, so props to Codies. To judge the game I connected my Logitech G27 wheel and turned off all the aids. Modes are fun but they all require a great driving mechanic to become meaningful, unfortunately this is where arcade racers tend to stick their ugly heads out. Most of the time these offers will be a trade off between having a faster car and earning more credits for the win, but luckily there’re some exceptions to this rule. By obtaining higher levels other teams will offer you a seat in their team. Podium finishes will earn points that go into Dirt’s ranking system. Great success comes with more privileges than just the option to skip.
Luckily they can be skipped by excelling in other, more meaningful, events.
While they definitely help cement Dirt 3 as the ultimate arcade racer, I’m not a huge fan of this type of racing. Both of them rely heavily on the art of doing tricks on wheels and moving about with absolute ease. All the previous types of off-roading are back, but to mix things up Codies added a few more into the mix including smash attack and Gymkhana. The races offer plenty of variation and challenges for gamers of all backgrounds. You will earn points by participating in races and once you’ve earned enough, the grand final will open up. Instead every year of racing is represented by an unwrapped triangle. The last mode offers all the different types of racing and grants control over all the criteria.Īs I mentioned earlier, the career mode in Dirt is no longer accompanied by a nice little trailer sequence that stitches it all together. The now simplified menu gives access to a host of familiar modes including: Dirt tour, multiplayer and singleplayer.
Without the trailer I can’t help feeling less immersed into the whole driver experience.
It definitely reminds me of the Need for Speed series for some reason, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. The trailer sequence is gone and replaced by a simple menu structure that is highly inspired by the triangular shape.
This year’s instalment of the rally series offers plenty of changes including a new menu scheme. Now they’re introducing Dirt 3, is it another potential winner? Let’s find out. Last year Codemasters won the BAFTA award with an excellent re-introduction to F1 racing, a title that received high honours from this site among others. The race for the genre’s crown of best is always a very exciting occurrence.