Dirt 2 [Demo]

[charlesr]

Don't be so negative about the threads

The front end is amazing, but the actual driving mechanic in the cars in the demo isn't as good as the worst cars in CM4 or RC2. I'd love a decent rally game for this gen and was hoping this was it - in videos it looks superb.

[Brats]

Obviously handling is very subjective and makes or breaks these games. The demo hasn't left with a clear opinion either way. I want it to be great, but the only way I will find out is by dropping ?40 on it.

[merf]

oddly just tried the ps3 version and it felt 'weightier', not sure if this has anything to do with the actual software or the dire ps3 pad.

[sharky_ob]

Tried it. Handling was ok. American ****e is just so annoying I won't buy it unless you can turn it off.

CMR2 still ****s on this.

[prinnysquad]

I quite enjoyed this. No way a full pricer but I'd like to get it at some stage.

The handling is something I just don't complain about. It feels different to other racers, maybe it is floaty, maybe it has no weight, but after a short while I'd adapted. The game has its own set of handling rules and I'll adapt, it's just a case of knowing exactly how to deal with the handling model. The game looks nice and the voices, although grating, aren't any worse than some of the turds featured on recent Burnout games.

Rather disappointing that the focus of the demo is on dusty desert tracks. My least favourite tracks on the first game were those slower races with big jeep things and trucks lurching around potholes and the like. Once again, I adapted to them and did ok, but didn't really enjoy the pace of them. Being dusty, these tracks bring back unhappy memories from that game.

[Wools]

Although I still don’t like the direction Codemasters have taken the Colin McRae Rally series with Dirt, everything is geared towards an American market that is not there and they have now missed all opportunities to use Colin after his death, I’m far more appreciative of this effort.

It looks far more attractive than Dirt as there are now environment details such as grass and foliage used rather than just a sand texture, it controls far more interestingly with a greater emphasis of moving across terrain and the effects that plays with and I like that this world they’re gearing it to now feels alive and around you.

If they can have a great range of rallying and each discipline is more than enough on its own, then Colin McRae Dirt 2 will be a far more involving drive than the still reasonable original.

[ezee ryder]

Surprised at the negativity around this demo (although every thread I visit at the moment seems to be full of negativitiy!), I thought it was awesome

Don't worry it's not just you. Being negative about everything and doubting it is all the rage these days.

Back to DIRT 2 though. it's awesome. I don't really care what "direction" they have taken, what does that mean anyway?! The game is actually not that different to the previous game! So what if it's no long a super duper ultra realistic rally game?! It's fun and that is what matters at the end of the day. I had a blast playing the multiplayer with a mate yesterday, the set-up is really good. Definitely buying this on release.

[BearBoy]

Hmmmm.

Good points:

The graphics are better.
Erm.....

Bad points:

Looks like they have removed Hillclimb.
They haven't removed the pointless and tedious bouncy bouncy truck nonsense.
The ghastly Americanisation of the whole thing.
Have you seen the roster of Rally cars? A complete joke. No Citroens, no Fords, no Lancias, no Toyotas, no Peugeots, no Fiats, no Audis, no Renaults etc etc. At least they've put the BMW Z4 in though . Twats.
They've reduced the, already too small, number of Rallies from 6 to 5.

This was a definite day one purchase for me. Think I'll wait until it's been heavily discounted now.

[Super Monkey Balls]

This demo really angered me. Garbage.

I really didn't like Dirt (or is it DIRT!!1) and they've changed none of the things I disliked. OK, maybe one, the screen doesn't look like its had quite as much jizz smeared on there this time. Its pretty, but I see the obsession with bloom effects remains, which looks impressive and all but contributes to the in car view being unplayable in certain events.

Alas, we're not catering for the realism market anymore though are we Codies. The presentation in DIRT!!1 2 made me want to vomit. The festival setting, the hugely inappropriate cars, the ****ty music, the menus that look like a 14 year old designed them in Maths, and worst of all the moronic Americans who wouldn't know real racing if it shat on their baseball cap. And the in-race banter, oh Christ, shoot me now. Why on earth is the late, great Colin McRae still associated with this franchise? Unfathomable.

Maybe I could put up with all this (a la Motorstorm) if they hadn't kept the god-awful handling from DIRT!!1. It's a twitchy mess. Where's the fun in any racing game when you're terrified of putting your foot down because your eyes can't distinguish a corner in time or you're worried some trailer trash will spin you if you go at a ramp at a slight angle.

After a couple of goes I managed to gingerly win on the default difficulty but the whole experience reminded me why I hated DIRT!!1 Perhaps the handling isn't a million miles from CMR but the events are, and its far too slippy for lengthy open tracks and sluggish, bouncy arenas. The fact that they included the instant rewind feature from GRID!!1 seems to prove my point. And for the record, I quite liked that. The arcadey handling and goofy presentation suited city track racing, but not here. It simply leaves me longing for all this money and talent to be used for a fitting tribute to McRae.

Bring back CMR please codies. Leave this bollocks to EA.

[EJG1980]

Don't worry it's not just you. Being negative about everything and doubting it is all the rage these days.

Back to DIRT 2 though. it's awesome. I don't really care what "direction" they have taken, what does that mean anyway?! The game is actually not that different to the previous game! So what if it's no long a super duper ultra realistic rally game?! It's fun and that is what matters at the end of the day. I had a blast playing the multiplayer with a mate yesterday, the set-up is really good. Definitely buying this on release.

Agree with that. I really found Dirt 1 a fun game to play and that'll all I'll worry about with Dirt 2 as well. I suppose it helps that I'm not really into rally so anything that's unrealistic / not as it should be wouldn't stand out to me.

