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| Reviewer | Platform | Publisher | Developer | Players | Screenshots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Bailey | Xbox 360 | Codemasters | Codemasters | 1-100 (System Link, Xbox Live) | Here |
| Requirements | Also on... | Buy from Amazon.co.uk | |||
| Xbox Live Gold subscription for online play | PC | Click here to buy Colin McRae: DIRT. | |||
It's been a while since we last saw you, Colin. It's been over two and a half years since the previous installment in the popular rallying franchise, and since then Codemasters have taken the time to get ready for another generation of consoles. It hasn't been since Colin McRae Rally 2005 that we've had a really good 'proper' rallying game, though there has been recent competition on the off-road front (from first-parties, no less). Both Nintendo and Sony have got into the off-road action with Excite Truck and Motorstorm respectively. However, each delivers a unique experience; Excite Truck is an all-out action game focussing on Wii Remote control, whereas Motorstorm is a game that, while isn't realistic, does offer a hardcore approach to the genre, while tacking on some optional motion controls. Colin McRae: DIRT, which isn't consigned to just one platform (and will indeed run again Sony's title later this year), shows there's room for all three games in the genre, by offering a different approach; Codemasters have delivered a game for all, one that pleases the casual fan, and offers something for the hardcore too.
Colin McRae: DIRT features surprisingly little of the man himself. But then, Colin himself is out of the top tier of rallying, appearing in the odd event, but still maintaining the high profile of a former champion. In the game, his only real contribution is his appearance as one of your named competitors when you take part in 4WD races, as well as the appearance of the R4 car he has been developing. So, with no Colin-driven gameplay, nor a WRC licence, the game instead focusses on its own Career mode. This is a multi-tiered approach, ala Codemasters' own TOCA Race Driver 3, except here progression through the tiers is a lot slower. This is because there are 'only' 11 of them, assembled into a pyramid structure, with 11 races at the bottom, leading to a single final event at the top. Each block on the pyramid is an event, which may consist of just a single race, or a collection of them. The events cover a number of off-road racing styles, branching out beyond the basic FWD and 4WD rallying in order to widen the game's appeal. This means as well as these two, we also see the likes of Rally Raid (rally courses where you actually compete with others on the same track), Hill Climb (rallying up hill), Buggy Racing, and even Big Rigs across narrow rally courses. It's all four-wheeled action, and is fundamentally more 'rally' than Motorstorm, but some purists may not be pleased to see the game drift from the core focus.
While the Career may be offering 66 events, DIRT has a lot more in store. Firstly, there's the Championship mode. While Career is an exciting jumble of events, Championship is something which will please the hardcore more, due to adopting the same style as a proper rally. Upon selecting the mode you get a few options; you can either choose one of the six national rally events to compete in, take part in a collection of three European ones, a collection of three 'international' ones, or a Championship encompassing all six. Selecting one of these gives you the option to choose between two championships, long or short, the former offering more courses than the latter. You then get to choose difficulty, then racing discipline and the car, with car selection depending on what you own (and therefore have bought or earned) in the Career mode. It's a welcome addition, particularly alongside the sometimes crazed, but highly enjoyable, diversity of the Career, but it's not the end of the modes, either; alongside this is Rally World. It has a fancy name, but it essentially boils down to giving you the options to race how you like. You can choose a single race, single event, or a time trial, and customise how you play with a range of options including race discipline, car choice, and track.
