Developer: Codemasters
Publisher: Codemasters
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Tested on: Xbox One
DiRT 4 – Review
Rally enthusiast players will know that the Colin McRae brand is one that stems from deep in the racing history. With twelve games already in its franchise, where six bear the DiRT name, this is a well-known title for people that love a great qualitative rally experience, albeit arcade or simulating. While previous titles each had unique extras this DiRT goes back to the roots with the basics.
Story
Your career in DiRT 4 starts with a loaned vehicle for a test run. During this event some spotters have seen your talent and give you the chance to do tests for your rally license. These challenges are a form of tutorial so you can hone your skills or just skip these altogether if you already know the ins and outs of rally. Afterwards you will need to drive for a sponsor to make some money so you can purchase your first car and establish your own racing team.
As you become more famous the door will open to participate in more events, you will need to either grow your team or rely on sponsors, but more on this in the gameplay section. For a racing game it is not troubling that there is no concrete story, with the progression you make this feels like a nicely flowing career in which you pull the string towards success.
Graphics
DiRT 4 has some astonishing attention for detail like fully functional interiors with the lights reflecting in your windshield and realistic window tearing when they break to beautifully crafted vehicles that match identical to their real-life counterparts. However there is one thing where they skimped a bit on details and that is that some rally stages tend to feel a bit rougher. There are only a few of the bunch but you notice the slight difference immediately.
Sound
If you have ever been to a rally in real life you will know each sound, pop and bang from the cars and the roads. In case you have not experienced something like this you can rest assured that what you hear in this game is perfectly mimicked from its real counterpart. Each car sounds unique and true and while going fast you hear the road responding.Scraping from broken components will put you on the edge so you can respond in a decent fashion. A cool feature is that you can have radio static so you won’t hear some commands your co-pilot is giving you, leaving you in the dark for what comes on that moment so better have your eyes peeled open and concentrated on the road.
Gameplay
DiRT 4 is a racing game that consists of four main branches: Rally, Land Rush, Rally Cross and Historical Rally. These divisions each have their own set of rules and play-style but can be easily separated into two main genres. Rally and Historical Rally are, as the name implies, races from point A to B where you need to have the fastest time in order to win. Land Rush and Rally Cross are lap based races on a closed track. While in previous DiRT games there were extra modes likes Hill climb, Gymkhana and demolition races, these have traded place with a more extensive career mode with bigger team involvement and more dynamic track life.
As told in the story part of this review you will start driving for a sponsor to acquire cash for your first car, if you decide to start a team. Driving for a sponsoring team means that they pay everything and have the staff ready, but they will take a large cut of the winnings. When starting your own team you need a vehicle and these can be bought in two ways: buy them brand new from the dealership or opt for a used one that could be greatly upgraded in the classifieds section. After this you can begin customizing the details and designs of your livery and start looking for sponsors. As you manage your garage you will also need to upgrade the facilities of your base and hire more staff to aid you in races. This is very in-depth as a managing option but can be left behind if you prefer just borrowing cars.
Most races consist of multiple stages and events, during these events you will need to maintain your automobile as damage can greatly impact handling and responsiveness. The wear and tear of components can be countered by investing into higher grade parts. These do take more time to replace but get less worn during races. What makes DiRT 4 one of the most realistic titles of the moment is the organic liveliness of the tracks. During races you can encounter other drivers that have technical problems, crossing wildlife, a hovering helicopter that kicks up dust clouds and so impairing view or a camera drone that nearly misses your windshield. This gives the impression of participating in a real race and not just a basic videogame.
As far as the controls go it is an easy to pick up and play game with many options to set either controller or a fully functional six speed gearbox racing steering wheel including clutch, sequential or H-shift pattern versions. Also the option to incorporate various aids or turn these off for a more realistic feel makes DiRT 4 a game that everyone can enjoy.
Conclusion
If you like rally racing and want to manage your own racing team this is probably the most interesting title currently on the market. With very fun gameplay that is connected to an utter most realistic racing experience with the ability to build your own team up from the ground and manage everything. A large collection of cars to choose from and that are exact to their real-world counterparts and a really large well-flowing career mode to keep you entertained for hours.
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