Dirt 5 test: the arcade without (too much) feeling

Revealed just last May during the Inside Xbox event, Dirt 5 comes to us a few weeks later without really giving us time to discover more. A big year after the release of Dirt Rally 2.0, we wonder why Codemasters is in such a rush to give us the wheel back.

Dirt 5 test: the arcade without (too much) feeling See PriceRead ConclusionDirt 5

Play in split screen
A long and fulfilling career
Pretty cool weather effects
Vehicles and events galore

Very questionable soundtrack
Too repetitive career
Playgrounds a little light
Very low difficulty

Motor racing fans and incorrigible rally fans, you dreamed that one day, a studio would try to restore the genre to its former glory. You cherished the mad hope that developers would pay homage to the ancient Richard Burns Rally and imagined that, perhaps, Codemasters would be the team for the situation. After all, it is true that Dirt Rally 2.0 offered interesting driving sensations.

So let's get things straight: Dirt 5 is in no way a successor to Dirt Rally 2.0. It operates a complete change of direction to turn to pure arcade with cars drifting in all directions, damage without any importance and a devilishly "trendy" very festive side. Okay, so there's no question of a simulation, but is that a reason to throw the baby out with the bathwater?

Skids not so controlled?

First launch, first look and… first surprise. We were talking about a very festive "trendy" side in the introduction, that is immediately apparent. The entire interface is lively, "agitated" even with rhythmic music... not necessarily to everyone's taste. An impression that continues with the first proof. The environment is very colorful with a strong contrast and graphic effects which, if not subtle, have the merit of teasing our retinas. As often, we start with the “career” mode, the objective of which is to introduce us to the content developed by the studio.

Not to be very original, the career in question is of course that of a newcomer who must try to assert himself among the best pilots on the planet. Undoubtedly to limit the budget, there is however no question of scripting all this. There is therefore no cinematic to illustrate the progress of the player, no meeting with the other pilots. In reality, the “outside” elements boil down to a few audio interventions by well-known voices from the players, Troy Baker (Death Stranding) and Nolan North (Uncharted).

You tell me, if it's to end up with a story to sleep outside, a top of the class head for the hero and very artificial tensions between the characters as much to be satisfied with audio interventions… and you will be right. Especially since the progression of this career is interesting with a little "90s" side which is not unpleasant: you win a test which unlocks another and so on until you reach a new chapter and start again as long as career is not complete.

Like others before it, Codemasters refines this progression a bit by awarding “stamps” for each event won. As soon as a certain number of stamps is obtained, the next chapter is unlocked so that it is not necessary to pass everything to progress. Given the quantity and variety of events on offer, this is clearly not a bad idea: in the lot, you will certainly have events that will tempt you less, events in which you are less comfortable.

“Do you know what the chassis tells you? »

Variety is indeed one of the strengths of Dirt 5, but let's take stock of what we can discover through this career mode. Things are first divided between a good dozen categories of vehicles. You can drive emblematic rally cars from the 80s or 90s, off-road formulas or what Codemasters call cross raids and rock bouncers. We can also mention sprint cars and pre-runners. If certain events are reserved / prohibited for certain vehicles, most of the time, things are very open.

You can then participate in nine types of competitions. The classic Time trial which from point A to point B requires you to set the best time. The Gymkhana places us in an arena and asks us to score as many points as possible by jumping, drifting and activating as many "gates" as possible. Path finder involves dealing with a topography that could not be more delicate when Ice breaker invites us to cross real ice rinks. We can also mention the Ultra cross, the Rally raid, the Landrush or the Stampede which will be so many ways to further vary the pleasures.

To these combinations are also added dynamic elements – such as the weather or the time of day – to provide variety, but also and above all, the decors available. At this little game, Codemasters is “smart”. Indeed, at the start of a career, one has the impression that one is going to witness an orgy of environments with change at each event. In reality, things settle down quickly and there are finally ten landscapes, ten different countries from Nepal to South Africa via China, Brazil, Italy, Greece, Morocco or Norway. .

