DiRT 2 Review

The game uses Games for Windows Live, so it has matchmaking and all the achievements to go with the system. The process of getting into a game is as simple as you expect from matchmaking, but you can easily filter settings such as race type and vehicle damage if you desire. There aren’t a huge number of people online so you won’t be able to go too specific, but you don’t need a high number of players to start a match and players will continue to join.

There is text chat support which is hidden away so you won’t be spammed with abuse unless you open the chat window. Sadly you can’t chat with your other competitors while some guys load into the track. You level up in multiplayer just as you do in single player and you will get quite a few points even if you come near the last. Multiplayer feels very much like the single player only without the flashbacks and obviously the human opponents.

Eat my DiRT.

DiRT 2 presents an almost flawless driving mechanic combined with some amazing visual design that is a leader among all genres, not just racing games. Although there aren’t a huge number of tracks, especially if you prefer to drive only rally tracks, they all still look fantastic. Rally purists may bemoan the exclusion of Citreon and customisation junkies might lament the lack of teams or a painting system. However this racing game is great even with these somewhat glaring omissions. The act of pulling off a good corner by sliding around and maintaining control at high speed keeps you going on for more. The single player pacing is fast and keeps you gaining levels very rapidly. At times it can be a little annoying and repetitive but it really only highlights how good the rest of the driving and visual experience is.