While DiRT 5 is about to point the end of its grille, we were able to put the sweaty hands on the wheel of some racing monsters. The opportunity to evaluate the new circuits of this vintage to come and to see their promises.
Although it does not bear the number, DiRT 5 is already the eighth installment in a series that dates back more than thirteen years. Formerly a spin-off of the Colin McRae franchise, the DiRT series broke away from it in 2011 with DiRT 3. Today, DiRT 5 seems to want to initiate a "mainstream" turn by seeking more adrenaline game emphasizing its arcade side and off-road racing. Almost two months before its official release, it let itself be approached.
axle and lugs
Small surprise while Codemasters had not necessarily accustomed us to such a game mode in the series, DiRT 5 should largely focus on the career mode. A mode that he wanted to be entirely scripted with real actors who are well known to video game enthusiasts. We begin this career mode in the skin of the "young wolf with long teeth", a beginner therefore, but who will not be alone to take his first steps since he is taken under his wing by Alex Janicek, the best driver on the circuit.
Said champion is voiced by Troy Baker (Sam Drake in Uncharted or Joel in The Last of Us), but we can also count on the presence of Nolan North (Nathan Drake in Uncharted, or Desmond Miles in Assassin's Creed) who will play our fiercest opponent. We have not yet been able to discover the exact functioning of this career, but Codemasters evokes a division into five chapters with specific objectives to progress.
Whether it's career mode or more free modes, Codemasters has already planned a plethora of events such as the Ultracross with more rugged scenery, the Land Rush, the Stampede or the Sprint which puts us in control. monsters of power on oval circuits where technique is important. Tests that we discover through many environments from Arizona to Norway via Brazil, Morocco, China, Italy or New York.
For now, however, little concern about the variety of circuits. The environments mentioned above are very different, but they do not seem to have to offer very changing layouts. To be checked on the final version of course. It will also be necessary to check the exact number of vehicles available in the game because, for the moment, we have only had an overview with, of course, multiple categories in order to classify style, power and era.
high five
In particular, it is a question of offering some of the most famous models of the 70s and 80s (Peugeot 205 T16, Ford RS200), but also of offering some references from the 90s (Ford Escort Cosworth, Subaru Impreza). Very different vehicles will also be on the menu, from Dakar machines to Midgets and buggies. Codemasters obviously insists on the variety of conduct that this cast imposes.
On this subject, it is worth emphasizing that DiRT 5 is indeed more arcade than some of its predecessors. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is better to be aware: it is not with him that we will see a successor to the famous Richard Burns Rally. Still, the gameplay is nervous and the sensations are already there. In addition, depending on the circuits / vehicles, it is necessary to demonstrate good control. Fairly satisfying given the preview state of our build.
Finally, Codemasters insisted on a completely new game mode for DiRT 5. Called Playgrounds, it should allow fans to express their creativity by designing their own circuits. When the game is released, three settings will be available for our constructions: two on the Mesa Valley in Arizona (small and large “map”) and one on the stadium in Cape Town in South Africa. We obviously hope that other environments will be offered in order to vary things.
The circuit construction interface is well thought out and although it could only be used with the joystick, we did not encounter any particular difficulties in developing our layouts… apart from a few not too worrying bugs. We regret, however, that the blocks are not more varied, especially in the management of curves, but it is already possible to create quite nice challenges and there is no doubt that the creativity of some will allow very beautiful things.
Codemasters then makes it possible to test the courses of each other while rosters will come to highlight the talent of all the pilots. Playgrounds currently allows the creation of three types of challenges: the Gymkhana where you have to chain tricks and combos, Smash Attack which involves destroying a maximum of “balloons” and Gate Crasher with its checkpoint doors not to be missed.
Still prone to bugs, this preview version of DiRT 5 augurs well for a nervous and carefully produced game, but for which we will have to judge the interest in the long term, for example.
Preview made from code provided by the publisher.
