But I must admit that I am one of the previously mentioned rally fans who expects a rally game to have, well, rally racing. For the most part, Career Mode is well-executed, offering the right balance of challenge and a good variety in locations and tracks. This creates a curious dichotomy as any events featuring rally cars (including wheel-to-wheel Rally Cross races) seems to have an element of technical finesse while the bigger vehicles offer more of an arcade style. They're easy to lose control of, especially with the generous bump of a competitor. The trucks and buggies don't measure up in the same way. Rookies will struggle as they fail to understand the benefits of braking and pros will be tested at the higher levels by near-flawless AI competitors. The rally cars have weight to them and give that sense that you're driving along the edge of losing control. Okay, so Dirt 2 has a lot of off-road tracks, but the unique locales are really brought to life - the small villages of Morocco with their narrow streets, the marshes of Malaysia, the serene hillsides of China. Rally racing games can start to feel a little redundant with endless desert terrain. One of the best aspects of Dirt 2 is the variety of locales. There's also a special Colin McRae tribute event, which is a very loving touch from a team that had worked with McRae for years. First, there are a trio of X-Games (Asia, Europe, and North America) to open up and then five World Cup tournaments, each in a different discipline.
#DIRT 2 PC MULTIPLAYER SERIES#
Along the way, you'll unlock a series of special races. The 100 events are locked based on experience level, cars owned, or specific races you need to win.
#DIRT 2 PC MULTIPLAYER PRO#
No matter your skill level, you can make it up the ranks, starting with Amateur events, moving up through the Pro offerings and finishing off with some challenging All-Star races. These include dashboard items such as a hula girl and fuzzy dice to hang from your rearview mirror. Through Level 30 you gain new liveries, unlock new races and earn some lovely parting gifts. Each race earns you experience points, which in turn increases your driver's level. The core of Dirt 2 is the Career Mode, which starts you as an up-and-coming racer and builds you into a champion. It's an immersive experience and is in many ways better than the first Dirt. Step outside your trailer and you get a look at the festival-like surroundings for each locale and can buy and customize new cars or see the latest tournament results. Everything you could want is in and around this trailer - from a world map used to select from 100 different racing events to the multiplayer board on the wall to a TV that shows off instructional videos. Dirt 2 has an equally impressive interface that puts you into a RV that you (somehow) drive across the world. It's truly a stunning piece of art, just on the frontend alone. The original Dirt, released in 2007, has one of the best menu designs of all time. While hardcore rally fans may be a bit bummed to find pure rally racing makes up only a fifth of the Career Mode, those who just want a good racing game will be happy. The result is a gorgeous racing game with some satisfying rally sections and a whole lot of wheel-to-wheel racing. With Dirt 2, Codemasters pays fitting homage to the late McRae while trying to appeal to a larger audience. The Colin McRae series has long been considered king of rally racers.#DIRT 2 PC MULTIPLAYER TV#