The battle to be the sport’s crown of the best is a thrilling event. In the past, Codemasters took home the BAFTA award for their impressive re-introduction of F1 racing and received the highest praise from this website as well as others. The company is now unveiling Dirt 3. Is it an additional winner? Let’s learn more.
Modes
The latest installment of this rally race comes with numerous changes, with a fresh menu design. The trailer sequence has been removed and replaced with a basic menu design that’s designed around the triangular shape. It certainly is reminiscent of that of the Need for Speed series for specific reasons, but this is not always a good thing. Without the trailer, I can’t avoid feeling less engrossed in the whole experience of driving.
The menu has been simplified and gives access to several traditional modes like Dirt Tour, Multiplayer, and single player. The last option offers various types of racing and provides complete control over the race.
Dirt Tour
As I said earlier, the career mode of Dirt is not anymore supported by a neat tiny trailer sequence that brings the whole thing together. Instead, every season of racing can be represented with an open triangle. Points are earned by taking part in races, and when you’ve earned enough points, the grand finals will be open.
The races are full of variety and challenges for all types of gamers. The old types of off-roading are still in play; however, to spice things up, Codies introduced a few others to the mix, including Gymkhana and Smash Attack. Both rely heavily on performing tricks with wheels and moving effortlessly. Although they certainly help cement Dirt 3 as the ultimate arcade racer, I’m an avid fan of this kind of racing. They can, however, be avoided by achieving better results in other, more critical races.
Achieving great success has more benefits than the possibility of skipping. A podium finish will earn points that are used in the Dirt ranking system. If you can achieve higher levels, other teams can give you a place on their team. The majority of this is in exchange for an improved car or more points for winning; however, there are a few exceptions to this.
Driving
They are fun. However, they all require an excellent driving mechanic to be meaningful. Unfortunately, this is the place where arcade racers often make a mess of it. To evaluate the game, I hooked up to my Logitech G27 wheel and turned off all of the aids. According to what I’ve heard, this can make players at all levels feel like stars, and that’s crucial for an arcade racer; therefore, props to Codies.
At first, I must admit that I was amazed by how Dirt 3 was handled. The car was responsive to the basic adjustments I made (a handful of sliders), and the road surface actually changed the direction of the wheel.
A race in Monaco was scheduled. The track was made of asphalt that was inspired by F1’s famed track. I began to remove the layers of my driving mechanic. To my disappointment, I found out the fact that most (!) automobiles tend to oversteer and lack many grips all around. This can lead to giant slides. I can appreciate this happening in off-road situations; however, on asphalt, it becomes a problem. In a sense, Dirt 3 almost becomes Grid disguised and is considered to be one of the most challenging racing cars ever created.
It’s tempting to simply stay off-roading, which is what is the purpose of it; however, there’s a second factor that’s important: weather. In any weather condition, whether it’s rain, dry, or drizzle, the vehicle is always in the same position. This is a problem because following the initial rush. Gamers realize that their driving mechanic isn’t excellent.
Despite all the fantastic sugar coding they’ve employed to conceal it, at first glance, everything seems nice and cool. Force feedback is fantastic for one, and drifting can be a lot of fun. Even with all the helpers disabled, minor errors are sure to occur; however, here’s the thing It’s all very artificial, and it feels like it. This is something that games have eliminated in the last few years. However, Dirt 3 hasn’t.
Races
I like races that put everyone at the forefront and that there’s always something exciting that’s on the horizon to control or anticipate. It’s the same in the case of Dirt 3, and that is due to a unique AI.
It is the case that so often the computers get a rebuke for something negative that it is difficult to express appreciation in this regard. In the game Dirt 3, the AI cars haven’t caught my eye, and that’s only one thing: they’re excellent! Based on the settings (difficulty 1 to 6), they’ll target the inside and profit from the mistakes that you commit. They’re also fast; in the first week of playing, I barely made it to difficulty 4, even with all aids off. This means it’ll require a lot of practice for you to master the most challenging difficulty, which means plenty of gameplay potential.
A good AI is not just a great driver. However, they also make mistakes. I’ve raced in many races in which the AI would crash and remain stranded. Smoke emanates from the bonnet while I race through in one of the numerous rallies. The cars could shed body parts and remain there until the race ends. In the majority of racing games, they aren’t even able to be removed!
