DIRT 5

The latest entry in the off-road racing series kicks up a storm

They do say we Brits are obsessed with the weather, but it’s more than small talk when it comes to Dirt 5. Haring around a Norwegian fishing village in a VW Touareg, muscling our way through the pack, the sky suddenly darkens and the weather takes a turn for the apocalyptic. Snow lashes the windscreen while our traction gets decidedly hairy – we lose sight of the track completely until a god-level burst of forked lightning illuminates the scene so shockingly, it makes us drop our controller. Most motorsport sims attempt to replicate varied driving conditions, but if this weather is anything to go by, Codemasters’ claim that the latest Dirt game will be “bigger, better and more amplified” is already making our ears ring.

“Amplified and playful,” echoes lead designer Mike Moreton. “The weather plays a massive part, from changing track surfaces and grip to a change in visibility. You won’t just get a smattering of rain or a sprinkling of snow, we’re aiming for big, heavy and amazing-looking. The weather is a lot more bombastic than in real life.”