Title: DiRT 5
Developer: Codemasters
Publisher: Codemasters
Released: November 6, 2020
Platforms Available: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC Game
Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 4
First Impressions and Gameplay Mechanics
The fifth installment of the DiRT car series – the well-known series from “Codies” always impresses at first glance with nice visuals and action-packed races that are accessible to everyone thanks to the pure arcade driving model. The problem, on the other hand, is a relatively modest career and a relatively poor range of single-player modes, which the developers try to compensate for with more elaborate multiplayer and online options.
The DiRT brand, along with licensed Formula 1 titles, has, over time, become the most crucial series for the racing greasers at Codemasters. The first DiRT is still considered one of the best arcade racing games years later. But “Codies” also reaped success with simulation fans, who were served two DiRTs under the name “Rally” simultaneously. DiRT 5 is even more of an arcade in many ways than the old DiRTs. The driving model is very similar to what we know from TrackMania, the DiRT Showdown spin-off, and the Motorstorm series. The resemblance to Motorstorm is not accidental. Behind the new DiRT is a significant part of the former Evolution studio staff, who moved under Codemasters after parting ways with Sony.
The car’s steering is very responsive and direct, the acceleration is strong, and the use of brakes is less. Despite the initial surprise, I quickly got to grips with the driving model. The controls of the vehicles are not at all difficult to get to grips with quickly, making the game accessible even to players who don’t otherwise play racing games much. The driving is action-packed, fast-paced, and entertained me. I only struggled slightly with the overly responsive controls and extreme acceleration. Still, I made do with just the gamepad, but given the arcade concept of the game, this is fine.
Arcade Spirit and Vehicle Dynamics
Along with the driving model, the overall physics of the game continues in a pure arcade spirit. This is most noticeable in the collision model. Especially after the start, hard collisions are the order of the day, as even computer-controlled opponents don’t precisely drive with two minds. Collisions, being pushed, being thrown off the track is a standard part of racing. The result is a more action-packed and frantic feel to the gameplay. The feeling of arcade gameplay is also evidenced by only cosmetic damage to the cars without affecting their handling or speed.
Diverse Vehicle Roster and Race Types
DiRT 5 features around 60 different vehicles divided into more than 10 categories. It’s a varied mix, featuring rally specials from different eras, off-roads familiar from the Dakar Rally, buggies of various sizes, production off-roaders, rallycross cars, and sports cars primarily designed for circuit racing. It combines the second and fourth DiRT cars with more unique vehicles.
The move towards the arcade, amongst a lot of other things, has made the differences in the behavior of each car relatively small. There is still a noticeable difference between buggies and rally specials or rear-wheel drive-only vehicles, for example. However, within the same class, the differences are almost nil. Most races pit a dozen drivers against each other in a three-lap match. These are short but challenging races lasting only a few minutes each time. Only Pathfinder mode, where you try to drive to the top of a mountain in a unique vehicle, and good old Gymkhana, where you collect points for drifts and acrobatic stunts, break away from this template for a change.
Dynamic Racing Environments
However, the classic rally with Erzettas is sadly missing from the game. The big attraction, however, is the tracks. The races occur in ten locations, including snowy Norway, rainy Brazil, mountainous Nepal, and arid American Arizona. Add up all the tracks and their variations, and you’ll see nearly eighty tracks. The number and variety of locations are very satisfactory. The dynamically changing weather conditions are also another of the many positives. Despite the races’ short duration, they can quickly change the weather, track surface, and time of day. In practice, you can do one lap during the day in sunny weather, another in a torrential downpour or sandstorm, and a third at night.