In case all that single player action doesn't give you your fill, there's also multiplayer here too. Over Xbox Live the game supports up to 100 players, achieving this by only providing the traditional rally events where you don't see your opponents on screen. Instead you all race at the same time, with positions listed in the top-right. While you're essentially just competing on times, it is very enjoyable - particularly if you manage to succeed in beating 99 others. You can also gloat about this after (or exclaim your poor driving abilities) through the chat system, which has selections designed with the thumbsticks in mind, rather than relying on an awkward on-screen keyboard. Track and car choices are made in the lobby between races through a voting system; it's a simple case of choosing one of the available options and tapping X, with the most popular winning. This works well with a large number of players, but does present a problem in the lack of choice. Those options are imposed upon you, and there's no way to change them, even if you host a private game. It's part of a general lack of options for the Xbox Live play; there's either a Quick Race of ranked or unranked matches, or "Custom Race" which merely lets you choose ranked, unranked or create a private game across either "Rally or Hillcross" or just "Rally". So there's no options for the number of players, or restricting the tracks or cars which come up in the voting. Such limitations would be understandable for the ranked games, but unranked it seems overly restrictive, particularly if you are playing privately. The same options, and limitations, exist in the System Link support too (though it's hard to imagine hooking up 100 Xbox 360s in the same room). Disappointing is the lack of split-screen support; it's an increasing, and unwelcome, trend in so-called 'next-generation' titles not to support even 2 players on the same console. This is particularly annoying for racing games which thrive on competition in the same room, even if they do work rather well online, and Colin McRae titles in the past have not held back on support.
Handling, a key element in racing games, is something I have yet to tackle. Rally games offer a distinct brand of racing, with handling rather unlike that seen in classic simulation titles, or even arcade racers. Colin McRae: DIRT holds on to that unique brand of handling, and also offers Codemasters' now trademark 'approachable realism'; the company has shown time and time again that it can deliver titles in this genre which closely match the style of cars and the individual models you are driving in a way to please the hardcore, yet at the same time making their games available to newcomers. It's a successful blend that has worked rather well in the past, and continues to do so here. However, the game has strived to be more accessible, and it could be seen that the handling isn't quite as sharp as previous outings, even if it does cope rather well with the greater breadth of vehicle classes on offer.
This general shift in accessibility is seen right through the game. While Colin McRae games were never as hardcore as the licensed rally titles, it has become more available to the mainstream, with recent success in the charts since its launch showing the fruits of this. One of the most apparent changes is in the menu design. While original and clean menus have long featured in the series, DIRT features a new 3D design, which can be moved around with the right thumbstick like Super Smash Bros. Melee. It's probably the most exciting menu system I've seen in a while, particularly in combination with a thumping soundtrack that matches the mood perfectly. It's also a multi-layered approach, allowing you to view event information without tearing away from the selection screen, and helping you keep track of the menus, despite the Look Around You-inspired crazy arrows linking lists. Even the loading screen can be enjoyed, as it provides a range of statistics from simple things like the number of wins, to the longest jump you've made, or your average speed, with a different selection of these each time, whizzing by in the same exciting manner as the menus.
Of course, we couldn't be assessing the move across generations without considering the impact on the graphics. These are as impressive as to be expected - not mindblowing, but definitely showing off the power of the Xbox 360, particularly when the PC version requires a very high-spec machine. There is an awful lot of detail in the well-modelled cars, and surroundings are both realistic in looks and vast in scale. You can see for miles without pop-ups or 'jaggies', though you can still tell there's room for future improvement.
| Graphics | Graphically impressive, if not mindblowing. There is a lot of detail in the cars and the surroundings, and the interiors look good too. The scale of the surroundings will also amaze. | 9/10 |
|---|---|---|
| Gameplay | It manages to deliver handling that will please all but the most hardcore, yet is accessible to everyone. It's an enjoyable and more varied experience than in the past, yet is still able to deliver with the same quality we know Codemasters for. | 9/10 |
| Value | There's a lot put into the package, including online play. However, we're disappointed they didn't give us a split-screen mode. | 9/10 |
| Lifespan | There's at least 10 hours in the main career mode, with 100% completion likely to clock up more. Then there's the Championship modes, Rally World, and online action with up to 100 players. | 10/10 |
| Audio | The music doesn't feature during races, but is rather good on the menus and the post-race screens and replays, capturing the mood well. The quality of the voice-overs for your American co-driver are good, but his comments are sometimes annoying, and we miss Nicky Grist. | 8/10 |
| Overall | Colin McRae has made a rather successful jump to this generation, and in the process has expanded its audience, without taking away too much from the hardcore. There are areas to improve, but for now we have one of the best rally games ever made to enjoy. | 9/10 |
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