Hands On With DiRT3 – One Small Step For Codies, One Giant Leap For Rally Games

When Codemasters invited me to get hands on with the latest iteration of their long running rally racing franchise, DiRT – I was excited.  I’ve been a long time DiRT fan and I’m an even bigger fan of the WRC.  Codies told me this game was gong to be bigger and better than DiRT 2, while at the same time taking the franchise back to it’s rally roots.  I had high hopes – and from what I saw just a few days ago, you should have high hopes too.

First of all, DiRT 3 is bigger than DiRT 2.  Second of all, DiRT 3 has 3x more rally than DiRT 2.  Third of all, DiRT 3 has Gymkhana.

When I say it’s bigger, I mean in every way.  More tracks (finally with Snow), more modes (including an “Outbreak” mode), more cars (50 years worth of classic rally cars)  and it’s even got online multiplayer as well as split-screen local multiplayer for the first time.  (It’s harder to implement than you think)

I was able to play two rally tracks and test out the Gymkhana mode – and all three were solid experiences.

First I took a few laps around the countryside in Finland in a good ol’ fashioned Audi Sport Quattro.  One of the first things I noticed was the change in handling and controller vibration as the car moved from dirt to pavement.  Codies have really stepped it up in terms of conveying the visceral feeling of racing on different surfaces to the player – and it shows.  The second thing that I noticed is that the game looks great.  It runs on the same engine as F1 2011 and Operation Flashpoint: Red River – so it not only has great textures, but also very realistic lighting and shadows.  The game definitely looked great on the Xbox 360 I played on, but rest assured – as a Direct X 11 title – DiRT 3 is going to look bloody amazing on PC. The game also models damage in an extremely realistic and downright awesome way.  In fact, I’m sure many gamers will spend plenty of time purposely f**king up their cars just to see how sweet it looks it super slow mo.  The controls were also quite responsive and never when I veered off course did I feel that it was the game’s fault.  You should know that DiRT 3 is no “arcade” racer.  You could say it feels like a mix between an arcade and a sim – somewhere in between Midnight Club and Gran Turismo.  Let’s just say it feels right.  However, If you’re really into rally – you’re going to want a wheel.

Next up was a romp through Kenya. This was a much more traditional WRC style course and my co-pilot would issue orders to me as I approached each turn.  Being that this course was dirt, dirt and nothing but dirt – you could really feel the difference in the way the car handled as apposed to how it would on asphalt and pavement.  Like I said, Codies has gone out of their way to make sure that the racing in DiRT 3 “feels right” – and it does.  The game also features dynamic weather as well as dynamic spectators – which is another term for ‘asshole NPCs that will run onto the track at random to take pictures of you’. Unfortunately, you can’t run these idiots over – but the game will make you believe that you can until the last second when they jump out of the way.  This is just one of many cool new features, and it all just adds to what is shaping up to be a very realistic rally experience.

But enough about DiRT 3 taking the franchise back to it’s rally roots – lets talk about Gymkhana mode.

If you’re not familiar with Ken Block and his Gymkhana videos – then please stop whatever you’re doing and watch the video below.  For those of you who are familiar with Ken and his videos – please stop whatever you’re doing and watch the video below.  You know you can’t get enough:

Codemasters and Ken Block have been hard at work trying to emulate the feeling of Ken Block’s famous Gymkhana practice session in what they are calling simply, Gymkhana Mode

Gymkhana Mode turns DiRT 3 into your personal playground with Ken’s souped up Ford Fiesta.  (I liked his Subaru better)  You’ll get in-game achievements for doing things like landing jumps, drifing under trailers and pulling wicked G’s in tight spaces.  Check out the trailer for Gymkhana mode below. *Note*  It’s a lot harder than it looks:

While messing around in Gymkhana mode I noticed one particular thing – it wasn’t easy. Codies had made this mode look easy as pie but in fact it was hard as hell and without having access to what the promise to be a very informative tutorial mode – my car was soon beat to shit as I struggled to to anything but constantly drjft into the nearest pole.  Luckily, Codemasters is aware of this.  So, while your car will model damage in Gymkhana mode – it will not affect the way it handles at all and you can reset this “purely cosmetic” damage at any time and start over with a shiny new car.  Good call on that one Codies.

However, that’s not to say the mode isn’t fun.  It’s fun as  f**k and also wholly original.  For me, it’s one of the biggest selling points of the game.  If I had to compare it to anything I’d say it felt strikingly similar to playing Crazy Taxi on Dreamcast.  I’m sure once you complete the Ken-guided tutorial mode and get some practice in Gymkhana mode yourself – you’ll be pulling off all sorts of insane nonsense and uploading your gameplay to YouTube in no time.  Oh, did I forget to mention that?  DiRT 3 will allow you to upload short gameplay clips directly from your console or PC to either your own personal channel or Codemasters YouTube channel.  Just another awesome feature of DiRT 3.

Speaking of cool features – DiRT 3 will also have some very interesting multiplayer modes like “Cat and Mouse” and “Outbreak” mode.  Some people are referring to “Outbreak” mode as “Zombie Mode” because when your car gets tagged by another it becomes, “Infected” and will surely look the part until you tag another car.  However, there are no actual zombies in the game – that would just be silly. Or would it?

Last but not least, as a final treat for you – British TV journalist Neil Cole was invited to Codemasters HQ to try out DiRT3 as well.  Better yet – they let him film the trip and toward the end of the video you get to see the Kenya track that I played myself.  Enjoy:

Still not convinced that DiRT 3 is everything racing fans want and rally fans need?  Then I don’t know what to tell you because I don’t think it’s going to get any better than this – at least until DiRT 4.

Dirt 3 races into stores on May 24th – Learn more about it at Dirt3Game.com and be sure to check back in with RipTen for continued coverage of DiRT 3 and all things Codies.