Audiovisual Impact
We have become accustomed to dynamic weather and time of day changes in racing games. However, they have never happened so quickly and with extreme variations, as in the fifth DiRT. If I had to single out one thing that makes DiRT at least worth trying, it’s the constantly changing conditions during the race. The ubiquitous particle effects of dust, smoke, flying pieces of mud, or falling snow or rain also sell the great atmosphere during the races. Especially in these moments, the game feels like the arrival of a new generation of consoles. In addition to the graphics, the well-crafted sounds and pleasantly listenable soundtrack deserve praise. On the technical side, I didn’t encounter anything serious; minor glitches or bugs were an exception. The only thing that didn’t please me was the occasional frame drops from 60 to about 30 frames per second, which was not entirely pleasant when driving faster or going through a sharp turn with maximum concentration. Still, fortunately, it didn’t happen too often.
Career Mode and Single-Player Content
I was very interested in how the developers would handle the career mode. This has always played an essential role in the DiRT series. Unfortunately, the fifth installment falls short in this aspect. At first glance, the enticing story told by the duo of Troy Baker and Nolan North eventually devolved into merely the often brief commentary and audio dialogue of the two protagonists. As a result, it’s just the occasional humorous or informative passages filling the time between races. It’s certainly nothing that could be called a story.
A much bigger problem, however, is the structure and progression through the career and the number of single-player modes. The career of the fifth DiRT is more than a roster of consecutive and similar races. The feeling of progressing somewhere and opening up new possibilities must be included. You have to reckon that the career offers nothing special apart from the racing itself. You don’t even have to buy a car at the start, as the game gives you one vehicle in each category by the start.
Moreover, the rewards for winning races are high. Soon, thanks to this, you will get considerable money that can only be spent on stickers and other cars. In both cases, this is a relatively small incentive. As I mentioned, the cars behave almost identically within their category. So there’s not much reason to replace the old ones with new ones. You won’t see a significant reward or deeper motivation for your efforts; race wins in your career. Vehicle upgrade options could be better. You can’t modify the performance of the cars. From a visual point of view, only stickers and body color combinations are offered. You can also remember team management. DiRT 5 replicates the all-too-easy career of recent GRIDs. We should stick purely to the single-player modes. In that case, only fast-paced racing or time trials are available apart from a truncated career. I expect more from such an ambitious game.
Multiplayer and Community Features
DiRT tries to compensate for this lack with multiplayer. For one thing, it features a split-screen for up to 4 players. Split-screen is available in both fast-paced races and careers. The online component provides classic races supplemented by special party modes Vampire, King, and Transporter. In Vampire, one player becomes a vampire and hunts down others who escape. In King mode, participants try to win the crown for as long as possible. In the final Transporter mode, the goal is to move as many items as possible to a designated location. Completely separate is the PlayGrounds mode. You can create and then share your own tracks. Players from all over the world can then run different times on them or earn points and rankings. You can make tracks for Gymkhana, time trial with checkpoints, or Smash Attack mode, where it is important to hit the desired targets accurately. The editor is quite clear and easy to navigate and control. Creating exciting and varied tracks should be fine. Here, too, you can see some similarities with the TrackMania brand, for which the track editor is an essential element. Ironically, multiplayer is the aspect of the game that contains richer content than single-player. While the single-player game relies on a weak career mode, the multiplayer brings split-screen, several online modes, and a track editor.
Final Lap
DiRT 5 is a pure arcade racing game for many players. The driving model is catchy, easy to learn, and fun despite the primitive physics. However, the leading ace up the game’s sleeve is the varied tracks with rapidly changing conditions, further enhanced by the fantastic audiovisual design. The biggest problem, on the other hand, is the weak career, offering only a series of consecutive and basically identical races. So, if you prefer a single-player, the fifth DiRT will offer little content and game modes. On the other hand, fans of multiplayer, community editors, and various online features will have plenty to keep them busy.
Where to Buy DiRT 5
Ready to hit the tracks? Purchase DiRT 5 on any of these platforms:
- Steam: Jump into high-octane racing with DiRT 5 on Steam.
- PlayStation Store: Rev your engines with DiRT 5 on the PlayStation Store.
- Microsoft Store: Experience the thrill of DiRT 5 on the Microsoft Store.
