Dirt 4 review: a rally good entry in the series

Between TOCA World Touring Cars, F1 2001 and Colin McRae Rally, my formative years were filled with glorious motorsport titles on PS1.

Colin McRae Rally in particular delivered a hitherto unseen, semi-realistic take on the sport. Between repairs, a co-driver and a variety of iconic cars, the game and its sequel instantly made an impression.

The first DIRT game steered to critical and commercial success, but by the time DIRT 2 rolled around, I had lost interest. It was the GRID 2 Effect really, as the games sought to appeal to more casual fans by incorporating extraneous content with tenuous links to the original subject matter.

Last year’s DIRT Rally on PC stood out for all the right reasons though, being an uncompromising take on rally driving. It really appealed to the kind of person who would stand ankle-deep in mud on a Sunday morning, hoping to catch a fleeting glimpse of a Ford Focus.

So colour me intrigued when DIRT 4 was announced, looking like it took the lessons from DIRT Rally and brought the entire experience to consoles.

A customisable experience

For starters, DIRT 4 delivers two options for controls, in the form of arcade and simulation styles. But you’ve got a variety of options within each style nonetheless.

Aside from the expected tweaks (ABS braking, gearbox, stability control, traction control), we’ve also got some eclectic but welcome variables, such as H-box gearbox support and manual wipers/lights. Then there are the other options, like adjusting the number of restarts you can do and manually fixing the car between stages. In other words, beginners and rally enthusiasts alike are likely to find a sweet spot. Me? I went with a semi-automatic gearbox, 10 restarts (naturally) and “low” ABS braking, among other things.

The DIRT Academy also comes highly recommended, being an optional series of lessons to get you acquainted with various driving techniques. From braking and weight transfer to handbrake turns and other skills, it’s a simple yet highly effective addition to the series. It’s by no means essential to complete this in order to go racing (you can skip it entirely or tackle a few lessons only), but newbies and veterans needing a refresher will learn a thing or two. In fact, I wouldn’t mind seeing this approach being applied to other racing games in the Codemasters stable.

The customisable settings and stage generator make DIRT 4 stand out from other titles

Once you’ve found your preference and completed the Academy, it’s time to hit the trail, and DIRT 4‘s cars all feel distinct and satisfying to drive — and I’m only using a controller. The difference between an entry-level FWD car and a monster Lancia Delta is night and day, as you throw one vehicle through corners and caress the gas pedal in the other car. Regardless of car choice, you’ll quickly learn to feather the throttle and squeeze the brakes in measured fashion.

The co-driver is also an integral part of any rally driving game, and the implementation here doesn’t leave anything to be desired. I never really got confused by the co-driver instructions, constantly being two or three instructions ahead of the current corner so you have a little room to think. But in a welcome touch, you can adjust how soon or late you’d like your calls to be.

The car’s not the only star

Half the fun also comes from the stages, with a solid variety of environments to be had. There are the wide country roads of Michigan, the dusty Outback trails of Australia, the snow-swept Swedish stages and more. The only real downside here is that there should’ve been more environments on offer, such as Kenya and Argentina.

The weather and time of day only adds to the stage spectacle though, with night-time stages looking like something ripped from a WRC feed, for instance (thanks to the great lighting effects). Then there are the fog stages, making for some cautious driving as corners appear out of the ether.

One of the tentpole features this year is the addition of a stage generator, as you specify a desired difficulty level, length and environment, with the game subsequently spitting out a result. It’s a pretty cool way to ensure you always have something different to play, although more variables (such as type of corners and additional environments) would be a lovely bonus. Hell, a full-fledged course creator would be a wonderful feature too, but what’s here is solid nonetheless.

Another neat feature this time out is the introduction of daily, weekly and monthly challenges. It’s pretty self-explanatory, as you pilot one of your own cars or a given car around a given stage in order to earn some cash. Much like the stage generator, it serves as a great way to increase replay value, constantly serving up something fresh.

You’ll certainly want to treat all the stages with respect though, as it only takes a poorly handled fishtail or hitting an errant rock to damage the car. And the damage model is pretty detailed as well, with punctures, smashed lights, deformation, hanging bumpers and other effects to be had. Do you take the time to do on-stage tyre repairs or do you limp to the finish and hope for the best? Decisions, decisions…

Meat on the bones?

Rally driving is obviously the main focus for DIRT 4, and you’ll have dozens of cups to earn and a variety of cars to purchase (you’ll need to purchase cars for different classes) as you ascend the ladder. But fans of previous games will be glad to see that other off-road disciplines are included in career mode and single races too.

I don’t particularly care for the Land Rush buggy races, with their bouncy suspensions and nigh-on uncontrollable handling. Maybe I just suck. Otherwise, we’ve also got Rallycross, being more up my alley. Here, you’ll be taking part in qualifying runs and final races in order to claim glory. It’s a pretty enjoyable experience, as you tussle on tarmac and dirt alike, the game feeling at home on either type of surface.

A track generator in Rallycross or Land Rush would’ve been a great feature as well. Still, those looking for a break from solitary driving will enjoy these two modes.

Otherwise, smash challenges, online multiplayer and time attack challenges only add more meat to the game.

In the production department, the visuals certainly hold up well, in large part due to the cool lighting effects (racing at dusk or at night never gets old) and detailed car models. In saying so, the vegetation, such as grass, tends to look ho-hum upon closer inspection. The audio side of things is also handled well, with some detailed engine noise to be had. Our only complaint is that the team audio before and after stages will repeat itself after a short amount of time.

Game information:

Release Date: 9 June 2017
Developer: Codemasters
Publisher: Codemasters
Genre: Racing
Platform(s): Xbox One (review), PC, PlayStation 4
Launch Price (RRP): R899
Industry average score: 87/100 (Xbox One)

Verdict: DIRT 4 manages to combine the best elements of DIRT Rally while still being accessible to series newcomers. Between the customisable handling, satisfying driving mechanics and neat stage generator feature, there’s plenty to like about the latest iteration. It doesn’t hurt that the title boasts some lush visuals and daily/weekly/monthly challenges. Now, about bringing more environments to the table…

Score: 9 out of 10