These consequences of crashes can also be a problem when a player is off. The effect is spectacular and creates an impact, even though it is a negligible impact on the handling of the player as well. The problem is that the game can be too gentle sometimes. Even when the damage setting is complete, players may be thrown into the air at lightning speed and escape with just physical damage or a slight bump to the handle.
Multiplayer
In arcade games, multiplayer is essential. Codemasters is introducing a new VIP pass for this year. The pass comes with the code to unlock the basic online features and is only valid for one time! It’s an intelligent strategy to combat the second-hand market. However, I’m not a big fan. I believe the industry should not be causing a nuisance to the customer with a bunch of silly codes to stop them from selling the item (they are legally owned!) after purchasing.
No matter what your opinion, Dirt 3 offers plenty of online functions, with the most notable being a split-screen. Players can decide on any criteria they’d like, such as multiple rounds, AI-powered cars, and laps. This is a fantastic feat and is not something you can say about many split-screen games, which usually come with complex limitations.
Racing online is a part of the game and is very effective. However, it is in dire need of a lobby to help back it up.
Presentation
Codemasters is famous for setting the standard in terms of graphics, and in this regard, Dirt 3 does not disappoint. I am awestruck by how the atmosphere alters in various conditions. Driving in darkness is genuinely terrifying and driving through hot summer evenings is breathtaking. I like the new scenery, despite having less variety in comparison with Dirt 2.
While the world has been sunk in its diversity, automobiles have gone up. Dirt 3 offers a wide selection of cars from various classes. From the ’60s through modern racers, there’s something to suit all within Dirt 3.
There’s a strange issue with graphics, however. The game I’ve tried on with the PS3 version, and I found the images to be a bit soft in some places. The menus fall into this category and appear to be washed out. It’s not a big deal and maybe even particular to a specific platform, but that’s just speculation.
The less speculation is in the way the world is constructed. They look fantastic, but they often do not convey a sense of depth. For instance, the characters in the background aren’t moving, and the tiny animations that make me smile always happen in the exact same location. It’s not active also. There aren’t any dynamic puddles, and rain doesn’t diminish or get worse. There are things we’d like to have in a two-year-old sequel to Dirt 3.
The sound is an excellent complement to the picture in the most direct way that is possible, sounding exactly as you’d expect them to sound in Codies. Codies title. The way that the ground reacts to the tires has been beautifully crafted. Dirt, ice, and loose sand make a convincing sound and increases the excitement. Also, praise can be given to the sounds that occur after the crash, as those bizarre tiny ticks that drivers usually hear following a crash are undoubtedly present. More difficult to believe is the surrounding noise (public noise, wind, etc.) or the absence.
Conclusions
With big titles come huge expectations. However, Dirt 3 only partially delivers in part due to the way the cars behave and behave. However, it offers lots of variety and great mechanics of gameplay that make it an enjoyable experience in general. These were also present already present in Dirt 2 already, leaving me to wonder if the leap is enough to justify the investment. At present, Dirt 3 is the best off-road racer. However, it’s far from being an ideal game.
Modes 9/10
With the entire range of modes that gamers can need and more, Dirt Tour is set up perfectly with plenty of room to adjust how racers get to the final. It’s not as immersive, but it’s still a lot of fun.
Driving 5/10
The tools will help users of any level. However, an immersive experience isn’t possible. For an arcade game, the game isn’t equipped with a solid driving mechanic. The setup process only aids to a degree.
Racing 8/10
The AI is excellent and solid in the game, which isn’t an easy task to master. The damage system in this game is gorgeous, even though it is too generous in general.
Multiplayer 8/10
Excellent split screen with online support. Unfortunately, it’s not supported by a slick lobby.
Presentation 7/10
Good graphics, but the world isn’t very dynamic, and the images tend to appear too soft in some instances. This is further highlighted due to the lack of lively weather, an essential feature in today’s triple-A racing games.
Overall, 7,8/10
The most potent off-road racer available is currently available, but it’s not without its flaws, and the distance from Dirt 2 isn’t big enough when you consider the additional two years in development.
Dirt 3 review
I’m Robin Chung. In my spare time, I love to write stories and articles. My goal is to create an inspirational story for thousands of people. Visit my website to learn more about me!
