Dirt Rally

Dirt Rally
Developer(s) Codemasters
Publisher(s) Codemasters
Series Dirt
Engine Ego 3.0
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Release date(s)

Windows[1]

  • WW 7 December 2015

PS4, Xbox One, Windows (retail)[1]

  • WW 5 April 2016
Genre(s) Racing simulation
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Dirt Rally is a racing video game developed and published by Codemasters for Microsoft Windows. An early access version of the game was released on 27 April 2015, via digital distribution service Steam. The full version was released on 7 December 2015.[1] The launch trailer[1] for the game announced PlayStation 4, Xbox One and physical PC DVD versions to be launched on 5 April 2016.

Gameplay

Dirt Rally is a racing video game focused on rallying. Players compete in timed stage events on tarmac and off-road terrain in varying weather conditions. On release, the game features 17 cars, 36 stages from three real world locations— Monte Carlo, Powys and Argolis—and asynchronous multiplayer.[2] Subsequent updates added three more locations in the form of Baumholder, Jämsä and Värmland, as well as rallycross and player versus player multiplayer modes.[3] Codemasters announced a partnership with the FIA World Rallycross Championship in July 2015,[4] leading to the inclusion of the Lydden Hill Race Circuit (England), the Lånkebanen (Norway), and the Höljesbanan (Sweden) in the game.

Dirt Rally features a large number of vehicles in a wide variety of classes, and 16 manufacturers. It contains cars from the 1960s, 70's, 80's, Group B, Group A, Group R, 2000s and 2010s modern rally, Rallycross and Pikes Peak, with cars having up to 10 liveries.

The PS4 Blu-ray version of the game includes a feature length documentary about driver Colin McRae.

Development

Dirt Rally is developed by British video game developer Codemasters using the in house Ego engine.[3] Development began with a small team of individuals following the release of their 2012 video game Dirt: Showdown.[2] Codemasters have emphasised a desire to create a simulation with Dirt Rally.[2][5] They started by prototyping a handling model and creating tracks based on map data. The game employs a different physics model from previous titles, rebuilt from the ground up.[2]

An early version of Dirt Rally was showcased to journalists in late 2013,[2] but the game wasn't officially announced until 27 April 2015. It was released later that day for Microsoft Windows in early access on digital distribution service Steam. Game director Paul Coleman stated that it was important to publicly release an unfinished build of the game so that the development team could get feedback from players.[5] He expressed an interest in releasing Dirt Rally on consoles in the future but said that it was not possible currently with it being an early access game.[2] Codemasters intends to introduce new cars, locations, and modes in monthly content updates, and make gameplay tweaks throughout the early access process. The full version of the game was released on 7 December 2015. The game was released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 5 April 2016.[6] The PS4 version runs at 1080P at 60 fps, with the XBox One version having dynamic resolution (reducing to 900P when there is more action on screen).

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings82.40[7]
Metacritic86/100[8]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Edge8/10[9]
Eurogamer90[10]
Game Informer8.5/10[11]
GamePro90%[12]
GamesMaster88%[13]
GameSpot8/10[14]
GamesRadar80%[15]
GamesTM8/10[16]
IGN8.9/10[17]
OPM (UK)9/10[18]
OXM (UK)9/10[19]
PC Gamer (UK)80[20]
VideoGamer.com80%[21]

Initial reception towards Dirt Rally has been positive.[2] Aggregate review website Metacritic assigned a score of 86 out of 100.[8] GameStar gave the game 90% said "Dirt Rally is the best rally simulation at the moment and one of the best racing games of all time. Beginners will find it to be quite difficult."[22] GamesTM celebrated the change of direction, saying "this is the best thing the ‘Dirt’ name has ever been associated with and rallying enthusiasts are sure to be relieved that the obsession with the kind of American slang that was only partially hip in the 90s has been overcome and removed." GameSpot praised the physics model, graphics, and the range of cars, but said that the "Hill Climb and Rallycross modes feel half-baked".

GamesRadar highlighted the game's unforgiving nature, saying "Tires burst, radiators overheat, and you can frequently find yourself hobbling over the finish line with a slack time simply because you’ve lost control of your car once in an otherwise clean and competitive race."[15] Videogamer praised the games "incredible speed",[21] with GamePro agreeing.[12] PSM said it was "The most exhilarating driving game Codemasters has created in years, and undoubtedly the best rally game on PS4",[18] with OXM adding "Without question the best rally sim ever made."[19]

Evo praised the audio, saying "At times, Dirt Rally excels. The sound design in particular is excellent, as is the wide variety of cars on offer. The audio in Dirt Rally really does deserve special mention. Not only is it some of the best we’ve heard in a racing game, it serves real purpose, with the co-driver almost perfectly matching his pace notes up with a stage". Of the graphics, they added "While it definitely can’t come close to the production values of the likes of a Gran Turismo title, there is a lot of visual flourishes that impress with Dirt Rally."[23]

The game reached number 1 in the UK PS4 physical sales chart.[24]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "DiRT Rally - The Road Ahead – PC Launch Trailer". DiRT official YouTube Channel. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Robinson, Martin (27 April 2015). "Dirt Rally could well be Codemasters' first real sim". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  3. 1 2 Scammell, David (27 April 2015). "Codemasters announces DiRT Rally, a hardcore rally sim available now on Steam Early Access". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  4. ↑ Scammell, David (2 July 2015). "DiRT Rally partners with FIA World Rallycross Championship for World RX update". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  5. 1 2 Robinson, Martin (27 April 2015). "The next Dirt is PC only, Early Access and out today". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  6. ↑ Scammell, David (7 December 2015). "DiRT Rally drifts on to PS4 & Xbox One in April 2016". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  7. ↑ http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/150380-dirt-rally/index.html
  8. 1 2 "DiRT Rally for PC Review". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  9. ↑ Edge magazine review, Future plc, 2016
  10. ↑ http://www.eurogamer.it/articles/2015-12-09-dirt-rally-recensione
  11. ↑ Kato, Matthew (December 17, 2015). "Dirt Rally review: Taking The Hard Road To The Top". Game Informer. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  12. 1 2 http://www.gamepro.de/playstation/spiele/ps4/dirt-rally/test/dirt_rally,52282,3269871.html
  13. ↑ Gamesmaster review, Future plc, 2016
  14. ↑ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dirt-rally-review/1900-6416333/
  15. 1 2 http://www.gamesradar.com/dirt-rally-review/
  16. ↑ http://www.gamestm.co.uk/reviews/dirt-rally-review/
  17. ↑ Reilly, Luke (December 21, 2015). "Dirt Rally review". IGN. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  18. 1 2 Dirt Rally review, issue 122, Future Publishing, April 2016
  19. 1 2 Dirt Rally review, Future Publishing, April 2016
  20. ↑ "Dirt Rally review". PC Gamer. December 18, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  21. 1 2 http://www.videogamer.com/reviews/dirt_rally_review.html
  22. ↑ Rohe, Johannes (December 11, 2015). "DER BESTE STRESS ALLER ZEITEN". GameStar. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  23. ↑ http://www.evo.co.uk/reviews/15985/dirt-rally-review-the-best-rally-game-ever
  24. ↑ http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fsoftware%2Fuk%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=110042&arch=t&lyr=2016&year=2016&week=14

External links

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