Who and what is Dirt 5 for? I don’t know the answer, and I’m not sure Codemasters does either. After all, this is a series that made a name by injecting a bit of extreme sports culture into the Colin McRae Rally series, which was itself beginning to feel a bit warmed-up by 2007. Colin McRae: Dirt was fresh and fun, chucking its pace-notes out of the passenger window, and doing a donut just because it felt like it.
The problem, is that recently Dirt Rally and its sequel came along. Lovely, strait-laced Dirt Rally. It was so brilliant it reminded us how much we missed pace-notes, and realistic offroad handling, and drizzly Welsh lanes. Just like that, we like the old style of rally game again. The one Dirt was invented to revitalize.
Which leaves game number 5 without a clear raison d’etre. All the core elements, its essential Dirt-osity, were devised as a deliberate departure from sim-minded, realistic driving. But right now, as Dirt Rally 2 enjoys a passionate community and sim-racing esports gain momentum, sim-minded, realistic driving is exactly where the excitement is.
Of course, you might really fancy a non-taxing racer, where braking is genuinely optional and a familiar pyramid of events wraps itself around you from the career menu like a comfort blanket. We all fancy that sometimes, and Dirt 5 is those things, certainly—it’s just a very familiar version of those things.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
"The War Within itself has kept me coming back most evenings too"
WORLD OF WARCRAFT remains my jailer, and I couldn't be more pleased about it
OK BUILDER
SATISFACTORY is the new titan in building and crafting games
HELL YES
DIABLO IV: VESSEL OF HATRED is a transformative expansion
MOUSE: PI FOR HIRE
This mouse wants to be more than just a gimmick
WINDBLOWN
Dead Cells dev's new roguelike has me afraid for my free time
NO MORE ROOM IN HELL 2
As the zombie horde surrounded me just moments after taking down my two remaining teammates, the writing was really on the wall. Armed with just a chef's knife, it was clear I stood no chance, but I was going down swinging, hoping for a miracle... it didn't come.
OWNED BY STEAM
VALVE cordially reminds you that your games aren't yours
CURSE OF THE AZURE BONDS
These classic games haven't aged badly, but I sure have.
DEEP FREEZE
Endure a blizzard of tough choices and rough consequences in FROSTPUNK 2
NEW HORIZONS
Building up REMNANT 2 outside the live service game grinder