Dirt 4: Review

Is this the game to make rally sims great again?

With 2016's Dirt Rally, Codemasters brought a genuine rally sim back to consoles for arguably the first time since Richard Burns Rally over a decade earlier. The game was masterfully executed, but its unrelenting realism made it inaccessible to all but the most dedicated of gamers and racing enthusiasts. Enter Dirt 4, the British developer's latest release, which retains much of what made its predecessor so good, whilst doing a lot to broaden its appeal and increase its longevity.

Off to a good start with a Stratos in it...

So what's new? Well for starters players can now choose between Arcade or Simulation levels of realism, instantly opening up the game to more casual players, without detracting from the experience of those seeking something more authentic. Arcade feels similar in style to Dirt 3, with cars turning in more sharply and gripping harder. Simulation is nearly identical to the gameplay seen in Dirt Rally, with real attention and skill needed to see yourself home.

Another major change comes with the introduction of Your Stage, which generates a brand new route every time you play. Simply select a location in Australia, Spain, Michigan, Sweden or Wales, set the time of day and weather conditions, then adjust the sliders for stage length and complexity. Job done. Your Stage will magic up a seamlessly realistic rally stage which you've never played before, giving the game near endless replayability.

Of course, you'll be wanting some cars to take on this infinite smorgasbord of stages with, and luckily there are plenty on offer. Over 50 to start with in fact, ranging from Crosskarts to Group B titans, and Landrush trucks to modern WRC stars. Dirt 4 is also the official game of the FIA World Rallycross Championship, meaning you get access to Montalegre, Loheac-Bretagne, Hell (no, really, it's in Norway), Holjes and Lydden Hill circuits, as well as a selection of appropriate machinery.

Ooh, look, Rallycross too!

What really sets Dirt 4 apart though isn't any of those things. Nor is it the extensive career mode, highly entertaining Joyride challenges or the online multiplayer. No, it's the total and utter immersion which Codemasters has, well, mastered, giving the player an incredibly realistic experience. The patter of gravel on the underside of the car audible over the rasping exhaust as you rocket down a trail, the evening light beaming through autumnal leaves around you. Nicky Grist's confidence inspiring Welsh lilt, calmly calls the pace notes in your ear. "Left five, don't cut, into right four, opens. One hundred, crest." You're airborne, in the sudden silence the suspension creaks as it takes up the weight of the wheels. Through the windscreen there's nothing but sky and then you're crashing back to the ground, the steering tugging wildly to one side as you try to settle the car. The next corner rushing towards you.

In this way, Dirt 4 not only succeeds in making the player feel a part of the action better perhaps than any racing title before it. But with its breadth of disciplines and game modes, variety of cars and remarkable accessibility, it offers that immersion up to a broader audience than ever before. If Gran Turismo inspired a new generation of petrolheads, then it would be no surprise to see more than a few new fans lining the sides of WRC stages in years to come thanks to a passion ignited on Dirt 4's randomly generated routes. Titles this good aren't just a great thing for gamers, they're a great thing for motorsport in general.

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54 months