Don't really care about menus or presentation much myself, as long as the game is good. I haven't met a menu yet that's been so bad its been able to stop me enjoying the game. The only exception might be if I was playing Super Menu Simulator 2009 and that had **** menus

[Wools]

Don't worry it's not just you. Being negative about everything and doubting it is all the rage these days.

Back to DIRT 2 though. it's awesome. I don't really care what "direction" they have taken, what does that mean anyway?! The game is actually not that different to the previous game! So what if it's no long a super duper ultra realistic rally game?! It's fun and that is what matters at the end of the day. I had a blast playing the multiplayer with a mate yesterday, the set-up is really good. Definitely buying this on release.

Colin McRae has never been truly realistic or pandering to any crowd except its own.

All the original Colin McRae games went for a great medium between realistic and far more manageable mechanics. If you want an example of hardcore rallying then give Richard Burns Rally a go, funnily enough it?s also based on a UK driver and made by a British studio. And I never once said I?ve got issues with the handling, I apologise if that was not aimed at me, and have enjoyed the handling in all Colin McRae games.

My qualms with the direction Codemasters have gone down is simple. It?s pandering to the United States by featuring a US Rally Driver, moving away from its WRC routes and classic rallies by featuring American disciplines and sponsors, and even changing all European Liveries on all possible cars with their US counterparts. They?re knowingly moving away from Rally and moving to United States off-road racing.

Like Grid before it, it?s spreading itself to thin with so many disciplines yet so few tracks to base them on, and moving from a rich and diverse pack of cars and tracks to a purely focused United States racing scene.

[ezee ryder]

I really don't get this whole "Americanisation" or "extreme" points that people keep making. Jazzing up the menus and look of the game makes it "American" or "extreme"?! Really?!

I dunno, maybe I am playing a different game but I really didn't find anything "American" or "extreme" about it. All I found was a really good game.

Colin McRae has never been truly realistic or pandering to any crowd except its own.

All the original Colin McRae games went for a great medium between realistic and far more manageable mechanics. If you want an example of hardcore rallying then give Richard Burns Rally a go, funnily enough it’s also based on a UK driver and made by a British studio. And I never once said I’ve got issues with the handling, I apologise if that was not aimed at me, and have enjoyed the handling in all Colin McRae games.

My qualms with the direction Codemasters have gone down is simple. It’s pandering to the United States by featuring a US Rally Driver, moving away from its WRC routes and classic rallies by featuring American disciplines and sponsors, and even changing all European Liveries on all possible cars with their US counterparts. They’re knowingly moving away from Rally and moving to United States off-road racing.

Like Grid before it, it’s spreading itself to thin with so many disciplines yet so few tracks to base them on, and moving from a rich and diverse pack of cars and tracks to a purely focused United States racing scene.

Yeah maybe it hasn't been super duper ultra realistic but that is what some people seem to think. The Colin McRae games were "proper" rally games, this is no longer a Colin McRae Rally game. The game is now called DIRT and focuses on different types of racing discipline rather than just one. I don't recall the DIRT box saying "this is a rally game", unless I am mistaken.

Again, DIRT is not a WRC game so it doesn't need to be centred around the UK or Europe. Why is basing the game more around American racing disciplines a bad thing?! I don't really get it. Does a racing game need to be soley based around the UK or Europe to be good or something?! I think you're right about Codemasters knowing exactly what they are doing, they have moved away from being just a rally game and they have made no bones about it. Like I said earlier I don't think they want DIRT to be just a rally game and it seems like people are hurt by that or something.

This thread is a great example of how some gamers just love to moan. Change a game a bit and people will moan about how the developers have gone against the roots. Keep the game the same and people will moan about how the developers are lazy and there is no innovation these days in gaming. Makes me laugh.

[Wools]

I never said that creating spiffy menus made it bad.

I said:

“My qualms with the direction Codemasters have gone down is simple. It’s pandering to the United States by featuring a US Rally Driver, moving away from its WRC routes and classic rallies by featuring American disciplines and sponsors, and even changing all European Liveries on all possible cars with their US counterparts. They’re knowingly moving away from Rally and moving to United States off-road racing.

Like Grid before it, it’s spreading itself to thin with so many disciplines yet so few tracks to base them on, and moving from a rich and diverse pack of cars and tracks to a purely focused United States racing scene.”

[jimtendo]

I take it you don't watch that many WRC's then ezee, since its plain to see (and dismay) to many classic Colin McCrae Rally fans, that the DiRT series is now all about the razzmatazz and outwardly brash "f*ck yeah, team america" extreme attitude.
So having Dave Mirra (american BMX'er) and Travis Pastrana (X-games/ various motorsports) and pretty much having a lot of events borrowing from american style rally events (rally cross for example) deem it not american enough for you?

I long for the days when there will be a proper rally game, where there's no multi discipline events, and goes strictly WRC, against the clock, a la old school.
A rally game where i have to nurse the car through long stages with a knackered front wheel and lost the function of top gear.

Must dust off my copy Richard Burns, and hope it works via backwards compatibilty.

[ezee ryder]

No I don't watch WRC. Like I have said above, they have moved away from the rallying and I don't really see a problem with that to be honest. They have no obligation to anyone to keep making a "proper" rally game.

As for the "**** yeah, Team America" stuff, I don't see anything that extreme (pardon the pun) in the demo. Yeah the game has more of an American style but it is not shoved down the players throat or anything. Again, I just think people are playing this wanting it to be a "proper" rally game when it clearly isn't. It's like me playing Gears of War and wanting it to be Rainbow Six, just not gonna happen.

I didn't come into the demo expecting it to be a full on rally game (especially after playing the original DIRT), I think most of you guys probably did and that is the difference.