Each country only hosts one real track and it is therefore at this level that we are a little disappointed even if the developers are clever enough to bring small touches – the time of day and the weather therefore – to "make believe" that the course is different. These cars, these tests and these environments contribute to the variety of a career through which one progresses with a certain pleasure, even if the strings are a little big: I don't know about you, but it's been a long time since unlocking elements endless cosmetics has only a very limited impact on my motivation.

JVFR

... but slightly exaggerated aurora borealis © Nerces for Clubic

Acheter DiRT 5

Mud ? There is a drop

Next to the career, Codemasters offers things that are still quite classic such as online races and "free" events which allow you to choose between the different environments, the multiple events and the various machines for small challenges that you can take. elsewhere launch into split screen. Thanks Codemasters. Content-wise, however, the other big chunk – at least on paper – is Playgrounds. This is a circuit editor which unfortunately lacks ergonomics, especially for PC gamers accustomed to handling a mouse. In addition, it is then limited to two tests: the passage of doors and the gymkhana.

The concept is interesting, but suffers from shortcomings that are too glaring to motivate us: the ergonomics are therefore at half mast and there is no ghost to materialize the time of the best as it exists on the model of the genre, Trackmania. To make matters worse, on the track, it's not folichon either and it lacks the extreme side of this same Trackmania. More generally, it is also time to discuss the problems that Dirt 5 is having on the track. Indeed, if we have already mentioned its arcade side, it should be noted that it lacks certain sensations to fulfill its contract.

JVFR

There is still a long way to go: level 32 out of... 100! © Nerces for Clubic

If not realistic, an arcade-type game must offer exhilarating sensations, unparalleled nervousness and a feeling of excitement. So many ingredients that come and go through the circuits, vehicles and events of Dirt 5. Some races, more tense, provide real satisfaction when crossing the finish line, but in the majority of cases, the cars behave without the slightest subtlety, we engage the drift as we walk the dog and we take the rope without the slightest difficulty. Difficulty is the main problem of the game.

On the first chapters of the career, one succeeds the entrance tests, without providing effort. Thereafter, things got a tad tougher, just enough time to discover the route, to appreciate certain curves… and I'm far from being an eagle at the wheel. Finally, the technique suffers from defects that do not encourage our involvement. At first glance, it's pretty, it moves well and the models are successful. In fact, you should not get too close at the risk of seeing questionable joints or wheels that never touch the ground. Note also an overly aggressive AI, strange collisions and (rare) hooks in the animation, such as jumps that are not linked to an otherwise perfect fluidity.

JVFR

Dirt 5: the opinion of Clubic

Ultimately, what to remember from this Dirt 5? Let's put aside the fact that this is no longer a rally simulation at all and accept this new direction taken by Codemasters. Alas, where the shoe pinches is that all of this is ultimately nothing new. Games like this Dirt 5, fans of nervous races, "arcade" sensations have already made many ... and often much more successful.

There is a way to have a good time at the wheel of these dozens of cars and you can have fun through these shimmering scenery... But be careful not to be too demanding. Be careful not to want a gut-wrenching challenge, not to wish for a little nervousness when driving. Dirt 5 is not the best at reproducing these exhilarating sensations that make the salt of a Wipeout to quote an old reference.

In the manner of what we saw on Project Cars 3, we therefore benefit from sometimes nice moments, from an impression of speed well rendered, but also from a very low difficulty where all you need is a little seriousness to win, one by one, the tests. So, no, Dirt 5 isn't a disaster, but Codemasters got pretty lazy.

Test carried out using code provided by the publisher.

Dirt 5

Not necessarily unpleasant, but far from being a success, this Dirt 5 is a little racing game that helps pass the time... hoping to see Codemasters offer something more ambitious for arcade fans and "simers" alike . Sad all that.