Colin McRae DiRT 2

Delays between console and PC versions of a game are becoming more common, but what is uncommon, though, is a game being delayed for a beastly set of graphical prowess upgrades. That’s the case for DiRT2 though, which took a hairpin turn into a console release back in September earlier this year whereas its PC counterpart isn’t set to see the light of day until the early days of December.

The delay is down to the addition of DirectX 11 support being added to the game, and it’s probably as good a time as any to say the game looks absolutely gorgeous. The cars themselves are objects of lust and desire, the way the lighting reflects off paintwork looks simply stunning and then of course there’s the damage too. Find yourself going too fast into a corner and usually some some haphazard braking later and you’ll be watching the tail of the car slam into a tyre wall or other road obstacle. Rear bumpers hang off perilously before a sudden shake sees it drop off into the road; side panels can end up looking like a half opened corned beef can when you’ve lost the little opening key and had to make do with a potato peeler. Car parts that fall off remain on the track, which can cause mayhem for cars making up the rear – and yourself too if it’s a multi lap race.

Of course the cars are but one part of the package and with effects such as water looking so good you’ll often find yourself driving through it even if it does slow you down, just to watch it splash in all its beautifully liquid goodness.

Of course, graphics can only go so far in creating a good game and the driving genre is dangerously perilous when it comes to making sure the cars handle just right.

Thankfully DiRT2 gets the driving spot on, and of course the rally feel is there big and proud, usually with a big grin on its face as you spin out on your first corner. There’s something for all types of race fans, with tracks shying away from the standard rally fare (although they are present) as more often than not you’ll find yourself flying around a circuit with half a dozen other racers. The mix between traditional racer and rally works well, although it would have been nice to see a few more of the standard rally tracks make it into the game.

On the subject of tracks, regardless what your preference may be, you can’t help but feel that Codemasters have done a grand job in the track design department. Each track is literally a joy to drive around, they drive great, they look great, they are great.

It’s the overall package that DiRT2 really excels at, the polished nature of the game clearly indicative of the amount of work that went into it. It’s very rare in this day and age that you find a game that genuinely feels as polished as DiRT2 does, and it’s the details on the smaller end of the scale that really start to shine through. The in race banter between drivers, the way your co driver smoothly speaks your own name (providing it’s featured from a preset list) and even down to the various stats the game collects as you play through.

Gamers of a collective nature will be pleased to hear that there’s a mountain of cars to unlock, as well as a massive amount of liveries – not to mention the huge selection of races. It all adds to the overall package and it’s a package that DiRT2 excels at delivering.


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