Dirt 4 Review. Racing Just Got Better

This rally-themed video game by Codemasters was released for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Microsoft Windows. It’s the twelfth of the Colin McRae series, and here’s a full review of the racing adventure.

Graphics: 4.0

The greatest downside of the Dirt 4 is that it lacks the beauty offered by titles such as DriveClub and Forza Horizon. In some instances, it looks quite plain, and visual fatigue may set in after sometime. Regardless, the cars in the game look amazing, and the surroundings are stunning. Notably, the water and dust effects used here are some of the best I’ve ever seen in all the racing games I know.

Gameplay: 5.0

The captivating gameplay focuses on rallying, and you get to compete in off-road terrain and tarmac stage events which take place in different weather conditions. The cars used are drawn from different time periods and an array of competition classes. Notably, it doesn’t feature cars used in the World Rally or anything associated with the championship.

One of the new features introduced in the game is ‘Your Stage’ which procedurally generates the rally stages according to the settings and parameters that you define. The game doesn’t comprise licensed content in its rally mode, and this is helpful in generating all the stages that you’ll drive on in the career mode.

Additionally, it features rallycross racing while also including five circuits in countries including Great Britain, Sweden, Norway, France, and Portugal. Also, both RX Lites and Supercars are included. Moreover, it has cross-platform and multiplayer leaderboards. You’ll be required to hire personnel for repairs, oversee the daily operations, and enhance the team profile to earn new sponsors.

Controls: 4.5

The game controls are quite straightforward, and you may not require a tutorial to find your way around it. One incredible feature about the game is that there’s no requirement for any skill level. For instance, in case you disliked Dirt Rally due to the brutal difficulty, you can opt to switch your gameplay to Racer which is more forgiving. You can also tune the suspension, brake sensitivity, and traction control to adjust the handling to your liking.

Replay Value: 5.0

The game offers more modes, a very awesome feature that will keep you glued to the game while also ensuring the replay value in this racing adventure remains sky-high. Another contributor to the replayability is that you’ll need to use your prize money to get facilities which makes it easier for you to attract a more efficient crew. Therefore, you’ll be required to upgrade them by playing again and again.

Conclusion

Most modern racing games focus on delivering a visual showcase. However, Dirt 4 emphasizes whatever’s taking place under the hood. Each of the vehicles feels incredible (except the crosskarts), as though you’re taming a ferocious mechanical beast. Other incredible gameplay aspects are each lap you take fills it with dirt, and you get to see the head of your driver wobbling around while driving over each bump. This is super convincing.